Alternative Materials and Finishes: Stretching the Creative Process
INSTRUCTOR: Rocky Lewycky
CLASS TITLE: Alternative Materials and Finishes: Stretching the Creative Process
DATE(S):  August 21 - 27, 2023    
DAYS OF WEEK: Monday - Sunday
HOURS: 9:30 am to 4:30 pm
SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate/Advanced

The heart of this workshop is in the exploration of alternative firings. We will be working and exploring everyday with new firing techniques and processes. Students will bring both greenware and bisqueware to the workshop to fulfill each process. You can visit my website and click on “workshops'' to see examples of what you will be learning in the workshop. Below is a list of firings that we will be exploring:
-Ferric Chloride Saggar Burritos
-Ferric Chloride Spray Over Clear Crackle 
-Pit Fire over Greenware Terra-Sigillata Base
-Pit Fire over Bisqueware Terra-Sigillata with Mica Colorants Base
-Horse Hair/Feather Firing with GreenwareTerra-Sigillata Base
-Cone 7 Seashell Side-Fire with Matte Crystal Glazes (Oxidation) 
-Cone 11 Side-Fire Shino with Wood Ash (Reduction)

Along with our exploration of alternative firing techniques, we will also spend some time experimenting with alternative materials and surface treatments.  will demonstrate how to make and use the following:
-Greenware Greek Style Terra Sigillata (Greenware)
-Greenware Terra-Sigillata with Mason Stain Colorants 
-Bisqueware Terra Sigillata with Mica Colorants
-Paper Clay with Burnout Legumes
-Feldspar Inclusions 
-Micaceous Clay 

Finally, I will teach you how to clean and finish your pots with the following techniques:
-Dremel Tool Sanding of Side Fire Wares
-Wax Sealing of Low Fire Wares
-Introduction to Gold Leafing Materials and Sizing Demo 

**Please note that you will need to purchase an organic vapor mask to participate in the Ferric Chloride processes  (~$45). In preparation for the workshop, you will need approximately 20-40 small to medium pieces at various stages of completion. Please allow enough time for this planning. Detailed information will be provided upon registration.

Below are some images of specific techniques from previous workshops.. Please feel free to email me with any questions ~ Rocky

Alternative Clay Building and Finishes:
Stretching the Creative Process

Monte Castello, Italy

May 24 – June 4, 2020
€ 3,250.00

This workshop will focus on exploring alternative firing and clay building techniques. Along with hands on demonstrations, Rocky Lewycky will be leading discussions and projects to help facilitate you in finding your creative voice. Students will make and apply a Greek style terra sigillata that will become the base surface for many of our projects. We will experiment with mason stains and colored mica inclusions, while learning the process of creating color line blends. Rocky will oversee several firing techniques including pit, ferric chloride saggar, smoke, and horse hair firing. We will build with local clays as well as make our own micaceous clay, paper clay, and legume inclusion clay. Demonstrations will illuminate the process of altered wheel work, sculptural coil building, and some simple hump forms created from plaster molds made in our session.

Workshop Includes…

- Instruction

-Double occupancy room (Private apartments and villas are available for an additional fee)

-Three chef-catered meals per day in Monte Castello

-Studio work space

-Transportation to and from Rome Fiumicino airport

-Access to the facilities of the ICA and the assistance of 24/7 on-site bilingual support

https://www.icaitaly.com

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 9
10am  
Introductions 
10:30  
Students bring bone-dry work for Terra-Sig (sculpture clay body or open clay body).
Application of terra sig both white and pre-mixed colors. (Rocky supplies 5 colors premixed) 
Shabby Chic terra sig application demo. 

LUNCH 1-1:45   
1:45-2:30 
Make Terra Sigillata  
2:30-3
Make Porcelain Paper clay- Slake for couple hours, mix, slake for couple hours and mix.
Intro to Burnout (Rocky supplies clay to get started)
3-4
Intro to Burnout and baskets (Rocky supplies clay to get started)

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 10
10am
Separate Terra-Sig and thicken with crock-pot. 
Demo using a Hydrometer to test Terra-Sig viscosity.
Demo test tiles mason stains in Terra-Sig. 
Color line blend of 9 graduations. Rocky supplies bone dry tiles, plastic mixing cups, and microfibers for all students.
Paint and burnish one bisque piece with premixed bisque Terra-Sig with colored mica.
Continue Baskets until lunch
LUNCH 1-1:45   
1:45-3 
Continue baskets
(assistants unload bisque) 
3-4 
load pit fire  

6pm POTLUCK 
Light and fire pit. 
 
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 11
10am
Unload Pit Fire 
Clean up Pit 
Gently scrub pieces in prep of wax. 
Polish Pieces Rejuvinate floor wax 
LUNCH 12:30-1 (SHORT LUNCH ½ HOUR) 
1-1:30
Review all work and tiles. 
1:30-3:00
Last chance to build baskets
3:00-4
Gold Leaf demo- 23K vs fake. Roll vs sheets. 
Closing tea ceremony. 

Monday 22 October:
  

Studio Workshop 2:30-5   Ceramic Studio 
Demo Baskets paper clay with burnout
Demo Thrown and altered vases, tumblers, bowls, tea bowls. 
Demo Tool Making-beaded wire tool.
Demo Making paper clay. 

Studio Workshop 6-9
Demo Hands-On
Glaze Side-Fire and build catchers/stuff shells/load kiln
Demo- Glaze Buttons
Preheat Side-Fire kiln with pilots on only, damper 1 inch, and door cracked to about 2”. Kiln must not get over 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
 

Tuesday 23 October:

Side-Fire Kiln ramps up through bisque slowly throughout day. 

9-12  Workshop in Studio
Demo thrown and altered vases and tumblers part 2. 
Demo Baskets paper clay with burnout part 2. 
Demo Bisque Terra Sigillata with colored mica.
Review tiles of colored mica for base/ferric chloride, saggar, pit…

Potluck 12:30-1:30 

1:30-2:30 Power Point Presentation  

3-5  Workshop in Studio
Hands on Demo: Everyone paints on bisqueware terra sig one piece for Cajon Injector pit fire. Build and load pit (Above ground with bricks and/or cinder blocks). 

9-11:30pm  
Fire pit fire.  

Wednesday 24 October:
Kiln gets fired to cone 7 with hold for 3 hours.

10-1:00   Workshop in Studio
Unload Pit Fire
Demo thrown and altered vases, tumblers, bowls. 
Demo Baskets paper clay with burnout.
Demo Polishing work.
Review of Finishing Side-Fire Works 
Demo Gold Leaf both transfer and loose leaf (If Time Permits)  

 1-2:30 Lunch with Friends of Ceramics

 3-5  Meet with MFA and BFA Students

The heart of this workshop is in the exploration of alternative finishes. We will make and apply a Greek style Terra-Sigillata with and without colorants, which will become the base for our 2 low fire projects, ferric chloride saggar, and a Cajon injection pit-fire. We will fire cone 10 ash-Shino utilizing my new tumble stacked heat-tent. We will also fire a separate cone 8 seashell side-firing with matte crystal glazes. 

About 1/3 of the workshop will be dedicated to building. We will explore thrown and altered forms with porcelaineous clay, as well as handbuild using coil and mold techniques. In addition, burnout materials, inclusions (feldspar and mica), and paper clay will be demonstrated.

Schedule

Monday
(Assistant set up glazes and buttons for side fire 9am)
9:30-10 Meet in Studio- Introductions  
10-1 Glaze Side-Fire and build catchers/stuff shells/load kiln
1-1:45 Lunch
1:45-4 Meet in Studio- Apply (greenware) terra sigillata to bone dry pots for ferric chloride and pit. Demo colored terra sigillata. Demo Paper Clay and Micaceous Clay
(Assistant Load Bisque and fire cone o8)
3:30-4:30 Demo wheel- side fire thrown and altered vase, tumblers. 
(Assistant preheat Side-Fire with door cracked and candle to 190F)
(Assistant helps clean up in kiln yard)

Tuesday
(Assistant set up glazes for Shino glazing and plastic over spray booth for wax spraying 9am)
(Assistant Side-Fire to bisque slowly throughout day) 
9:30-11:30 Meet in Kiln Yard - Glaze Sino, Wax, Stack and place in heat tent. 
(Assistant- Build heat tent around existing shino)
 11:30-12 Demo Paper clay with burnout- building baskets
12-1 Studio Time
1-1:45 Lunch 
1:45-2:45 Meet in Studio- Painting on colored mica (bisqueware) Terra Sigillata. One piece for pit fire and one piece base for ferric chloride burrito. 
Studio Time
(Assistant help clean up in kiln yard)


Wednesday 
(Assistant Side Fire to cone 7 throughout day)
9:30-11:30- Meet in Studio-  Unload bisque kilns
Painting on Ferric Chloride over bisqued Terra Sigillata 
Load and fire Ferric Chloride #1
11:30-12 Demo- Continue side fire thrown and altered. Trimming tumblers. 
12-1 Studio Time
1-1:45 Lunch
1:45-3:15 Meet in Studio- Demo Wax Ferric Chloride Pieces. Demo mold bowl with micaceous clay. 
3:15- Studio Time
 
Thursday
9:30-11:30 Meet in Kiln Yard with pit fired pieces- Build and Load Pit Fire around work. 
11:30-12 DEMO- Wabi-Sabi Colored Terra Sigillata on bone dry. 
12-1 Studio Time
1-1:45 Lunch 
1:45-2:45 Unload Side Fire and clean up. 
2:45-4 -Wood Ash Demo- Washing and screening. Unstack shino, apply wood ash and load Shino Kiln.   
4- Studio Time
6:30pm Pot Luck Party and light pit fire.
(Assistant preheat Shino. Must not pass 1588F)
(Assistant load and fire wabi-sabi pieces into bisque)

Friday 
(Assistant keep eye on Shino Fire and body reduction)
9:30-11 Meet in Kiln Yard- Unload Pit Fire and clean up pit area. 
11-1 Clean up Pit fire pots and Side Fire pots with Dremel. 
Lunch 1-1:45
1:45-3 Demo feldspar inclusion using dry throwing of platters. Continue basket. Continue thrown and altered piece. 
3pm Studio Time

Saturday 
9:30-11:30 Painting on Ferric Chloride over colored mica bisquware Terra Sigillata.  Prepare burritos. Load and fire Ferric Chloride #2. Load and fire Wabi-Sabi into quick fire smoke. 
11:30-1 Studio Time
1-1:45 Lunch 
1:45-4:30 Studio Time
3- 3:30 Demo Making terra Sigillata 

Sunday
9:30-11 Meet in Kiln Yard- Unload Shino Kiln and clean up.
11-1 Demo siphoning Terra Sigillata and crock pot.
Wax Pit Fire and Ferric chloride Pots 
Gold Leafing demo. 
1-1:45 Lunch
1:45-3 Studio Time wrap-up.
3-4:30 Review of all work made in workshop and clean up/pack up.