Leader: Dorota Zaleska (d.zaleska@embassyschool.org)
Brief description: Play with clay and decorate it with child- friendly, non- toxic underglazes. It will take two to three weeks to get the pieces ready. They need to dry and then will be fired twice in a ceramic kiln in Kaolin Studio. All the materials and firings included. Please bring a big, adult size used T-shirt to wear during the session.
Age restrictions: Children from Year 1 to Year 6
Time: Wednesdays 15:40 – 16:30
Location: Project room in building C and Kaolin Studio in Kraków
Together with our artist in residence, Ms Dorota Zaleska, we will explore the magical world of clay. Ms Dorota studied ceramics and industrial design to a degree level and has worked with clay for over 15 years.
During our weekly meetings at the Embassy International School we will learn different hand-building techniques such as pinching, coiling, slab building, using plaster moulds and sculpting clay. Then we will add decoration using a variety of underglaze colours and oxides.
Once a month our Club will be visiting a small local pottery called Kaolin Studio. At the studio we will learn how to work on a potter’s wheel and we will find out more about ceramics technology, including mixing, wedging and kneading of clay, loading and firing kilns and glazing techniques.
Here is a list of creative topics for the Autumn Term:
- Introduction to clay tools, H&S in ceramics, creation of small pinched and coiled pots
- Autumn leaves, using slab rolling and pressing techniques to create small functional bowls
- Kiwi birds, clay sculptures – hand built, finished with oxides
- Pottery visit – tour of Kaolin Studio, explanation of basic pottery processes, equipment and technology.
- Glazing of pieces created at the Embassy International School
- Name plaques, clay letters applied onto pre-rolled clay slabs
- Halloween Monster mugs with handles, coiled functional pots of an own design
- Remembrance poppies, inspired by an art Installation around Tower of London from 2014
- Pottery visit – introduction to wheel throwing technique, finishing and glazing of pieces created at the school
- Chameleons of Madagascar, clay sculptures – hand built, finished with colourful underglazes
- Advent lanterns, joined ornamental clay slabs with a place for a tea light
- Christmas tree ornaments created using all kinds of techniques
- Pottery visit – throwing on the potter’s wheel, finishing and glazing of pieces created at the school
- Napkin rings, functional rings of own design inspired by seasons and family occasions to celebrate meals
- Decorating of any unfinished pieces, own projects as it’s our last meeting before Christmas
Ms Dorota with her ceramic poppies which were a part of Paul Cummins’ art installation around Tower of London in 2014.