Amanda-Sue RopeCollage with clay: Combining thrown and hand built elements
29th June - 3rd July 2026 | 5 Day Workshop | £1,100
This five-day workshop will focus on combining and constructing with thrown and slab-built components to create sculptural lidded vessels and bottle forms.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOWThe Course in Detail
Working with a red stoneware clay Amanda-Sue will share how she plans, designs and creates her vessels as well as how she achieves different qualities of surface through mark-making with tools and brushed-on washes of oxides and stains.
Students will explore how they can work with multiple, contrasting clay elements to infuse a new expressive dimension to their work. Constructing with multiple elements also offers up the opportunity to increase the scale, especially for tall and narrow forms.
Amanda-Sue will give a series of demonstrations and students will receive plenty of individual guidance.
Please note, there will be a small additional firing charge for final pieces. Please see our Student Contract for details.
USEFUL INFOCourse Breakdown
Day 1: Intro, Surface Tests + Bottles
AM - Amanda-Sue will start the course with a discussion on constructing with contrasting elements such as round and straight / short and tall / wide and narrow / smooth and ridged etc. Students will then start to apply oxides and washes onto pre-prepared bisqueware tiles with a variety of surface finishes from smooth to textured – which will be fired and out of the kiln by the end of the week.
PM – Amanda-Sue will demonstrate throwing bottle forms with contrasting bodies and necks and will guide students in throwing two component bottle forms (body and neck).
Day 2: Lidded Vessels
AM & PM - Amanda-Sue will give demonstrations on throwing lids and body forms, as well as spheres, off the hump. Students will throw lidded vessels and be shown how to prepare slabs, ready for day three.
Day 3: Preparing Slab Elements + Turning
AM & PM - Amanda-Sue will give demonstrations on turning lids, prepping and applying texture to previously made slabs and making a chuck to turn spheres. Students will turn elements from the previous day’s throwing and prepare slabs.
Day 4 & 5: Assembling Lidded Vessels and Bottle Forms
AM & PM - Amanda-Sue will give demonstrations on assembling and joining slabs on lids and joining thrown components together. Students will finish off turning elements, assembling and joining work.
On the final day students will assess the fired tests from the start of the week, and the workshop will conclude with a review of finished work and of the week’s experience.
Please note, there will be a small additional firing charge for final pieces. Details of our firing charges can be found in our Student Contract.
Please also note, we do not offer a glazing service.
Key information
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DATE
Monday 29th June - Friday 3rd July 2026
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DURATION
5 day workshop
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CLASS SIZE
Maximum 10 students
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LEVEL
Suitable for those with some experience in throwing
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CLAY TYPE
Red Stoneware
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COST
£1,100 (Flexible payment plans available)
GUEST POTTER BIOAbout Amanda-Sue
With a fine art and design background, Amanda-Sue discovered ceramics in 2012, making it her focus in 2015. She co-founded Grove Vale Ceramics in South-East London in 2020 and has taught ceramics since 2018. A Selected Member of the Craft Potters Association, her work draws inspiration from architecture, from Neolithic stone circles to 20th-century buildings. Combining wheel-thrown and hand-built techniques, she explores stacking, layering, and texture in sculptural vessels. Her colour palette ranges from earthy tones to vibrant pastels, with glazes accentuating interior spaces. Her pieces stand alone or form sculptural still-life compositions.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECTThe Schedule
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Welcome Breakfast (from 9am - 10am). The session will start at 10am and will finish at 5pm. Students may continue to use the facilities until 7pm.
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On the second day the session will start at 9:30am and will finish at 5pm. Students may continue to use the facilities until 7pm.
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On the third day the session will start at 9:30am and will finish at 5pm. Students may continue to use the facilities until 7pm.
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On the fourth day the session will start at 9:30am and will finish at 5pm. Students may continue to use the facilities until 7pm.
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On the final day the session will start at 9:30am and will finish at 4pm. All facilities will close at 4pm.
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A two course lunch is provided everyday. Please inform us of any special dietary requirements at the time of booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The Ceramic Studio is located on a beautiful orchard in Brenchley, and there are lots of lovely surrounding towns and villages offering numerous places to stay.
We are happy to arrange transits to and from your accommodation to the studio for the duration of your course. Please get in touch to arrange this. Please email the office team at info@theceramicstudio.co.uk. To see examples of local accommodation, click here.
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· There is a small charge for fired work. Charges are as follows:
£5 per 500g for glazed work
£6 per 500g for glazed work with oxide
£10 per 500g for any glazed work over 30cm in height or width
£2 per 500g for work that is bisque fired but not glazed
· Please also note that The Ceramic Studio does not offer a glazing service.
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Yes! During this Guest Potter Workshop, you’ll be treated to a Welcome Breakfast on the first day, plus morning and afternoon refreshments daily, including teas, coffees, sweet treats, and fresh fruit. A freshly cooked two-course lunch, prepared here in the studio, is also provided every day, with dietary requirements confirmed in advance.
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If we haven’t quite answered your question please click here to view our guest potter FAQs page or email us info@theceramicstudio.co.uk