In this two hour workshop, you will make and decorate a lotion bottle made of stoneware clay. The first hour will be focused on making the actual bottle and decorating it with applique. The second hour will be spent glazing it. You can make a bottle similar to the one pictured, or come up with your very own design – maybe sea oriented, or even sports related. The bottle will then be left to dry for a week before being fired in a kiln. The actual bottle, with lotion pump, will be available for pick up with in 3 weeks.

This workshop will take place Tuesday, February 12, from 6 – 8 pm. If you can’t make this date and would like to schedule another time, use the contact us tab and let me know what date and time would work for you (min 4 people).

Posted on February 5, 2019March 1, 2019 by Virginia

Pottery Classes and Workshops

One of the best aspects of my retirement, has been sharing my love of pottery with others. The last year, I have been offering pottery lessons as well as single night ceramic workshops at my home studio. With the new year, maybe you would like to add some relaxing creativity to your schedule, and here are a couple of ideas to do that.

One of the workshops has been through the Prescott Community Center. This workshop is a 6 week project oriented class. Each week, students work on a new project. They have made mugs, bowls, plates, and butter dishes. All of which have been beautiful and unique. The great thing about pottery, in particular hand building, is you can make a professional looking piece, with no

experience. This spring, I will be offering two more workshops through Prescott. Once Prescott has the new catalog up, I will add a link.

On my website, I am offering an 8 week, 16 hours , pottery lessons. Currently, two of my students have both challenged me in very different ways. I have one young woman who is a freshman in high school. She is an artist, and combining that with her pottery, she has produced some really wonderful pieces. She has challenged me to be more artistic in my own glazing, and take more time in the final process. I love throwing, but glazing, which can be the make or break it of pottery making, has always been the worst part. I can make a beautiful pot, only to ruin it with my glazing.

My other challenger is a gentleman, who is left handed. I have been teaching pottery, off and on, since college, some 30 years now. I have never had a left handed person – or if I did, I didn’t know. Only recently have pottery wheels been able to go both directions – clock wise and counter clock wise. You could buy Shimpos way back then, which went both directions, but they were very expensive. As I am learning, people who are left handed are better suited to work on a wheel that turns clockwise, rather than counter clock wise – which most of us right handed folks use. I have to think twice when trying to help, and even with that,

some times I still don’t get it right!For me, throwing, at this point, is pretty much second nature. I don’t really think about what I am doing, I just do it. Despite the challenge, and my help, he has made some really gorgeous pots.

Another workshop which has been popular is “Make a Fairy House” or ” Make a Toad House“. If your neighborhood toads and fairies are homeless, this is the workshop for you!

Another recent workshop was with Donna Spencer, a certified Zentangle teacher, a woman I met through the gallery I used to manage. She was one of the participating artists who made some of the most beautiful intricate pen and ink designs, called Zentangle. We ran a workshop combining zentangle and clay, and the attendees, limited to just 4 folks, made some gorgeous platters.

Donna and I are offering a new workshop in March, which will combine Zentangle and Sgraffito. Sgraffito is an ancient technique used to decorate pottery where a design is scratched into the clay. The workshop is limited to four folks. During the workshop you will make the platter, learn about Zentangle, and create your own beautiful design on the platter. Instead of applying the glaze, as in the previous workshop, you will scratch away the glaze to create the design.

Lastly, I will be offering a workshop Sunday 2/24/19. The workshop will make a lotion or soap dispenser. For more information about that workshop, click here.

**New Workshop – Make a Lotion Dispenser**

I hope to see you soon at one of my workshops, so I can share with you my love of clay. Not only is it a creative venue, but you will also find it is very relaxing and good for the soul.

Zentangle and Sgraffito – 3/3/19 – 2 – 5 pm

Join certified Zentangle teacher, Donna Spencer, and potter, Virginia Wood, as we lead you through the steps to make a functional stoneware tray on which you will carve beautiful sgraffito designs inspired by the mindful art of Zentangle.

The workshop starts with you making a clay platter. You will then spend an hour learning from Donna about the mindful art of Zentangle. You will take what you learned from Donna, and apply it to your platter. Your design will be completely your own on a ceramic platter you make from scratch. A wholly satisfying creative endeavor!

No experience needed! Click here to reserve your spot – limited to just 4 students. Once you make your platter, it will take time to dry before it is fired in the kiln. The platters are available for pick up 2 – 3 weeks following the date you make them.

A couple of platters, similar to what will be made during the workshop, that were made using the sgraffito technique. Your design, though, will be your own!

Not available March 3, but you would still like to make the platters, gather three other friends, and Donna and I will work with you to find a date that works.

Make a Fairy House – Monday 1/21/2019 – 2 – 5 pm

Doesn’t every fairy deserve a roof over their head? Now you can provide a safe and beautiful home for your fairies.

You will make a ceramic home using slabs of clay and different textures to create that one of a kind home. You will be led through basic construction, and helped to design any embellishments you want to add, within the time allowed. The basic construction is a stone, cobblestone, or brick textured house, with a flower (datura type) roof. It takes a full 3 hours to make one of these houses – the first hour is spent building the house and roof, the second hour is adding any embellishments – mushrooms, butterflies, bugs, flowers, door, windowboxes…etc.), and the final hour is painting or glazing the the house.

After you make your house and it has dried, I fire it in a kiln to 1900 degrees fahrenheit. I then add a clear satin glaze over the outside of your house, and refire to 2200 degrees fahrenheit. Your finished house will be available for pick up within 2 weeks.

This workshop is limited to 4 people. If you would like to schedule a private workshop for just you and your friends and family, that is easily accomplished. Just use the “Contact” tab on the main menu.

Theoretically, these houses can be left out all winter, but it is not advisable.

Houses made by other folks taking the workshop:

Leaf Ornament Workshop

Using white stoneware and leaves from the yard, you will will make 15 leaf ornaments all about 2.5 inches square. These ornaments can be used for holiday decoration, or string them together to make a wind chime.

This is a two day workshop. The first day (DECEMBER 2, 1 – 3 PM) will be spent making the ornaments, the second day (DECEMBER 9, 1 – 3 PM) will be spent cleaning them up and glazing. You will be able to pick up the ornaments (wind chimes) within the following week.

Glazes available include: black, green, brown, silver, copper colored, and sparkled brown.

The leaves can also be glazed using under glazes, and then a clear coat. The colors of under glazes available include: black, white, red, yellow, green, brown, and various shades of pinks, purples, and blues.

ALL AGES WELCOME, young children must be accompanied by an adult.

Private Pottery Lesson Every Wednesday

Private Lesson

Zentangle Platter

What could be more fun and more relaxing than combining clay with Zentangle! Join certified Zentangle instructor Donna Spencer, and potter Virginia Wood, to make a stoneware platter on which you will incorporate the mindful art of Zentangle and the rewards of working with clay. You will take a lump of clay, turn it into a beautiful platter, and then glaze it like a skilled artist – all with no experience necessary!

This class is going to be so much fun! I met Donna when I ran Gallery 529 in Littleton. She sold her Zentangle artwork at the gallery, which was very well received by all! I have been teaching pottery for decades to folks of all ages. It wasn’t until the other day I was doodling on one of my pots, in an attempt to glaze it in a different manner than I ever had. It occurred to me, there was a much better strategy out there and called Donna.

The class will start out with you making the platter. Then you will join Donna to learn 5 Zentangle designs which you will practice, and a 6th you can choose from a selection she will have. After you have mastered your designs, you will return to glaze your platter, using those designs!

The class will take the full 3 hours, so being on time is important.

The design pictured is just one of the many pictures Donna sold at the gallery. The platter is similar in size and shape to the one you will be glazing. We hope to have examples of what the two will look like together, in the coming weeks, though, there is so much room for individuality in this project that whatever you make will be a reflection of you.

I am so excited by this class because even the most reticent or reluctant artist to be will find success with this project!

The final platter will be about 10 inches by 6 inches, microwavable, oven proof, and dishwasher safe! It will be available for pick up within 2 weeks after the class. In addition to the platter, Donna will also leave you with a packet of supplies so that you can continue to learn and practice the thousands of Zentangle designs that are out there.

If you have a group of people who would like to do this, but the date is not good for you, Donna and I are happy to work with your schedule. Just use the contact form on the menu to let us know.

Build A Stoneware Toad House!

What?! You say your toads are homeless? Now, you can build your toads their very own safe and secure home, out from under foot, perfect for your garden. This particular house is ten inches tall and 7 inches wide.

You will make a ceramic home using slabs of clay and different textures to create that one of a kind home. You will be led through basic construction, and helped to design any embellishments you want to add. After you make and glaze your house, using underglazes, your project will be bisque fired, then glazed with a clear satin glaze, and refired to nearly 2200 degrees fahrenheit. Your finished toad house will be available for pick up within a week.

It will take the full two hours to construct this house, so it is necessary that you arrive on time. This workshop is limited to 4 people. If you would like to schedule a private workshop for just you and your friends and family, that is easily accomplished. Just use the “Contact” tab on the main menu.

Theoretically, these houses can be left out all winter, but it is not advisable.

Also suitable for faeries.

Posted on June 25, 2018October 22, 2018 by Virginia

Working with Clay is the Best!

I started working with clay in 5th grade. The summer camp I attended had the best studio space, where I spent most of my time. The ability to take a lump of nothing, and transform it into some thing functional and beautiful is without equal. Maybe you remember the fun of working with clay from your youth?

Because of my love of working with clay, I want to share what I know and experience on a regular basis with others so that they may also reap the benefits of playing with clay. Whether you have played with clay before or not, it is an opportunity not to be missed. It is an amazingly easy way to relax and have a huge sense of accomplishment – in a very little time!

For a detailed listing of what we will be making, click here. Chose an item and contact me to schedule a time. I am retired, so my schedule is wide open.

Here are some pictures of one class that I held recently. Their casseroles have not gone into the kiln, yet, they should be done by the weekend, and I will add those pictures. As novices, each and every one looks beautiful, and has the added benefit of being functional, too…dishwasher, oven, and food safe, as well as microwavable.

Do you have some friends who want to play in the clay, or would you like to stop by? Check out the schedule, or if that is not convenient, contact me directly. I am happy to schedule a time that works for both of us. Also, working with clay makes for a great parent/child activity or even date night!

April 27, 2019

Our Squannacook River

Downtown Hudson’s premiere arts and culture festival showcasing local arts and craft vendors and performers on Main Street.

SHERBORN LIBRARY ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR

SATURDAY, MAY 11TH 2019 * 10AM-4PM

JAMESON FIELD, SHERBORN, MA

Lunenburg Arts Festival

Saturday, June 8, 10 – 3

Carlisle Farmers’ Market

Saturdays 8 – 12 noon.

At Kimball’s Ice Cream Stand 343 Bedford Road Route 225 in Carlisle

Shirley Farmers’ Market

Billerica Farmers’ Market

Codman Estate Sale

stART on the Street

Wachusett Apple Fest

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At Kimball’s Ice Cream Stand
343 Bedford Road
Route 225 in Carlisle