Louise BellPlayful Animals
6th - 7th June 2026 | 2 Day Workshop | £400
During this two-day workshop students will learn to hand build playful animal sculptures and use tissue paper transfers and slips to decorate.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOWThe Course in Detail
During this two-day workshop Louise will introduce students to her work and will demonstrate the techniques she uses to create an animal and a box plinth. She will guide students during the design stage and bring images that can be used for inspiration. Students are also encouraged to bring their own ideas and images.
Students will develop their hand building skills by making a combination of pinch pots, hollow tubes and coils. Students will be shown how to alter and join these components to form their animal. Louise will demonstrate how to make a small rectangular slab-built box, upon which the animal will stand.
Students will have the opportunity to decorate their work using white slip, sgraffito (etching through the slip) and tissue paper transfers. Louise will provide an assortment of transfers and give students individual attention to help them realise their decorative ideas.
By the end of the two days students will have designed, made and decorated an animal of their choice, standing on a clay plinth.
There will be no specific kiln firing during the workshop, however, students’ pieces will be bisque fired, then glazed in a transparent glaze before being fired again. All pieces will be ready for collection a few weeks later.
Each student will have their own dedicated workspace and will receive plenty of individual attention. There will be opportunities for students to discuss their work with their fellow students and on a one-to-one basis with Louise.
Please note, there will be a small additional firing charge for final pieces. Please see our Student Contract for details.
USEFUL INFOCourse Breakdown
Day one: Louise will start the workshop by giving a short slide show to introduce herself as an artist.
Louise will then give a demonstration showing how she designs her work. She will show students the hand building techniques she uses for different shapes - including pinch pots, hollow tubes, slabs and joining using coils.
Louise will explain the process of using tissue paper transfers, showing examples of what these will look like once fired, and will show students the variety of designs available to them to use so that these can be incorporated into their designs.
Students will then design their pieces using images as inspiration and with guidance from Louise. The finish outcome will be an animal of their choice that will stand on a clay plinth.
Students will roll out the slabs for the base of their piece and will start to work on their chosen animal figure with support from Louise.
Day two: Louise will give a demonstration using tissue transfers either on top of white slip or without slip. She will then demonstrate sgraffito - applying slip and etching a design through it, and will provide a demonstration on how to make a slab box plinth.
Students will then make their slab box plinths and complete their animals.
In order to decorate their finished pieces, students will apply slip and tissue decals and / or use the sgraffito technique to give texture to their piece.
Louise will provide guidance and support to each student throughout the workshop on both a one-to-one basis as well as to the group as a whole.
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.
Key information
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DATE
Saturday 6th - Sunday 7th June 2026
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DURATION
2 day workshop
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CLASS SIZE
Maximum 10 students
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LEVEL
All levels welcome
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CLAY TYPE
Stoneware
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COST
£400
GUEST POTTER BIOAbout Louise
Louise is a ceramic artist based in Lewes, East Sussex. She makes hand built ceramic sculptures with multi - layered surfaces. Each of her projects evolves from the project before it. The ‘Ancient Toys’ project was inspired by the universal appeal of toys, with sources dating back as far as 1500 BC. Out of this project came the ‘Regeneration’ series. The animals on these ‘pull-along’ toys became totemic animals carrying symbols of hope for the environment. The ‘Endangered Species’ project has clear links to her previous projects. The endangered animals are depicted as toys to indicate that representations of the live animal maybe all that is left if humans do not change their actions.
Louise uses a high firing earthenware clay, slips, underglazes, a lithium glaze and sometimes gold lustre and enamels to achieve a muted surface that gives the impression that the sculptures are ancient artefacts. Every piece is unique and her designs are broadly inspired by folk art.
Louise studied Fine and Applied Art at City Lit College, London and completed a Masters in Craft, specialising in ceramics at Brighton University. In 2019 she participated in the Craft Council’s Hothouse Programme. She is a member of Design Nation and exhibited with them at Collect, Somerset House in 2025.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECTThe Schedule
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This workshop will start at 10am and will finish at 5pm.
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On the second day the session will start at 10am and will finish at 5pm.
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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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Once the pieces are completed, they will be left to dry and then fired in our kilns. For those who would like their pieces to be glazed in a transparent glaze, our technicians will do this after bisque firing and then they will be fired again. These will be ready for collection a few weeks later (there will be a small additional firing charge).
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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! 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 each 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