Ceramics | International Center for the Arts

Ancient cultures resonate in Umbria and in particular was the cradle of Etruscan Civilization. In respect for these traditions, ICA is proud to offer an intensive -hands-on- studio pottery program on the techniques of Ancient Ceramics, focusing on Greek and Etruscan Pottery. Experts in these techniques will lead participants into one the most appreciated ancient forms in the history of ceramics: Greek and Etruscan Vases. Participants are accommodated in Monte Castello, and the workshop is to be held at our Deruta laboratory, in the Umbrian town renowned for its majolica traditions.

The intensive workshop provides four days of "in-class" work studying decorative techniques of the famous black-figure and red-figure vessels focussing on analysis of specific examples such as the Krater of Euphronius, which describes the history of the Trojan War. The workshop includes lectures focusing on history of the medium with special attention to technical aspects and practical dimensions as well as aesthetic considerations -manifest in their classic shapes and colors.

Participants will work with shapes and decoration characteristic of the Greek Classical Period. The workshop will also focus on sources of the pigments which were harvested from the earth and decanted from clays. The colors we use will be derived from clays, just as in ancient times - participants will even paint their pots with brushes specially made with hare whiskers. Traditional techniques to be covered include: painting, scgraffito, sanding and firing - there will also be a traditional "egg" decoration test, in which color changes with heat, providing insight into a simple but historic decorative technique.

Throughout the workshop, participants 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.

Closely linked to Zen culture, in which the beauty and harmony of simple things is exalted, the Raku technique was born in the 16th century as an art for the creation of bowls used during the traditional tea ceremony. It is characterized by a rapid production process and a particular process from which ceramics are obtained which differ in their characteristic cracking and coloring, giving life to unique pieces.

In the 16th century, a type of rapid clay firing, called Raku, was discovered in Japan. This Japanese term has the meaning of "relaxed, pleasant, joy of living" and is traced back to the suburb of Kyoto where clay was extracted at the time. The birth of the Raku technique for creating ceramic objects seems to be attributed to a Korean craftsman, Chojiro. This ceramist, who mainly made tiles, began to use the particular clay, rich in silica sand, to speed up the production process of bowls for the tea ceremony.

The origin of Raku ceramics, with an improvised appearance, full of defects, almost unfinished, is closely connected to Zen thought which is inspired by simplicity, poverty in forms. All those that may seem like "imperfections" in Raku objects are instead exalted and considered "beautiful" in Zen culture. This aspect is also evident in the Kintsugi technique, which involves the repair of a vase or other object through the use of a precious metal: this Japanese art valorises "flaws" and becomes a metaphor of resilience.

The four-day course will cover: modelling, creation of sheet shapes, brush and airbrush glazing techniques, firing with crackle and metal effects. The course also includes 2 or 3 firings which are one of the most fascinating things about the technique.

Kurinuki (the term is Japanese) is a Japanese ceramic technique that embraces the natural surface of the clay and the individual imperfections that form in the intuitive process of making. Each vase is hand built and hand carved inside and out.

The kurinuki process is a "sculptural" technique of volume formation: instead of adding material, as happens in the dovetail or slab construction, we start from the block of clay and gradually remove it, digging internally and modeling the external wall with the help of tools, until the desired shape is obtained. It is therefore a question, as in sculpture, of freeing a form enclosed in the formless.The idea of the artistic object may not be clear at the beginning: it is precisely the lack of clarity (not seeing clearly) that guides the path, that digs a path. What he obtains in the end is a symbol, something that continues to be linked to his origins, but like a child his destiny is autonomous.

The program will also be a way to travel internally, allowing yourself to abandon yourself to this ancient art, creating unique objects linked to Zen culture with different stoneware clays. At the end, a tasting of Japanese tea will be offered on cups made of kurinuki.

To complement the program, a visit to the famous Deruta, its museum dedicated to majolica and a Deruta artisan workshop.

The class will focus on what are perhaps the two most expressive parts of the body: the head and hand. In this two-week workshop, students will learn various techniques to create a series of life-sized bust and hands. Both hollow and solid construction methods will be taught as we work from a live model. Participants will gain understanding of the underling anatomical structures that allow these body parts to be so communicative while learning new techniques to achieve life-like sculptures with clay.

With this objective in mind, it is appropriate that the class should take place in one of the great centers of world sculpture! Indeed, through drawing sessions at the Medici Chapel and Academia Museum in Florence and the Vatican Museum in Rome, students will have the direct influence of the masters!

The class will start with a clay skull and add layers of muscle, culminating in a solid finished bust that will be hollowed out. This will allow us to learn about each muscle and its function in creating expression. Various techniques to hair, eyes, and ears will be covered, as well how to utilize the rules for proportion in your own work.

Students will also learn my hollow construction method used for creating instinctive, fast, and stable forms. Numerous presentations, discussions, and demonstrations will cover topics such as: conceptual considerations, how to measure models for reference work, professional development, impactful contemporary figurative artist, portfolio strategies, and any other topics that students might be interested in. Students will have an opportunity to exhibit their work at the end of the workshop. Open to all skill levels.

Participants 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.

Materials to bring from home:
Xiem, clay tools recommended, Towel, wire tool, paddle (or flat wood), Water spray bottle, small mirror, fabric tape measure

ICARTS Italia, SRL

ICARTS Italia, SRL

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ICARTS Italia, SRL