What’s On for Members
Slow Clay: Deepening Your Clay Practice
An invitation to pause, reflect, and refine.
Slow Clay offers club members the chance to explore a specific aspect of their clay practice in more depth. Each experience begins with a free hands-on introduction during Club Day - a relaxed taster session where you can get a feel for the focus and approach of the upcoming workshop.
We’ll follow the taster with a club lunch and conversation, time to ask further questions and exchange ideas.
Those who want to continue the journey can then sign up for an extended workshop, where we’ll take things further - honing technique, deepening understanding, and making time for personal exploration and practice.
Slow Clay initiative is developed and supported by the OPC Education & Social Teams.
An invitation to pause, reflect, and refine.
Slow Clay offers club members the chance to explore a specific aspect of their clay practice in more depth. Each experience begins with a free hands-on introduction during Club Day - a relaxed taster session where you can get a feel for the focus and approach of the upcoming workshop.
We’ll follow the taster with a club lunch and conversation, time to ask further questions and exchange ideas.
Those who want to continue the journey can then sign up for an extended workshop, where we’ll take things further - honing technique, deepening understanding, and making time for personal exploration and practice.
Slow Clay initiative is developed and supported by the OPC Education & Social Teams.
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Slow Clay 1: Deep Dive Your handles
Free Taster: 10am-12noon, Sunday 24th August Workshop: 9am - 1pm Saturday 6th September Deep Dive: Handles With Jenny Turnbull Join experienced potter Jenny Turnbull for a focused session on refining your handle-making skills. Learn to create and attach handles across a variety of forms — from mugs, jugs and teapots to platters and casserole dishes. Explore different approaches to design, making, and application, and discover how well-considered handles can elevate both function and form. Participants for the workshop will need to bring leather hard pieces to fit handles. |
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Slow Clay 2: How To Develop Your Personal Style
Free Taster: 10am - 12noon, Sunday 21 September For the past fifteen years, Sarah Brock has worked with artists from many disciplines, helping them to discover and develop their unique artistic voice. Join her for a lively discussion on how to grow your personal style, spark new ideas, and develop a range of ceramic pieces that are distinctly your own. The session will be followed by a club lunch. Develop your personal style - next steps - Workshop: 1pm - 5pm, Sunday 5 October This workshop will help you find inspiration and how to set up projects that make your work more personal and unique. Together we’ll map out a plan for a series of ceramic pieces to further develop your style. Please bring:
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Slow Clay 4:Firing Salt & Soda: A Hands-On Workshop
Come and join in a hands-on multi part practical workshop exploring Salt & Soda Kiln Effects with the opportunity to become a Kiln Master at the Hautere Kiln. Make, slip & glaze pots specifically for salt/soda firing. Learn how to wad your pots with practical or decorative methods. Help load and fire the Hautere Kiln at Lavender Creek Farm and learn the secrets of how to fire a diesel kiln. Experience the amazing experience of opening the kiln. Frederick Church (Hautere Kiln Kilnmaster) will take you through the process step by step over 5 sessions, from design through glazing to loading, firing and unloading the kiln. Note: This workshop series has 5 sessions, participants are expected to attend every session. Please take careful note of all the dates to be sure you can be there. Session 1: Introduction and Q&A 07 February 2026 - 1pm - 4pm Location: OPC Handbuilding Classroom Participants can bring along pieces they have made if they wish - green or bisque ware
Session 2: Glazing/Slips and wadding 2-3 hours 6 March - 6pm - 9pm - Location: OPC Glazing room Participants to bring along all the work they want to fire in the Hautere kiln
Session 3: Loading the Hautere 3-4 hours 7 March - 10am start - Location: Hautere kiln
Session 4: Firing the Kiln 8-10 hours 8 March - 9am start (bring cake and flowers) - Location: Hautere kiln
Session 5: The Magic Revealed 3-4 hours 14 March - 10am start - Location: Hautere kiln
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