Pocosin Arts is kicking off its new online woodworking with a true standout instructor: Master woodturner, sculptor, and instrument-maker Beth Ireland. The Introduction to Woodturning class will be held May 21 and 28. Ireland holds an Master’s of Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and has run her own woodworking company since 1983, specializing in architectural woodturning. She has received three Windgate fellowships, teaches the Professional Woodworking Intensive at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, and has created (and played) handmade folk instruments for strumfactory.com since 2016. Here at Pocosin Arts, she is teaching Introduction to Woodturning, where she will demonstrate lathe setup, stance, technique, and tooling. Students will learn to make perfect cylinders, tapers, pommel cuts, and more.
Pocosin Arts favorite Barbara Minor is offering a new, two-part masterclass on handmade enameled beads. Minor has been making and selling her individually designed enameled beads for nearly 30 years, and will, for the first time, share her techniques and experience in these intensive classes. In Part 1, students will learn to form, enamel and assemble versatile dome beads. In part 2, Minor will demonstrate her unique frontal (aka lentil) beads.
Please note that these masterclasses are not for beginners — students need intermediate-level experience with the tools and processes of both metalworking and enameling. These classes are also stand alone, so you don’t need one to take the other. If you’re an experienced enamelist looking to take your skills to the next level, these classes are for you. Multiple sessions are offered for each class.
Mike Gesiakowski’s surface decoration class sold out quickly, but new sections are now live! In this class held on June 12, Gesiakowski will demonstrate how to create a deep, expansive surface on your ceramic artwork using a combination of slips, underglazes, glazes, and stencils. Register for the “Creating Depth through Surface Decoration” workshop online.
Andreá Keys Connell is offering another section of her Hollow Building at Any Scale workshop on June 6. A master of monumental-scale ceramic sculpture, Andrea will demonstrate her hollow handbuilding techniques, including clay bodies for large-scale work, firing schedules, surface options and exposes, and how to build big with a small kiln.
Pocosin Art’s gallery features an extensive collection of Mark Arnold’s functional ceramic work. Originally from Pittsburgh, Arnold is a former Pocosin Arts resident artist, and currently lives in Elizabeth City with his wife, metalsmith and teacher Caitlin McDonald. Influences of architecture and color-field painting find their way into Mark’s distinctive pieces, which are represented by galleries across the country.
Pocosin Arts’ popular online workshop program continues to expand, and the nonprofit is now accepting instructor applications for workshops in ceramics, metal, wood, digital media, writing, mixed media and papercraft. If you’re an expert craftsperson and talented educator, this is your chance to share your expertise virtually, and engage with students from all over the globe.