Ella PorterTactile Memory: Hand Building Textured Forms
7th - 11th June 2027 | 5 Day Workshop | £1,100
This five-day workshop will explore clay form and surface as a time capsule for memory. With a focus on slab-building and textured surface, students will investigate processes of imprinting clay with texture, mark making and layering of ceramic materials to create a series of forms imbued with a sense of time, trace and place.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The Course in Detail
There is a circularity in Ella Porter’s way of making her small box works, as the final ceramic outcomes often end up housing or sitting along-side found objects that have inspired their creation.
This way of making provides an opportunity for contemplation and reflection of the surrounding environment with a focus in the making given to a sensitivity and attention to detail.
Students will be invited to bring small objects and textured surfaces with them to incorporate into their own work and to develop their own material language between surface and form.
Using textured slabs students will explore nesting box forms as well as taller built structures. Through exploration of Ella’s unique process of sprig stamp making, students will create subtle repeat imprinted textured surfaces on slabs which can be used to construct a series of slab built forms imbued with a sense of time, trace and place.
Please note, there will be a small additional firing charge for final pieces. Please see our Student Contract for details.
USEFUL INFO
Course Breakdown
Day 1: Introduction, Textures and Stamps
AM: On the morning of the first day Ella will give a presentation and discuss her influences and the ideas behind her work. She will also give a short Q&A session. This will be followed by a group discussion on textures and objects, and students will create sketches to explore ideas.
PM: Ella will guide students in preparing textures for stamps. Students will make stamps with poured plaster. Students will finish the day making smooth and textured slabs using slip techniques. Students will use some of these textured slab offcuts for test tiles which will be bisque fired and used to explore a range of surface treatment and glazing techniques on Day 5.
Day 2: Slabs, Stamps and Small Forms
AM - Ella will show students how to construct with thin slabs both soft and leather hard to create unique forms responding to the dimensions of found objects and considering contrasting smooth and rough textures. The group will also consider proportions and complimentary clays for the work.
Ella will also cover ways of making box forms from leather hard clay.
PM - Students will explore the processes shown in Ella’s demonstrations, exploring their use of sprig stamps, slips and imprinted surface with foresight to the final forms they will make.
Day 3: Leather Hard Slab Building
AM - Students will follow processes shown with particular focus on exploring edges, corners and joining techniques. Ella will discuss the right stages to intervene. Students will also plan the size of different components so that they can construct pieces that fit together or are complementary in some way considering surface, form, texture, tone, colour etc.
PM - Students will continue to explore processes shown in the demonstrations, constructing with leather hard slabs considering proportions and pairing textures for multi – component works.
Day 4: Building Larger and Refining Forms
AM - Ella will discuss techniques for creating slightly larger forms 30 – 40cm approx.
PM - In the afternoon there will be a focus on refining and responding to the forms already made. Students will be asked to consider if there is another element they want to construct today that will compliment their existing pieces. These will be left to become leather hard before completing and refining tomorrow. Students will continue to explore processes of building and refining forms learnt on day 3 and Ella will also demo ways of making taller forms using templates and measuring.
Day 5: Glazing Tests and Refining
AM - Finishing touches: The morning session will be spent refining any works made the previous day to complete each student’s small collection of works.
Ella will be able to recap demonstrations where needed such as refining techniques, joins and finishing bases and will also demo glazing on test pieces.
Students will explore use of dipping and brushing techniques to glaze work. The group will also consider use of oxides or underglaze in some cases.
PM - The final afternoon will be spent placing forms together, considering composition, pairing ahead of glazing and making notes for when these works will later be glazed.
Students will clear up for 3pm so that the workshop can finish with a group sharing chat of work made, reflecting on the workshop and exploring how students’ pieces are paired with their original objects.
There will be no specific kiln firing during the workshop (other than of the test tiles made on the first day), however, students’ pieces will be fired and be ready for collection a few weeks later. Alternatively, students are welcome to take away their greenware (students must bring protective packaging when taking or collecting their pieces).
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 7th - Friday 11th June 2027
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DURATION
5 day workshop
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CLASS SIZE
Maximum 10 students
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LEVEL
Some experience of working with clay is required
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CLAY TYPE
Stoneware
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COST
£1,100 (Flexible payment plans)
GUEST POTTER BIO
About Ella
Born in London, Ella Porter completed her Foundation Diploma, specialising in Drawing, at Camberwell College of Art, in 2011. She then studied for a BA degree in Painting and Printmaking at Glasgow School of Art, graduating in 2014. Following her BA and the GSA fire of 2014, she was awarded a Phoenix Bursary and received the NL Culture prize. Ella went on to set up a studio in London and began working with clay which led to her Diploma in Ceramics at the CityLit, 2017. In 2021 she completed an MA at The Royal College of Art, which was supported by a QEST scholarship from The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust. Ella’s work has been shown at Ceramic Art London, Collect Art Fair and is part of both private and public collections. Ella has recently had a work acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum for their permanent collection.
WHO THIS COURSE IS FOR
Level
Confident Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Please note: some experience of working with clay will be beneficial to get the most out of the course – this course is not suitable for complete beginners.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
The 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.
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A two course lunch is provided everyday. Please inform us of any special dietary requirements at the time of booking.
Travel & Accommodation
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.