Chapter 2 : Workshops and Alternative Ways of Learning

Wheel throwing workshop participants at The Clay Studio of Philadelphia

In ceramics, there are many workshops and lecture opportunities. A workshop experience can help jump-start new work, assist with technical problems, help find a community or invigorate your practice by experiencing a new environment. It can be a great educational experience outside of school and many places have generous scholarships for which to apply. Workshops can vary from one day to six weeks.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when taking a workshop;

- Do some research about the person you are going to study with and read the workshop description carefully. They may not be teaching their own techniques.
- Learning new things involves a lot of trial and error, and loss of work. Do not expect to make and keep a lot of artwork.
- Work with the facilities and equipment that is already at the art center – the goal is to LEARN rather than duplicate your own facilities.
- During workshops there is a lot of very condensed learning, often it is a very intense experience.
- With both the workshop, and the hosting art center, there is an educational experience of both taking and giving. So help out if you can!
- Have a great time!

Workshop Ethics

There is a lot of discussion about what is appropriate for students to take from a workshop. Can they share handouts from a workshop? Can they use learned techniques and forms to sell work as their own? Is it different if you are paying to attend a workshop instead of watching tutorials on Youtube? More......Less

These are big questions and are addressed in a lecture called The Good, The Bad and The Ugly By Harriete Estel Berman about the impact of the internet on craft. In addition to discussing workshop etiquette, this lecture evaluates the good effects, some bad trends, and a few ugly behaviors of the internet that threaten the healthy growth of crafts.

Many many places have workshops. The Ceramics Monthly April issue usually has an excellent and extensive listing of the upcoming workshops. These are just a very few of the numerous places that host workshops:

*For information about assisting or teaching a workshop please see Chapter 3: Being Professional in Person