SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Gallery at the Vault is excited to offer a raku pottery workshop with Andrew Berends on two consecutive Saturdays, Aug. 1 and 8, from 12-4 p.m. each day. Register by Saturday, July 25.
Berends will be teaching the Japanese firing technique known as raku. The firings take about an hour, and you get a finished piece at the end. Raku is a fun, exciting technique, where pots are fired to 1,840 degrees, pulled out of the hot kiln, and manipulated with sawdust and water to change the look of the glazes. The glazes can be metallic, and/or have a crackle effect, making each piece truly unique and one-of-a-kind. We will also fire pots with a technique known as horsehair raku, which creates interesting designs on the clay.
The class will include wheel-throwing, slab-making, and extruding instruction. The first day will include making all types of clay work, and the second day will be glazing and firing all the pots in the raku tradition. Emphasis will be on being creative, and learning the basics of pottery, including making the work, glazing, as well as firing. The class is geared towards teens through adults, and limited to four students.
Berends has been a master potter for over 30 years, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, as well as a Master of Fine Arts from Montana State University.
The cost of the workshop is discounted for gallery members, and includes 25 pounds of clay, glazes, and firing costs in a gas-fired kiln. Wear old clothing, and bring pottery tools if you have them. Directions to Berends’ studio in Springfield will be given at registration.
Gallery at the Vault is located at 68 Main Street in Springfield. For more information, call 802-885-7111, email galleryvault@vermontel.net, or visit Facebook, Instagram, or www.galleryvault.org. Gallery at the Vault is accessible.