Fleeting Forms: Exploring the Art of Ephemeral Clay

This program begins Sunday, May 4, and ends Saturday, May 10. The fees listed at right include lodging and all meals (except “Commuter”, which includes a Commuter Meal Plan).  An additional sliding scale Course Fee is required.  For more information on our pricing, see our Pricing page.

Clay is often cherished as a precious and enduring material—one that carries the weight of time and tradition. But what if we set aside the permanence of fired ceramics and celebrated clay for its impermanence, its process, and its fleeting beauty? In this 5-day immersive class, we will push the boundaries of ceramics, inviting a shift from focusing on permanence to exploring the transformative and ephemeral nature of clay.

This course is designed for both beginners who want to engage with clay without anxiety about achieving a “perfect” outcome and experienced ceramic artists seeking to deepen their understanding of clay’s plasticity while moving beyond traditional approaches. Together, we will embrace clay as a process-based medium, focusing on experimentation, play, and discovery.

A key component of this class will be the creation of site-specific installations that align with and respond to the natural world. Students will work outdoors, considering how their ephemeral works interact with the environment—how light, wind, water, and time transform their pieces. Through these installations, we’ll examine the interconnectedness of art and nature and reflect on the beauty of impermanence.

In addition to creating site-specific installations, students will explore techniques such as:

• Sculpting to emphasize texture and form.
• Collaborative projects that evolve and dissolve over time.
• Techniques for integrating natural materials like wood, leaves, and stones.

By the end of the course, students will leave with a deeper appreciation of clay’s versatility and will gain a renewed perspective on ceramics, not as a medium tied to permanence, but as one that thrives in its capacity for flexibility, process, and transformation.

This course celebrates the act of creating, the joy of discovery, and the power of letting go—reminding us that there is profound beauty in the process.