This is a two-day workshop with each day taking place on separate weekends:
Saturday 3rd August, 10am - 4pm, build your piece
Saturday 17th August, 10am - 4pm, raku fire your piece

Local artist, Dave Austin, creates large-scale sculptural works using slab and other hand-building techniques, adding and subtracting shapes to turn his abstract thoughts into abstract reality.

He has a passion for raku firing these pieces, committing them to the flame and smoking them in combustibles, for breathtaking and sometimes unpredictable results.

On the first day of this 2-day workshop, Dave will guide you in creating a base structure of up to 50cm high, which you will then alter, cutting pieces away and adding other shapes. You might choose to take inspiration from Dave’s works or to use his techniques to build something from your own imagination.

Over the following fortnight we will slowly dry your creations, then bisque fire them, so they are ready for the next stage.

On the second workshop day, 2-weeks later, Dave will demonstrate the glazing, firing, and reduction methods that are specific to raku. You will then get to glaze and fire your own pieces in the raku kilns (with Dave’s expert guidance and assistance), removing them when they’re still hot and dousing them in combustible materials to start the reduction process.

There are no additional costs for this workshop, your enrolment fee includes:

• Your tutor’s time and expertise
• Use of the WSP studio facilities and tools
• Clay
• Bisque firing
• Raku glazes
• Use of the raku kilns and protective equipment
• LPG gas for firing

However, we would love to share a kai and have a chat over lunch each day. Please bring a plate of food to share, if you’re able to.

About your tutor:
Kia ora
Graduating with a bachelor of media arts I spent 10 years in the film industry. While working on a short film I was asked to make a painting, this was 1996, which resulted in making oiled canvases to this day. Being creative and trying many types of media I stumbled onto clay about 6 years ago. Like so many before me I was hooked. Engineering shapes, vases, jewellery and finally I found RAKU. The last few years I have been obsessed with making RAKU sculpture and have perfected shapes and firing techniques which are unique and have universal appeal. I live in the mighty Waikato Aotearoa New Zealand, I have three wonderful daughters and a special RAKU kiln made out of an old castrol drum. If I could, I would fire it everyday because I believe as an artist I should always be making.
Until we meet
Dave

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The Waikato Society of Potters (WSP) reserves the right to cancel a class if it fails to achieve minimum enrolment numbers, for reasons outside of our control. A full refund will be given if the class is cancelled by the WSP less a 5% credit card fee. If a student cancels their enrolment within 72 hours of the first class starting, no refund will be given. If a student cancels their booking less than 7 days prior to the event a 50% administration charge will be deducted from the refund. Should a student cancel their enrolment any time prior to the above a 20% administration fee will be deducted from the refund.

Please read the WSP code of conduct. Confirming your booking indicates that you have understood and agree to comply with them.less