Artist Statement

“I was raised on cartoons and comic books, superheroes and villains. I grew up around Native American artifacts and American antiques. I learned to appreciate the intimate qualities of aged objects: the textures of rusty iron and crawling paint on old furniture, and even the musty smell of ripened books and magazines. Things that come with embedded narrative and a worn history have always surrounded me, and therefore, influence me. I am attracted to nostalgia and drawn to the curious — to something unusual but familiar — to something that creates a linkage across time.  

Toys, Latin American ceramics, architecture, our human relationship with the environment, and the American folk face jug tradition started by early American potters, influence my work. From the very beginnings of mankind, civilizations have produced figurative works in clay. The work tells us about those peoples’ everyday lives, hopes, fears, struggles, triumphs, and cherished deities. The figure in art has limitless possibilities and is a subject matter that everyone can relate to. 

Many of the objects I create join the realms of sculpture and utility. I am not always concerned with “pretty”, though I do believe that form, color, and shape are important. The notion of function in my work is important as well, but is not the primary focus. My vessels are created using a combination of thrown and hand-building processes. Many pieces are fired multiple times to achieve my desired effect. Each object carries its own story and history that is created as the viewer relates to that vessel, and uses it in their daily life.” 

Day 1: Saturday, April 12th (9 AM – 5 PM)

Morning Session (9 AM – 12 PM):

• Handbuilding and wheel throwing cups using stoneware and porcelain 
• Explore new forms and altering "perfect" pieces to accentuate the artistic objective of the piece you are creating

Lunch (12 PM – 1 PM):

• Lunch is not provided, so please bring your own meal or there are plenty of places close by for a quick bite 

Afternoon Session (1 PM – 5 PM):

• Dive deeper into the artistic side of pottery by learning how to add faces and forms to your pieces
• Experiment with adding handles to your cups
• Begin exploring porcelain inlay techniques to add intricate designs to your pottery
• Start your handbuilding project, sculpting a human head as a challenging and rewarding focal point

Day 2: Sunday, April 13th (9 AM – 5 PM)

Lunch Break: 12 PM – 1 PM

Morning Session (9 AM – 12 PM):

• Dive into trimming and refining your porcelain cups
• Create and Transfer pre-designed images onto your pottery and prepare them for carving
• Finish up any work from the previous day, ensuring your projects are shaping up nicely

Lunch (12 PM – 1 PM):

• Lunch is not provided, so please bring your own meal or there are plenty of places close by for a quick bite. 

Afternoon Session (1 PM – 5 PM):

• Continue working on your human head sculpture, refining the details and completing the piece
• Carve the images transferred earlier in the morning onto your pottery, adding texture and depth to your work
• Pottery will be bisque fired by TPS and we will call or text you when it is done 

This two-day workshop is a fantastic opportunity to enhance your ceramics techniques under the guidance of Ryan Myers. You’ll walk away with new skills, a deeper understanding of ceramics, and a collection of personal, handcrafted pieces.

Reserve your spot today and get ready to immerse yourself in a creative journey!

Requirements to Join:

• Experience: Participants must have recent experience in both handbuilding and wheel throwing, as this is not a beginner-level class. This workshop is designed for those with a foundational knowledge of ceramics who are looking to refine their techniques and explore new creative possibilities. If you’re comfortable with both handbuilding and throwing, this class will be a great opportunity to expand your skills!

Specific Tools to Bring:

• Images for pottery transferring (these should be prepared ahead of time for the image transfer process)

Clay Body (provided by TPS):

• Clay Body: Participants will be working with #553,#112 and #551 porcelain clay bodies, which will be provided during the workshop.

Make Up Policy: No Makeups will be allowed. 

All pottery is subject to cracking, blistering, and blowouts which make your piece unfunctional due to the firing process.  We do everything we can to prevent defects but is part of the pottery experience.  

Payment is required at the time of sign-up to secure a spot in the class.

Refunds for this workshop can be done by calling 262-547-1920. Refunds will be issued for cancellations made at least one week prior to the workshop date (April 12th). Refunds made after this period will not be eligible.

Please wear appropriate clothing for getting clay on, trim your fingernails, tie back long hair and remove any hand accessories.

Finished pottery pieces not picked up in 90 days will be discarded.

For questions please call 262-547-1920 or email us at [email protected]