Ceramics | Shoji Satake | All Levels | All-Day | Week 2 (July 13-18, 2025)
Spend the week and take your ceramic knowledge to the next level! Because of the long-form nature of this class, students of all levels can get individual attenation, whether that’s learning how to center & throw or deepening your knowledge of the art. This week-long class is designed to increase and further students’ construction skills and methods in both hand-building and wheel-throwing. The class will be structured around projects or daily themes that include demos and lectures. This course is designed for students who want to broaden their skills and depth in ceramic studio expressive art making. Students will begin to develop an informed and personal style while refining both wheel-thrown and hand-built ceramic forms. This course will explore the properties of clay and ceramic materials through classroom demonstrations, lectures, and studio lab work. Lectures and demonstrations will explore a variety of ceramic processes and contemporary approaches to exploring clay as an expressive medium.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. To learn and/or further develop ceramic construction techniques
2. To learn and/or further develop decoration and glazing techniques
3. To understand the ceramic fabrication process
4. To think critically in the design decision and execution
5. To learn, understand, and practice good craftsmanship
Supplies that students should bring with them:
– Kemper pottery tool kit (or your own pottery tool kits)
– Water bucket
– N-95 mask (for glazing)
– Fettling Knife
– Serrated metal rib
– Metal fork
– 1-2 good brushes (natural bristle, high “mop” Japanese hake brush or bamboo sume brush costs about $5 each)
– Bath Towel and/or Apron (when wheel throwing)
– Sketchbook (preferably 8.5 x 11)
– Pillowcase (for slab-building)
– Clear plastic bag
– Mudtools red rubber rib
There will be a $140 materials fee added to your total when you register for this class.
About the Instructor
Shoji Satake, a Japanese-born American artist, is an associate professor in the Ceramics department at the Rhode Island School of Design. Prior to joining RISD, he held the Bernard Schultz Endowed Professor of Art position at West Virginia University, where he also served as the area coordinator for the ceramics program for 17 years. Currently he is president of the Board of Directors for the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) and a member of the International Academy of Ceramics. Alongside his teaching, Satake maintains an active studio practice with locations in West Virginia and Jingdezhen.
