The Leach Year: For Intermediate potters

Clay. Form. Technique. Colour. Beauty. Utility.

 A series of workshops across the year for potters to develop their skills

This course will be open for applications and bookings on Tuesday 24 September.

Clay. Form. Technique. Colour. Beauty. Utility.  

The Potter’s Year strives to nurture a small group of potters to develop their practice, through consolidating production skills within the ethos established by Bernard Leach. In addition, potters are encouraged to question and explore what it means to be a sustainable potter 100 years on from the beginning of the Leach Pottery.  

The Leach Pottery has been a place for potters to learn over the last 100 years. Founded by Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada, the pottery has hosted potters ranging from Michael Cardew and William Marshall to Warren MacKenzie and Katherine Pleydell-Bouverie. Informed by the founding principles of the Leach Pottery, the potters forged their practices, styles and approaches all rooted in sound technique, form and sensitivity to utility and beauty. 

The Potter’s Year offers the opportunity for Potters to:   

·  Achieve consistency of throwing repeat forms through undertaking production pottery workshops and throwing form challenges both on the electric and kick wheels to an advanced level.  

·  Consolidate throwing technique, throwing with economy and letting the clay lead.   

· Develop a throwing identity and style through considered design and exploration with clay. 

·  Make sustainable and informed choices for their practice, from choice of clay to glaze and firing methods. 

· Grow an understanding of glazes to then develop their own selection of glazes and trouble shoot glazing issues. 

The course is taught using both electric wheels and Leach Kick Wheels. The Potter’s Year includes optional self-led challenges and tasks to undertake between engagements at the Leach Pottery. While some thrown outcomes will be fired, the course focuses on the development and consolidation of skills through repetition and therefore we take a reserved approach to firing more than one outcome from each course engagement.

 Application:

Course fee: £4,600
Deposit payable at time of booking: £1,000

This fee is an introductory rate due to this course being a new offer.

A course deposit of £1,000 is paid up front. This is fully refundable until 14 days after purchase. On receipt of this payment the Leach Pottery will arrange a phone call with you to make sure you are suitable for the course. This is not an interview, just an opportunity to talk through your expectations of the course to ensure the course is the right fit for you and your current skill level before proceeding with the full payment. We will also give consideration to the breadth of experience represented in the class.

The remaining cost of the course can be paid either in one payment or spread across 3 additional payments. The full payment must be received by Friday 10 January 2025.

In the event of failure to make this payment in full we will then contact a waiting list and course deposit will not be refunded.

Course Dates:

Cohort 1 

• Monday 10-Friday 14 February: 5 Days

• Monday 24-Friday 28 March: 5 Days

• Thursday 12-Sunday 15 June: 4 Days

• Monday 8-Wednesday 10 September: 3 Days

• Thursday 23-Sunday October 26: 4 days

• Monday 10-Friday 14 November: 5 Days

• Thursday 4-Sunday 7 December: 4 Days

OVERVIEW OF COURSE CONTENT  

5 Days: Production Pottery: 

• Cohort 1: Monday 10-Friday 14 February 

• Cohort 2: Monday 24-Friday 28 February 

Introductions and welcome to the course.  

Good Clay- A talk and discussion about different types of clay and key components.  

This week will focus on production pottery and throwing repeat forms to a consistent standard. Across the week the tutor will take a diagnostic approach, spending time with each participant to address each step of their technique. Participants will: 

·        focus on repeating the same form to achieve consistency  

·        learn techniques to increase speed and efficiency 

·        explore the balance of form and function 

·        learn about weight and measurements in relation to size 

·        undertake exercises that encourage minimal steps in throwing and tool use

The tutor will then explore the learning points through a series of demonstrations followed by individual practice underpinned by guidance and support. The tutor will encourage the consideration of each stage of making, filtering out unnecessary use of tools and movements with an aim to achieve a deliberate and direct approach towards making and an improvement in production, quality, and consistency.  

By the end of this course, participants will have practiced repeating the same forms to specific measurements, have a sound understanding of the most effective methods for repeat production throwing, and improved skills. 

Participants can submit up to 5 pieces for firing in the gas kiln at Leach Pottery and take an additional 5 pieces with them to be independently fired.

Participants can undertake independent practice between this engagement and the next in response to a task set by the tutor.

5 Days: Teapots: Functionality & Aesthesis: 

• Cohort 1: Monday 24-Friday 28 March 

• Cohort 2: Monday 21-Friday 25 April  

This is a 5 day practice-based throwing lidded vessels and teapots course.

The course covers:

- learn: about form and the key elements in achieving good design and functionality of lidded vessels and teapots 
- lids: exploring a range of lid styles with an aim to achieve strong galleries and well-fitting lid systems 
- spouts: learn how to make a spout, attach it to the pot in the correct position for a good pour and convenient placing for water levels and drainage 
- handles: including how to pull both a standard and a loop handle, and briefly look into handles made from alternative materials and how to make and attach lugs for these

Participants can submit 2 pieces for firing in the gas kiln at Leach Pottery and take an additional 2 with them to be independently fired.

Participants can undertake independent practice between this engagement and the next in response to a task set by the tutor.

4 Days: Consolidating & Progressing:

• Cohort 1: Thursday 12 – Sunday 15 June 

• Cohort 2: Thursday 26- Sunday 29 June  

The focus of these four days will be determined by the needs and interests in the group and confirmed at the end of the previous class with the tutor. This might be focusing on achieving particular forms, revisiting skills already covered or throwing larger vessels.

Participants can submit 1 piece for firing in the gas kiln at Leach Pottery and take an additional 2 pieces with them to be independently fired.

Participants can undertake independent practice between this engagement and the next in response to a task set by the tutor.

An hour with Dr Matt Tyas in discussion about the Leach Pottery’s current approach in the wider historic context.

3 Days: Potter’s Challenges: 

• Cohort 1: Monday 8-Wednesday 10 September 

• Cohort 2: Monday 22-Wednesday 24 September  

During the weekend participants will cover a series of technical challenges to refine their practice through these modular tasks. A key focus will be form and weight.

Participants can submit 1 piece for firing in the gas kiln at Leach Pottery and take an additional 2 pieces with them to be independently fired.

Participants can undertake independent practice between this engagement and the next in response to a task set by the tutor.

4 Day: Glaze Technology:

• Cohort 1 & Cohort 2 together: Thursday 23 October-Sunday 26 October 

Overview:

Participants will gain a basic understanding of what glazes are and how they work. Participants will discover how glaze recipes can be altered to develop their own glaze, as well learning how glaze recipes are calculated. Participants will learn how different raw materials affect a glaze as well as troubleshooting.

During your time at the Leach Pottery you will:

• learn the basics of glaze chemistry theory 

• learn about the properties of raw materials 

• learn how to calculate glaze recipes 

• test glazes by using blends 

• learn about glaze troubleshooting 

Glaze Testing & Basics of Glaze Chemistry:

• short introduction to glaze chemistry 

• introduction to glaze testing 

• line blend basic raw materials 

• triaxial blends 

Glaze Testing: 

• quadraxial blends 

• colour blends 

• introduction to grid method 
  
  

Glaze Technology, Calculation of Recipes:

• introduction to glaze technology 

• basics (what is a glaze, what are the important oxides, eutectic mixtures) 

• properties of glazes (viscosity, surface tension, thermal expansion) 

• properties of oxides/raw materials 

• calculating glaze recipes 

Trouble Shooting, Analysis of Tests:

• troubleshooting 

• analysis of tests 

• glaze surgery (you can bring examples of glazes that you have trouble with, for advice). 

5 Days: Surface Decoration:

• Cohort 1: Monday 10-Friday 14 November 

• Cohort 2: Monday 24-Friday 28 November 

This week participants will be introduced to different surface decoration approaches. Across the week participants consider their own style and make a collection of ware to then apply a range of decorative methods onto such as decorative slip with oxides, slip trailing, slip brush decoration, fluting, sgraffito and stamp making. (This week of the course doesn’t cover glaze decoration, making or application).  

Across the week participants will experience throwing with different clays. Outcomes will be used in the following engagement for electric glazes and firings.

Participants can submit 2 pieces for firing in the gas kiln at the Leach Pottery.

Participants can undertake independent practice between this engagement and the next in response to a task set by the tutor.

 4 Days: Glazing, Firing & Celebration:

Cohort 1 and 2: Thursday 4-Sunday 7 December

• Day 1: reduction glaze application and kiln stack advice 

• Day 2: mixing electric glaze chosen from glaze technology course + application to pieces participants have made and bisque fired previously (gas kiln firing, electric kiln put on) 

• Day 3: all about kilns and firing (electric and gas cooling) 

• Day 4: results and discussions/celebrations

Participants sign up to either cohort 1 or cohort 2. Timetabling doesn’t allow for participants to swap between the cohorts for particular sections of the course.

Please email Ellen Love at ellen.love@leachpottery.com to arrange a time to talk through any questions you may have about the programme. The Leach Year is now Sold Out, if you would like to be added to the waiting list please email charmaine.orkamfat@leachpottery.com