Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th April 10am to 4pm

Kurinuki is an old Japanese technique of hand building. The pots are formed from a solid block of clay by carving and cutting in quick, gestural movements. The pieces are then hollowed out to form the inside space. This more sculptural approach allows for complete freedom in the shaping of the vessels. We will use this technique to explore various forms from tea bowls to sake bottles, vases and boxes. The Kurinuki technique is also great for making sculptural forms. It is suitable for all levels.

The price for this workshop includes clay and bisque firing of the pieces you make.
Glazing and glaze firing is not included.

Bring something yummy to share for lunch, if you're able

Elena Renker

Known internationally as 'the queen of wood-firing', Elena Renker was born in Germany in 1959, and came of age surrounded by artworks by the likes of Henry Moore, Klee, Miro, Calder and Picasso ceramics. Renker's first studies in pottery were in 1977 in Pondicherry, India, after which she returned to more formal studies in southern Bavaria and then Munich. Renker emigrated to New Zealand in 1984, raised a family in rural Auckland, and returned to pottery in 1998 when her youngest child started school. 2002-2007 saw her completing both her Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma in Ceramic Art from Otago Polytechnic. Renker has since undertaken a number of international Residencies in China, Korea, Singapore, Japan and Taiwan, and conferences on wood-firing in Germany and Denmark.

"My aim is not perfection. On the contrary, my belief is that imperfections make the bowls come alive, make them easier to relate to, make them more human. Nature’s perfection lies within its own asymmetry."less