Into the Wild with Sharon Griffin

WORKSHOP COST:

4650€

Workshop Dates:

September 22 - October 6

Request More Info

About the Workshop

In a world leaning towards the virtual and on-line, there is a need for artists to come together to share their experiences of using tangible materials. The knowledge of the body and use of ‘haptic’ skills are being lost and now is the time for reconnecting with these materials in order to re connect with ourselves, each other and with the environment we live in.

Ceramic sculptor Sharon Griffin aims to use her work to express how we can connect with ourselves and each other using clay as a tool of experiencing the body. Within this short course, Sharon will demonstrate her knowledge of working with clay as an expressive material, one which will release the innate stories of the maker, acting as a mirror to the artist.

Sharon explains that...’ the clay acts as a mirror to our own experiences. Learning how to listen to the clay helps us have a truer understanding of ourselves... we can tell all of our secrets to the clay. It is our truest friend!'

The course content

You will learn to let go of preconceived ideas of what a sculpture ‘should’ be through a series of fast and furious making techniques. Gestural mark-making using found clays, slips and oxides taken from the local landscape will enable you to truly find your freedom and capture expression within the clay material.

Using a combination of found objects and resources such as images, reference photos and books, you will have fun exploring and making a series of playful clay faces and bodies. These playful experiments will provide more in-depth opportunities to explore surfaces and patterns within a unique piece or series of works made within the course.

Sharon will guide you in your personal journey of studying the human form and face to create a unique sculpture, one which explores 3 D formal elements such as weight, shape, form, composition, and texture; all of which will help you tell a story.

We will visit Rome and explore the work of the ancient Greeks, drawing inspiration from the ancients and stories told through artefacts and sculptures. Sketching, photographing, and journaling will help inform your own ideas, not just within the course, but in your future developments as an artist if you so desire.

At the end of the course, you will have the opportunity to take home a unique hand-built sculpture which is individual to you. It may need to be sent out at a later date and can be negotiated as your work develops. You will have learned about the processes of clay, where to dig it, sieve it and use it to create your own piece of work- expressing your own unique story.

Drawing, sketches, and experiments within clay are used to capture feeling and express emotion, captivating your audience with a shared human experience.

Through taking part in this course, Sharon Griffin hopes that you will come away from it with a renewed sense of connectivity, one which connects you to history, the people around you and the landscape you live in.

Aims: How to capture expression and emotion using clay within figurative sculpture

Objectives: At the end of the course you will

Have learned to PLAY, reconnecting your haptic knowledge and connectivity with the earth and with your own self.
discover how to use individual and unique to you expressive mark-making to capture emotion and feeling within figurative ceramics

Be inspired by and understand how shape, form and composition can help to tell a story

Techniques we will cover:

Hand-building using the slab technique to make large scale figures, heads and busts
Throwing and coiling to capture fluidity and freedom
Clay digging within the local area of Italy finding and using local materials
Simple glazing and slip techniques such as sgraffito and brushwork
‘raw firing’ to achieve desired surfaces to inform larger sculptural works
Refining work using step by step processes (wet, leather hard and fired work)

Participants in the workshop will be housed in the remarkably well-preserved Umbrian hill town of Monte Castello di Vibio. Your workshop package is all-inclusive, providing welcome and departure services and airport transfer from the Rome Fiumicino, Leonardo Da Vinci Airport (FCO). Aboard our comfortable private bus, single occupancy accommodations with shared bath (a wide range of upgrades with private bath are available), 3 meals per day Monday-Thursday, Prosecco brunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday (no meals are served on Friday, our excursion day. Your workshop includes one excursion per week and many additional options are available on weekends for an additional fee. Of course, 24/7 access to facilities and 24/7 bi-lingual support are provided.

This course is suitable for beginners, intermediate and advanced levels but some knowledge of clay is beneficial. Please do feel free to bring sketchbooks and previous drawings to work from but this is not a necessity. For more details, please contact Sharon Griffin at the ICA

About the Instructor

Sharon Griffin

Sharon Griffin is a figurative artist who specialises in ceramic sculpture directly inspired by the woodland where she often explores places in which to ‘breathe’.... The textures, the smells, the secret spaces all provide a kind of ‘awakening’... Sharon uses the human figure to help communicate a sense of deeper meaning within humankind and of her own experience of being a woman. The sculptures represent a state of being; internal struggles of love, loss, displacement, vulnerability and strength.

...'I wish to evoke 'feeling' and mirror 'gesture' through the use of fast marks, quick making techniques and 'sketches'. My work sometimes has an unfinished quality which adds to the idea that the figure is a suggestion of a living being rather than a still ornamental object. It is important to me that my figures have an identity and are able to connect with an audience in a non physical sense...'

Sharon uses clay as a sculptural medium; a 3D canvas. Preliminary sketches in 2D and drawings from life inform the work, helping ideas evolve. Once in the workshop however, when the clay is being worked with directly, the sculpture is allowed to reveal itself as it is worked with: a conversation with clay.

...' My ideas, feelings and thoughts are directly conveyed into the clay using the minimum of tools. The clay picks up every gestural mark, mirroring me... I push it around. The clay is almost part of me. Its my friend. a connectivity. A way of self expression without words...'

Sharon is based in Wellington, Shropshire and works as a figurative artist and sculpture full time. Sharon also overseas and manages a community pottery workshop and is a fully qualified lecturer of art with many years of experience in teaching in mainstream FE and HE.

Memberships:

Selected Member of the Royal Society of Sculptors (MRSS)

Selected Member of Craft Potters Association (CPA)

Publications:

Inside Artists magazine: issue 13, 2018

Landscape & Portrait, State of the Art series#1 Bare Hill Publications, 2014

Art Has No Borders first iArtBook, 101 Artworks featuring the Animal Kingdom, 2014

Qualifications

2003 MA Ceramics (diploma) University of Wolverhampton

2003 Cert Ed

1997 BA (Hons) ceramics University of Wolverhampton

Included Amenities

Click on the links below for detailed information about our included amenities.

View Amenities Page »

Airport transfer from and to the Leonardo da Vinci Rome/Fiumicino Airport (FCO) aboard our private bus (on scheduled dates only). Bus departs the airport promptly at 12PM.
Airport welcome service and assistance with baggage
24/7 bi-lingual support with manager on site at all times
All ground transport aboard private buses or our ICA van, unless otherwise specified. Licensed and insured professional driver and ICA guide accompany all excursions. Orientation at each destination is provided as is departure coordination (guide service is available upon request — unless specified — for an additional fee)
Complimentary bottle of local wine provided in rooms on arrival day and complimentary locally made soap
Village orientation and complimentary drinks provided on arrival day
Private access to our 5-storey tower at our Palazzo Persiane (on sign-up basis) for spectacular morning and evening views
Access to our art materials shop (during posted hours)
Thorough orientation lecture and maps provided the evening before departure
Return transport to the Rome/Fiumicino Airport (departs 5:30AM) with rest stop
Departure service/airport assistance at airport

Unless otherwise specified, single occupancy accommodation is provided in rooms with a view of the Tiber Valley that includes sink and vanity. Rooms are with shared bath on each level (3 rooms per bath) in our 14th century convent building, The Asilo. Apartments, rooms with private bath and AC, double rooms, group or villa accommodations are available for couples, business associates/ friends, or groups for an additional fee
Linens and towels provided
Weekly housekeeping service with change of towels and linens
Free washing machine access
Good Wi-Fi connection and access to our library and film collection

3 chef-catered, gourmet meals per day (buffet breakfast, 3-course lunch, 4-course dinner) — with wine at lunch and dinner (table wine provided at lunch and dinner. An excellent wine list is offered at additional cost), while in Monte Castello
Group dining service is as follows, with breakfast and lunch served in our dining room, etc, with dinner (weather permitting) served on our private terrace overlooking the Tiber Valley
Lunch and dinner are plated as follows: pasta course, main course, vegetable, fruit/salad, dessert
When requested at registration, vegetarian, vegan, and special dietary options are provided
After dinner drinks on our terrace overlooking the Tiber valley
Dining service is as follows: Breakfast: 8:00 AM; Lunch: 1:00PM; Dinner: 8:00 PM. No meals are served on Fridays (excursion day) unless otherwise specified
On Saturday and Sunday, a full buffet brunch with fresh pastry and Prosecco is served at 11:00 AM
On Saturday, homemade, wood-fired pizza is served at 7:00 PM (except on departure days, when a special farewell dinner is served)
Sunday dinner with antipasti is served at 7:00 PM
Farewell dinner on the evening prior to departure

24/7 access to our primary building and library is provided, including access to workspaces, studios, and ceramics facility
Special access to certain cultural and art collections is available upon request
FOR VISUAL ARTISTS: private, or semi-private secure and monitored studio space is provided (24/7 access)
FOR WRITERS: private workspace is provided (24/7 access)
FOR GROUPS: Group workspace is provided (24/7 access)
FOR CERAMIC ARTISTS: 24/7 access to our ceramics facility
Free access to lectures and events at the Teatro Concordia
An end of the session exhibition with reception that includes hors d'oeuvres and Prosecco in our gallery. Posters are prepared to promote the event with copies provided to all participants

1 excursion per week is included (unless otherwise specified in the itinerary) aboard our private bus. Additional trips can of course be scheduled and given our central location. (Day trips are possible to as far north as Siena or Florence and as far south as Rome.)

Advanced reservations and ticket purchases for groups and individuals
Concierge services provided upon request at an hourly rate
Restaurant reservations (provided under Concierge services)
Car rental
Critique series with visiting visual artists
Artist materials workshops
Drawing and painting sessions from the figure
Cooking classes
Cheesemaking workshop
Pizza-making workshop
Kids cooking classes
Wine appreciation and Sommelier Courses
Wine and olive oil tastings
Vineyard tours
Truffle hunting
Ballroom dance classes
Weekend excursions to flea markets and natural sites
Shopping excursions to cashmere and leather outlets, to Deruta famous for fine painted traditional ceramics, and antique stores
Overnight excursions to the sea and day-trips to Rome beaches
Hot air balloon tours
Hot springs excursions
Lake Trasimeno tours
Umbria abandoned castle and fortress tour
Sustainable farming tour
Babysitting services
Soccer, archery, and horseback riding camps for kids
Motorized mountain bike rentals
Electric car rental
Golf-cart tours of Rome and Florence
Hiking/naturalist guides to national/regional parks - mountain hiking available
Fishing/Hunting Excursions

Payment Options

Payment in full (€500 non-refundable deposit is included. No refunds will be issued within 60 days prior to the start of the workshop. See refund policy for more details).
Non-refundable €500 deposit (Balance due must be paid a minimum of 30 days prior to workshop).
Balance payment (after €500 deposit).

Required Forms

All ICA participants; whether coming independently, with a group or through a college / university, must provide the following completed forms and information to icarts.info@gmail.com at least 2 weeks prior to attending their program.

Emergency Contact & Medical Information »Liability Waiver »

Proof of Insurance / Travel Insurance

Itinerary and Passport

For detailed information and to download the required forms, please visit our Guides and Forms page.

Itinerary

Name: Into the Wild with Sharon Griffin
Start: 2024-09-22T00:00:00+02:00
End: 2024-10-06T23:59:59+02:00
Location: International Center For The Arts

Day1 : Sunday, September 22

Arrive Rome/Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO); Bus Departs FCO promptly at 12:00 PM. With this in mind, our shuttle cannot support arrivals later than 11:00 AM. Participants arriving after 11:00 AM must coordinate the trip to Monte Castello at their own expense.

Arrival at Monte Castello di Vibio appx.: 2:30 PM:Lunch/Orientation/Rest/ Tour of village/ Dinner

Day 2 : Monday, September 23

8:30 – 9:30 Breakfast

9:30 – 1:00 Morning and Afternoon Sessions:

Introduction to clay. What is it and where does it come from? How do we use it to express and what can it do? Clay demo with Sharon and introduction to the course.
Clay experiments with stoneware clay bodies looking at scale, form and shape.
Simple structures and fun activities to create and explore hand building techniques. Getting to know the clay
Clay dig

1:00 – 2:00 Lunch

2:00 – 6:30 Afternoon Session

6:30 – 8:00 Free time or independent work work on tiles and personal projects

8:00 – 9:00 Dinner

9:00 – 10:30 Optional time for presentations, films, lectures, etc.

Day 3 : Tuesday, September 24

8:30 – 9:30 Breakfast

9:30 – 1:00 Morning and Afternoon Sessions:

Development of shape and form. Sieving and wedging found clay. Experimenting with composition and drama.
Introduction to simple sgrafitto techniques, inlay and brushwork
Firing work (dependent on dryness of the clay)

1;00 - 2:00 Lunch

2:00 – 6:30 Afternoon Session: Adding to thrown forms; wet work in clay

6:30 – 8:00 Free time or independent work

8:00 – 9:00 Dinner

9:00 – 10:30 Optional time for presentations, films, lectures, etc. : Historical and contemporary maiolica examples

Day 4 : Wednesday, September 25

8:30 – 9:30 Breakfast

9:30 – 1:00 Morning and Afternoon Sessions:

Scale. Using your own drawings, sketches and found objects as well as the images provided, you will make drawings and maquettes and models to help plan a larger piece.
Studies of facial features and details of hands and feet to help explore gesture. Make a series of fast gestural features which can then later be carved and worked into with more detail.

1:00 – 2:00 Lunch

2:00 – 6:30 Afternoon Session

6:30 – 8:00 Free time or independent work

8:00 – 9:00 Dinner

9:00 – 10:30 Optional time for presentations, films, lectures, etc.

Day 5 : Thursday, September 26

8:30 – 9:30 Breakfast

9:30 – 1:00 Morning and Afternoon Sessions

Free studio time

1:00 – 2:00 Lunch

2:00 – 6:30 Afternoon Session

6:30 – 8:00 Free time or independent work

8:00 – 9:00 Dinner

9:00 – 10:30 Trip Talk: Rome

Day 6 : Friday, September 27

7:30 Excursion: Rome

Independent lunch not included.

5:00 Return to Monte Castello

8:00 – 9:00 Pizza dinner at Torraccia (included)

Day 7 : Saturday, September 28

Morning: free or independent work.

11:00 AM Brunch

Afternoon: free or independent work

Optional Excursion to Marmore Falls (additional fees required)

Day 8 : Sunday, September 29

Morning: free or independent work

Optional Excursion: Citta d'Castello Flea Market

11:00 AM Brunch

Afternoon: Free or independent work

8:00 PM: Dinner

Day 9 : Monday, September 30

8:30 – 9:30 Breakfast

9:30 – 1:00 Morning Session and afternoon sessions:

Pose and posture

Introduction to the body and movement within the human form. Explore how the body moves and learn to use this to add to the feeling within the sculpture. Learn how to use specific postures and poses to add to your narrative. Add some DRAMA/quiet/stillness/voyeurism to your poses.

Refer to the gestural features and hand and feet studies within the previous week. Consider these as well as the notes, drawings, and independent findings within the field trip to Rome.

Find your WHY! Personal development plan and individual 1-1 support with Sharon to help find your own story and plan your week ahead.

Get inspiration from your own notes, drawings and photographs. Formulate an individual plan.

This is where you can choose to develop one piece of work, such as a head, bust or full figure or whether you would like to continue to experiment and play with surface decoration. You can choose to make a group of works, one larger more intricate piece or a combination of the two.

1:00 – 2:00 Lunch

2:00 – 6:30 Afternoon Session

6:30 – 8:00 Free time or independent work

8:00 – 9:00 Dinner

9:00 – 10:30 Optional time for presentations, films, lectures, etc.

Day 10 : Tuesday, October 1

8:30 – 9:30 Breakfast

9:30 – 1:00 Morning and Afternoon Sessions:

Choose a method and plan out the work. You will be supported throughout your individual journey and your course will be shaped around your own ideas and needs. Access to materials, further development in clay and glazes.
Development of an individual colour pallet using combinations of slips, oxides, stains, and glazes to help create a story.
Consider use of organic matter to dip into slips to create additional appendages. Forage and be inspired by the immediate landscape.

1:00 – 2:00 Lunch

2:00 – 6:30 Afternoon Session: Individualized instruction

6:30 – 8:00 Free

8:00 – 9:00 Dinner

9:00 – 10:30 Optional time for presentations, films, lectures, etc.

Day 11 : Wednesday, October 2

8:30 – 9:30 Breakfast

9:30 – 1:00 Morning and Afternoon Session:

Adjustments. Carve, add, refine, and adjust. This is your time to work into your sculptures, adding detail or taking it away! This is where we learn how to step away from the work and let it speak to us.
1-1 support and feedback is given throughout!

1:00 – 2:00 Lunch

2:00 – 6:30 Afternoon Session: Free for independent work

6:30 – 8:00 Free time or independent work

8:00 – 9:00 Dinner

9:00 – 10:30 Optional time for presentations, films, lectures, etc.

Day 12: Thursday, October 3

8:30 – 9:30 Breakfast

9:30 – 1:00 Morning and Afternoon Sessions:

Application of surfaces using printing methods, carving, brushwork. Continue to complete the sculptures, carving and making adjustments as necessary.

1:00 – 2:00 Lunch

2:00 – 6:30 Afternoon Session: Final day to glaze

6:30 – 8:00 Free time or independent work

8:00 – 9:00 Dinner

9:00 – 10:30 Optional time for presentations, films, lectures, etc.

Day 13: Friday, October 4

8:30 – 9:30 Breakfast

9:30 Excursion: Orvieto: Duomo, Visits with individual clay artists

6:30 Return

8:00 Pizza dinner at Torraccia

Day 14: Saturday, October 5

Morning: Free or independent work.

11:00 AM Brunch

Afternoon: Set up exhibition

6:00 - 8:00 Reception and Exhibition

8:00 Farewell Dinner

Day 15: Sunday, October 6

5:30 AM Departure. Our shuttle departs for FCO promptly for the two-hour trip. We strongly encourage arrival at FCO 3 hours in advance of your flight. With this in mind, our shuttle cannot support departures earlier than 11:00 AM (+/- 30 minutes)