Upcoming Workshops
Learn how to pack and fire an electric kiln in this comprehensive two-day course at Strathnairn Arts!
The course will run over two days and includes:
Information about electric kilns and how they are constructed and run.
How to build a cone pack and prepare materials and equipment for firing.
Firing for different types of clay and glazes.
Safety considerations for working with ceramic materials in kilns.
Learning about the firing cycle and how to troubleshoot firings.
Packing for bisque and glaze firing.
Programming controllers for electric kilns.
Maintenance and repair of electric kilns and equipment.
Participants must have some clay experience including a basic understanding of types of clay and glazes. Students will pack a kiln for bisque on the afternoon of day 1 of the course and the space in the kiln will be shared evenly among participants.
Please bring a small box of work to be bisqued! Extra information will be sent to workshop participants as the commencement date approaches.
We look forward to meeting you and introducing you to our kilns!
Please note that on completion of the electric kiln firing course, one supervised firing must be completed before members can book and operate electric kilns.
Learn the fundamentals of wood-firing ceramics in the Super E, fast fire wood kiln with Joey Burns from Sawpit Studios
Across this two and a half day hands on course you will develop skills required to fire the Super E kiln. Students should bring their own bisque fired work made from stoneware clays and any glazes they wish to use. Stoneware or porcelain clays only, aiming for cone 10 firing.
If this workshop is at capacity each participant will have the equivalent of two shelves 60 x 40cm. Please bring a variety of sizes of pots as taller pots can be placed on the top shelf.
Previous wood firing experience is not required for taking part in this course.
Course Outline
Day 1, Saturday 31 October - 9.00am-5.30pm (incl 1/2 hour lunch, short morning and afternoon tea break)
Safety talk, course outline and intro to kiln.
Kiln prep and glazing.
Kiln packing, including techniques, setting cones and packing theories.
Day 2, Sunday 1 November - 9.00am - 5.30pm, finish time may change subject to firing completion.(incl 1/2 hour lunch, short morning and afternoon tea break)
Lighting kiln and firing all day.
Students in pairs, firing kiln in 2 hour shifts.
While kiln is firing there will be talks on firing schedules, timber types and suitable materials for wood-firing.
Finish firing and closing down of kiln.
Day 3, 7 November- 9.00am. - 1.00pm (incl short morning tea break)
Open and unpack Kiln.
Assess results and demo of cleaning fired pots.
Clean kiln and work area.
PPE Requirements
Bring your own leather riggers gloves & firing gloves.
Wear long sleeves and long pants, boots or sturdy shoes, no synthetic clothing. Bring a cotton or wool hat or scarf to cover hair.
Make your own camera. Explore Strathnairn. Have your photographs included in a book.
This dynamic workshop is designed for photographers and story tellers who wish to explore the artistry of image-making through hands-on activities and creative experimentation.
In this workshop you will make your own camera obscura, learn how it works and use it to create unique photographs of Strathnairn and its surrounding environment.
The workshop combines discovery of the photography, hand making and personal observation. Your photographs and short written reflections will contribute to a print-on-demand book celebrating Strathnairn and the ways people experience this special place.
The Workshop: Make and Use Your Camera Obscura
Saturday 21 November — Camera Obscura Workshop 10am–4pm
A hands-on workshop introducing the camera obscura and the principles behind photography.
Discover the history of the camera obscura and early photography
See how light, lenses, focus and image formation work
Make your own working camera obscura
Experiment with your camera and photograph its projections
Begin photographing Strathnairn and its surroundings
Over the next 2 weeks you will have the time to more deeply explore the camera obscura you made to photograph and document what is meaningful to you about Strathnairn and its surrounds. You can accompany your photographs with short written notes, memories or observations
Please Bring
Smartphone or digital camera for photographing the camera obscura projections
Notebook and pen
Lunch
What is Provided
Materials to make your camera obscura
Guidance in photographing with your camera obscura
Guidance in preparing photographs and writing for publication
Preparing Content to Create the Book
We will have a follow-up session to bring the project together where we will:
Review and select photographs
Edit and organise your images and writing
Prepare material for publication
Saturday 5 December — Photo review and publication session, 11am–3pm
Saturday 12 December — Deadline for Book submissions
Book launch – date to be determined