
See more about Denise on her social media sites:
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https://www.instagram.com/happyturtlekilnarts
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Microwave Raku Workshop overview:
Friday Night Meet the Artist 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
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Dinner 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. will be provided by the Georgia Clay Council.
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Desserts are potluck.
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7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Presentation and questions for the artist.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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We will start off with a quick overview of what Microwave Raku is.
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Then we will go into detail about what type of items we will be making and what things we need to keep in mind for choosing what to make for a micro raku.
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We will discuss using wire and what types as well as firing wire safely in the microwave kiln.
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I will go over some tips and tricks to make jewelry more comfortable for the wearer as well as look more professionally finished.
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We’ll make several pieces of jewelry that we will be raku firing the next day.
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I will demonstrate throwing miniature pots, making ceramic rattles, and making hanging ornaments, as alternatives for jewelry.
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We will discuss other types of clay that would be appropriate for this method and I will explain in detail why I started firing my clay unglazed to full vitrification prior to Raku.
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Because this is unique to my method, I will explain how that affects the glaze application and what I do to mitigate those issues.
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We will go over equipment and how to acquire those things and how to set up for a successful microwave raku, including things to be aware of for ideal location and conditions.
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We will go over safety and how to prepare for the best results.
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I will do a demo of a complete firing for you on the first day, and we can save some time for any questions.
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We will discuss glazing and the types of commercial glazes that are available.
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If it’s something that the group is interested in, we can go into making your own raku glazes and some sources for those recipes (as well as the recipe sheet that I will provide).
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We can also talk a little bit about glaze chemistry and what about the specific chemistry causes raku glazes to react the way they do.
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Sunday: 10:00 a.m. - 5 p.m. (We often end earlier because everyone is tired after learning so much! This will depend on how the firings go.)
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On Sunday, we will be going over glaze applications and what does and does not create the best results.
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We’ll talk about layering glazes and using underglazes in Raku as well as using glazes that are not specifically made for Raku but will also work for Raku.
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Everyone can glaze the pieces that they made the day before and get them prepared for firing.
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We will go in depth again about how the microwave kiln should look at each stage of the firing process and how to know when the firing is ready to pull.
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We will discuss the different types of combustible materials that create different results and what is most commonly used.
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I will also cover using the Microwave Kiln for Obvara and Horse Hair firings in addition to traditional Western Raku glaze firing.
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Most of the day will be spent firing your own pieces that you have made and during that we will be practicing everything we have covered.
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Finally at the end of the day, we will be going over how to clean ceramic pieces after the Raku firing and attaching any jewelry hardware.
Participants will not need to prepare or bring anything for the workshop. Denise will be walking us through the process and we’ll be doing everything from wet clay to finished pieces during this session.
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Participants can bring some things that may be helpful:
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Texture tools or items or stamps
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Small clay/cookie cutters (no larger than 2 inches)
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Clay hand tools that you prefer to use
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Glazing brushes in various sizes
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If you happen to have a heat gun, that would cut down on sharing the few that I have.
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If you’d like to bring your own pieces already made to raku fire, they would need to be fully vitrified and unglazed. So if it’s a cone 5 clay, rather than bisque, it should be fired at cone 5 and there’s no need to bisque separately. Dimensions should be no taller or wider than 3&1/2” or less. This size is with my kiln extension which I will be explaining in depth during the presentation. The extension requires a separate microwave kiln to be altered and added between the lid and the base. That’s something that I have not seen anyone else do, but it is quite possible and very effective. The height without the extension would need to be less than 2 inches, so even though 3&1/2” seems really restrictive on size, keep in mind that it would be less with any other demonstrating artist.
If you know you would like to have your own microwave raku setup, you can order a setup for the workshop. This setup will be used by the participants during the workshop. The setup would need to be ordered and paid for by October 20th so Denise can order everything needed. Payment can come to the GCC.
A full kit will cost $200, which is approximately my cost (or slightly less than my cost), and having it used for the workshop will be exchanged for your convenience of avoiding shopping for everything individually. Purchase of kits is entirely optional and if you decide to do your own shopping, you will have a full supply list on your handout sheet. Each kit will include:
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1- 1000 Watt Microwave
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1- Microwave Kiln
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3- 1/2” kiln posts for stability
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1- Pair of Welding Gloves
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1- Reduction Chamber
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1- Stainless Steel 12” Tweezers/Tongs
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20- Kiln Papers
This will be everything you need for Microwave Raku in your own studio except for clay, glaze, and heat safe surface for reduction.

In this workshop you will learn more about how to use glazes, stains, and alternative firing -raku- to elevate the surfaces of your work.
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Participants can bring their own bisqued pieces on which to practice the techniques and glazes. Sunday afternoon will include a raku firing. Please bring 3 - 6 pieces, no taller than 8 inches so we accommodate them in the raku kiln.
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Brown bag your lunch on Saturday and Pizza party on Sunday courtesy of the GCC! Snack items and water will be provided throughout the weekend.
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Location is at Something Southern Studio in Canton. Address provided through email or at registration.
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Any questions?
Email us at GaClayCouncil@gmail.com
To register - fill out the form on the right.
Please register below by Monday, February 10th.


"Leather and Clay: A Beautiful Combination"
Students will get a chance to use various types of leather while enhancing their clay creations.
Techniques to be taught include colorizing leather pieces and accents, using a pyrography tool on leather, decorating clay pots/mugs/bowls with leather accents, "wrinkled leather" technique, "marbled leather" coloring technique, and more.
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Students are asked to bring several clay pieces that they have made, and we'll see how leather can be used to decorate them.
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As a bonus students can also make a leather shoulder bag if they wish.
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All leathers, tools, materials and instructions are included in the workshop.
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Cost will run about $155 for the two day workshop, leather materials, and lunches included.


The GCC warmly welcomes back Lynnette and Steve
for two days of fun and learning!
The weekend begins with our favorite get-together...
Meet the Artists Dinner on Friday:
Mix and Mingle from 6:30-7pm
Dinner (provided by the GCC, desserts are potluck) from 7-8pm
Presentation from Lynnette and Steve at 8pm
The workshop:
Saturday and Sunday
9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Breakfast snacks and lunch provided by the GCC.
Bring your own drinks and any special dietary needs.
Lynnette Hesser and Steve Loucks will demonstrate simultaneously for twice the opportunity for the attendee to learn how to alter and embellish pottery with their techniques and see their aesthetics and artistic processes at work.
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Steve will demonstrate his throwing techniques making a mug, tumbler, and a bowl. He will show how to alter and embellish simple thrown forms to give them gesture and personality. He will make a variety of bowls: wavy-rim, cut-rim, split-rim, and thrown-rim. He will also show how to make a serving dish from a thrown ring placed on a slab or thrown-out bottom. Steve will then demonstrate how to take simple thrown pieces and assemble them to make complex vase and jar forms. He will make a stacked jar, a sgraffito vase using black slip, and one of his elaborate floral vessels.
At the same time, Lynnette will first demonstrate how to make a number of different styles of bowls which will be manipulated or carved. She will show how to measure and add geometric and naturalistic patterns to thrown pieces and then how to carve them with a three-dimensional quality. Lynnette will teach how to measure exactly to have a perfectly fitting lid for a jar and how to add clay additions and sprigs to the pieces for more decoration and detail. She will show how to press mold clay slabs over plaster and wooden forms, how to add feet, and a thrown foot on pieces both connected and separate. She will also demonstrate making an undulated edge tray from a slab of clay.
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For more information about Lynnette and Steve and their work: www.lynnettehesserceramics.com stevelouckspottery.com
Raku Building and Firing Demonstration
Saturday, April 22 & Sunday April 23, 2023
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
This workshop has finished. Look for more raku workshops in the future.



















Photos by Tracy Cullen
Slip Trailing and Surface Decoration with Stacy Morgan
Saturday & Sunday
May 14 & 15, 2022 (This workshop has ended.
Look in upcoming events for current offerings.)
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Friday Night Pre-party! Meet the Artist Friday May 13, 2022
6 p.m. dinner followed by a conversation with Stacy Morgan. Open to all members and workshop attendees. This will be held at the home of a member in Waleska. The address will be emailed to members and attendees.
Saturday:
Slip Trailing
An intensive, full day, hands on workshop about slip trailed decoration for ceramic artists and potters. We’ll start with an information packed discussion and a demonstration of the properties of slip, recipes and how to prepare them, how to adjust for the most desirable flow and application, how to add colorants, a variety of tools for different effects, effective drying and firing.
The second part of the day is hands-on. We’ll explore a variety of application techniques on practice slabs of clay.
Sunday:
Beyond Slip Trailing
We will cover texturizing and special effects with plain and colored slips, building layers of interest with slip from 2-D effects to 3-D effects, basic Mishima and Sgraffito, and a great way of making and using stencils using a Cricut and a smartphone, that are perfect for working with slip to build depth and interest on pottery surfaces.
Participant materials: Attendees will need medium leather hard, small to medium pieces on which to practice each technique. Suggested: 4-5 pieces. Basic potter tools, paint brushes, foam applicators, heat gun, wax resist, water pails, sponges etc. Stacy will bring the slip trailers she prefers, and they will be available for purchase.
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Participant materials: Attendees will need medium leather hard, small to medium pieces on which to practice each technique. Suggested: 4-5 pieces. Basic potter tools, paint brushes, foam applicators, heat gun, wax resist, water pails, sponges etc. Stacy will bring the slip trailers she prefers, and they will be available for purchase.
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Check out Stacy’s website to see her work: https://www.spmorganstudio.com/

Surface Technique on Greenware or Bisque Ceramics
with Luce Van Asten
March 26 and 27, 2022
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Ana Leal Saturday, April 17th and Sunday the 18th, 2021
See Ana Leal's work on Facebook or
https://www.instagram.com/analealpottery/ Ana Leal (@analealpottery)
Learn how to alter porcelain to create a 3-dimensional design on the surface.
Ana will demo this technique on closed and open forms.
A wheel-thrown piece will be provided for the attendees to alter. You can have a design in mind or let it be abstract. Altering clay has endless possibilities. Learn to paint watercolor in three distinct techniques using underglazes, stains and oxides. Discuss glazing options.
About the artist:
Ana Leal is originally from Brazil and is a retired designer/mechanical engineer who has been working with clay since 2011. She fell in love with clay by accident and it has been her passion ever since. Her experience in working with Computer Aided Design has given her an advantage in visualizing the 3-D surface decoration she achieves on her work. She works mainly with porcelain because that gives her a white canvas to work on. She is inspired by tropical nature and uses that in her work by altering, carving and painting on clay. Ana has a passion for sharing her processes with others and will be having more workshops in the future. She sells her work via Instagram https://www.instagram.com/analealpottery/?hl=en or her website http://www.anasclayhouse.com/
Barry Gregg "Functional Whimsical Clay Sculptures for Table Top Use"
May 4-5, 2019
Barry Gregg Clayworks or on facebook.
Raku Glazing and Firing with Ann Wallin
April 6, 2019








"Figure Sculpture" Hands on Workshop with David Robinson March 23-24, 2019 David Robinson and on facebook.









“Human and Animal Figurative” July 14 & 15, 2018
Hands on Workshop with Christine Kosiba and Kirsten Stingle.
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Steve Loucks and Lynette Hesser
January 20th & 21st 2018




Raku Nights!





Lora Rust workshop June 2016


