Pottery has always been an art and science of the earth. Foraging for local clays begins a conversation with our local landscape, in which our understanding of the geological narratives and mineral personalities in our hands deepens with time and experimentation.
It is both a sacred act and a radical act to forge a connection with one’s local landscape instead of relying soley on manufactured materials. Knowledge of the minerals, their histories, and what we can create with them is powerful.
This two day class explores the complex chemistry and creativity of working with the wild clays of the Pacific Northwest and how to integrate them into your pottery practice.
We will spend the first day in the wetlands of west Eugene learning about the diversity of local clay types, the unique geology of the Southern Willamette Valley and how its dynamic history affects how and where we can find clay.
This workshop will focus on clays and materials found in the area, with samples of clay from Washington and California to create a wider picture of clay types on the West Coast. Most information will be applicable to wherever you live, with the obvious caveat that more observation and experimentation will be necessary.
We will forage and process clay, discuss blending of clay bodies, troubleshooting wild clay, and make a handbuilt and glazed pot during the class! See the full weekend schedule below.
Saturday March 7th + Sunday March 8th from 10 - 4pm
This workshop is taking place on the unceded indigenous lands of the Kalapuya. Understanding our materials as potters connects us intimately with the geologic, as well as human histories of these lands. It is our responsibility as guests to learn about these histories as well, so that we are contributing to connection and protection and not perpetuating extraction and harm.
If you are Indigenous or Native American, Black, Latino/a/x/e, or someone of the global majority that has been prevented from connecting to, tending or protecting the land as a result of colonial oppression there is a 20% waived fee for participation in this workshop. Please email us to get the check out code!
The first day will be at an outdoor foraging location just outside Eugne and will include:
a hands on exploration of different clay personalities one finds when foraging
how to read the landscape and identify appropriate places for foraging
how to process clay for best handbuilding or wheel throwing results
the basics of blending theory, additives, and more
hands on blending and testing exercises, and
making one handbuilt pot to take home after glaze firing (kiln fired when dry, pick up a few weeks later)
On our second day, we will be in the studio at Wildling Collabortive Arts to:
discuss kiln firing protocols and techniques, firing maturity of wild clays, as well as alternative firing methods
overview of the traditional history of earthenware, and its future in ceramics
explore the basics of natural glazes and slips
make our own line blend glaze tests and glaze our handbuilt pieces from day one
Hosanna White
Hosanna is dedicated to learning slow crafts that connect her with the source of her materials and the magic that comes from transforming them for everyday use.
She has been experimenting with wild clays and local minerals for thirteen years, since taking her first pit fire pottery workshop. Over the years, a growing fascination for geology, ancient ceramics, and shaping local clay for functional use has driven her to study the elemental and historic lineages from which our modern knowledge of ceramics has come from.
Hosanna lives in the foothills of Western Oregon, a geologically rich landscape that has inspired her studio work, Whitesnake Arts. She blends bio-regional history and land stewardship into her artwork and place based pottery.