Wallowing: The Joy of Manipulating Mud on the Potters Wheel

With Mike Caemmerer

August 13 - 19, 2023

Location: Grunewald Guild Pottery Studio

What will class time be like?: Every day will involve demos in throwing and altering work, with most time reserved for practice and exploration and one-on-one instruction and encouragement.

Will I need to work outside of class?: Yes, participants wishing to create complex or ambitious projects should expect to spend additional time working outside of class.

What can I expect to create?: The focus of the class is on learning, not production. Students are encouraged to go home with the experience of learning to throw a pot, rather that an actual pot.

Do I need experience to take this class?: Participants should have some previous exposure to ceramic throwing, though minimal experience is necessary. If you've tried throwing one pot in your lifetime, you should be fine!

What do I need to bring to class?: Studio clothes; experienced potters can bring their favorite personal tools

Minimum age of participant: 16

required deposit: $250

  • Commuter – $115.00
  • Cabin – $1,180.00
  • Hilltop House King Private Room + Private Bath – $1,120.00
  • Hilltop House Queen Private Room + Shared Bath – $1,060.00
  • Hilltop Private Room (Full + Two Twins) + Shared Bath – $1,000.00
  • Private Queen Room + Shared Bath – $940.00
  • Private Twin Room + Shared Bath – $940.00
  • Shared Room + Shared Bath – $610.00
  • Yurt – $730.00
  • Library Dorm – $460.00
  • RV with Electric: 125V/30 Amp – $460.00
  • RV with Electric: 25V/20 Amp – $460.00
  • Personal Tent or Car Camping – $400.00

There is nothing quite like the feeling of getting elbow deep in mud and manipulating the madness into wonderful forms. Over the course of this class, students will push themselves to create unique work that challenges both their ability to throw larger pieces and their ingenuity to creatively alter those forms. Students will play with fluting, scalloping, cutting, handling, kidding, and otherwise building on to their wheel-thrown work.

The point of the class is exploration and play.  As such, we want students to get lost in the process without worrying about creating a product. Students who are product-focused will have less fun than those who are willing to just let it go!

About the Faculty

Mike Caemmerer

Mike grew up with artistic parents, professor/painter dad and weaver mom, always in an environment that allowed dabbling in one art form or another. He first sat at a potter’s wheel at the Grünewald Guild pottery in 1988, and has mostly been self-taught ever since with the help of amazing mentors along the way, especially […]

Learn more about Mike Caemmerer

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