13-19
JANUARY 2025
Ceramics for Beginners Course
with RENATO COSTA E SILVA and KERSTIN THOMAS
The Ceramics for Beginners Course offers an intensive and embracing approach.
Understanding the whole ceramics process, from the preparation of the clay to form giving, from glazing to tool making and firing, that’s what we propose - six days of intense ceramic work, conversation, and silence in our studio.
Knowing and choosing the right clay for our pieces and each ceramic technique is fundamental for successful work. We will create our pieces, molding and modeling, building, sculpting, or working on the potter's wheel. We will also get to know the advantages of each technique and benefit from your newly acquired knowledge.
You’ll have access to a small specialized library for those who wish to be inspired or deepen their knowledge.
At the end of the Ceramics Workshop for Beginners, we learn to fire our works, draw conclusions about the firing processes and, of course, take home some very special artworks.
Renato Costa e Silva
Renato Costa e Silva, ceramicist, and sculptor, has a vast curriculum not only in the area of ceramics but also of large public sculpture in various materials. Born in Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, he lives and works in Angra and Cerdeira. He has conducted an intensive study of clay and ceramic materials and counts on more than 40 years of ceramics practice and experience in preparing ceramic pastes and glazes. With a special passion for wood firing, he has built kilns and, over the years, conducted hundreds of wood firings.
Kerstin Thomas
Kerstin Thomas, a sculptor for over 30 years, studied wood carving and sculpture in her home country, Germany. Once in Portugal, she studied Portuguese Language and Culture, opening her studio in 1990 in Cerdeira/Lousã. With the construction of the Sasukenei-Smokeless Kiln for high-temperature wood-fired ceramics in 2015, she started to explore ceramics as a new artistic expression, having deepened her knowledge over the past years collaborating with Renato Costa e Silva. Co-founder of the Cerdeira-Home for Creativity project, she divides her time between her art practice and the project's artistic direction.
CERAMICS FOR BEGINNERS COURSE details
CERAMICS FOR BEGINNERS COURSE PROGRAM:
Identification of clays and their characteristics and functions;
Forming techniques: molding, shaping, turning, roll, and plate construction;
Work in Potter's Wheel;
Techniques of decoration in ceramics and pottery;
Tools making;
Construction and operation of a small rudimentary kiln (paper kiln, wood-fired or gas-fired kiln)
SCHEDULE:
January 13th:
From 3 pm: Accommodation and check-in of participants
5 pm: Reception at the studio and presentation of the group and trainers;
7:30 pm: Welcome dinner at Casa das Artes
January 14th to 19th:
Course from 10 am to 6 pm*, with a two-hour lunch break.
*The schedule is flexible on the days the kiln firing starts and ends.
The studio is open from 6 pm to 9 pm.
January 20th:
Until 11 am: check-out from accommodation
CONDITIONS
Deadline for enrollment: December 13th, 2024.
Special discounts for community members are available for early bird registrations by 18/10/2024.
THE COURSE FEE INCLUDES:
Integration in a small group of participants;
Training 5-6 hours a day, speaking in English and in Portuguese;
Open studio 12 hours a day;
Lunch during the course, from January 14th to 19th;
Free accommodation at the hostel during the course (7 nights)*;
All the materials needed for the course;
Welcome dinner on the first day of the course;
*The hostel is equipped with two dormitories (female/masculine), a kitchen, and two shared bathrooms. The booking includes towels and linen.
ACCOMMODATION UPGRADES AVAILABLE:
Upgrade to 7 nights in a standard schist house shared by 2 participants and breakfast at an additional cost of 490€/per participant. Includes shared room, equipped kitchen, towels, and bed linen.
Upgrade to 7 nights in a standard schist house for single occupancy by 1 participant and breakfast, with an additional cost of 700€/per participant. Includes single room, equipped kitchen, towels, and bed linen.
Please note that all accommodation options have limited availability and will be booked according to the order of registration and payment. This rate is not cumulative with other discounts or promotions. For more information, contact artsandcrafts@cerdeirahomeforcreativity.com.
ENROLLMENTS AND MORE INFO:
artsandcrafts@cerdeirahomeforcreativity.com
+351 913 989 281*
*(call to national mobile network)
CANCELLATION POLICY FOR COURSES AND WORKSHOPS
You may withdraw within 14 days of registration, paying the correspondent transfer fees. Following the EU consumer protection legislation, payments are not refunded past 14 days of registration. The payment will be fully reimbursed if the training cannot be held because of insufficient students.
Suppose the training is canceled by Cerdeira - Home For Creativity for reasons of significant force such as a pandemic, civil disorder, a natural catastrophe, medical or family issues of the teacher, and others beyond our control. In that case, Cerdeira will offer a voucher for a different workshop of your choice. The voucher is valid for two years.