ADRIAN ARLEO
GILDING THE LILY: Building and Embellishing Human and Animal Sculpture
February 22 - March 7, 2026
With an immediate initiation into the unforgettably stimulating landscape, architecture and culture of Bali, Adrian Arleo will commence this two-week intensive coil-building figurative workshop as a personalized experience for the participants. Individuals will be expected to come with some general ideas or aspirations in the realm of animal or human sculptural forms– but be equally ready to be spontaneously informed by setting and surroundings. Seated, standing, reclined, wall pieces– all are possible. By having an array of sculptural forms being created simultaneously in this workshop, participants will have the benefit of learning from other people's challenges and solutions.
Live demonstrations will be bolstered by slide talks and time-lapse videos of various processes employed by Adrian including approaches to internal supports, buttressing, darting, sectioning, and the use of a base and rod for tall narrow pieces. Other presentations will cover facial features, general anatomy for human and animal forms, and collections of contemporary figurative ceramic sculptors’ work for added inspiration and insight. Tapping into pattern, texture, carving and sprig molds, the embellishment component of the workshop will contribute richness and depth to the sculptural forms, adding a decorative, narrative or metaphorical dimension that will take the pieces into another realm of development. And at the end of the course, Adrian will demonstrate the use of wax encaustic, casein paint and gold leaf for added post-firing layers and accents.
To arrive with an open mind, and leave with pieces you never would have imagined in your normal studio practice is what this workshop is all about.
NOTE : Prior handbuilding experience required. Not suitable for beginners.
TUITION: USD $2500 inclusive of all studio materials, glazes and firings, catered lunches, welcome dinner, and excursions around the island. We will assist in making recommendations for bookings for nearby hotels, bungalows or home-stays in convenient proximity to Gaya studio (accommodation is not included in tuition).
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE - ADRIAN ARLEO
Sunday, February 22: Welcome Dinner MOKSA
Welcome Dinner and slide talk by Adrian
Monday, February 23:
Field Trip to Temple or other site for Inspiration/exploration
Studio orientation and discussion about schedule; front-loaded with info in the form of presentations and demonstrations. (Later in week you’ll have longer stretches of time to work on pieces.)
Begin prepping clay, extruding coils.
Lunch-family style in GCAC mezzanine
Adrian will begin checking in with participants to discuss their ideas and how to evolve them through moquettes, playing with gesture, conceptual considerations, strategies for beginning pieces.
Tuesday, February 24:
Demos, slides and time-lapsed videos of building process
Getting a feel for the clay, basic coil-building reminders.
Demo for making small pieces for Terra Sigillata experimental pieces in second week. These will be used when bone dry, or super low bisque-cone 08- if it’s possible.
Demos; Adrian will continue to check in with participants on their ideas and starting pieces. Demos addressing the “foundation” of both table-top, floor and wall pieces. Strategies for hanging wall pieces.
Lunch-family style in GCAC mezzanine
As time permits, Slide presentations on Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture- human and animal imagery.
Polymer Sprig Molds; demonstration. Start collecting or making objects for molds.
As time permits, more slide presentations; building and basic human and animal anatomy, facial anatomy (may shift to Wed).
Wednesday, February 25:
Participants continue working on pieces. Adrian will work on demo piece as time allows.
Make polymer sprig molds
Slide presentations on human facial anatomy, animal anatomy.
Head and face demonstration, human and animal
Lunch-family style in GCAC mezzanine
Adrian will check in with people individually on their progress and help problem solve, and do demos as needed.
Thursday, February 26:
Continue working on pieces and making sprig molds.
Demo: Embellishing the Sculptures: Textures, carving, integrating sprig-molded forms, and the use of high temp wire.
Lunch-family style in GCAC mezzanine
Adrian will check in with people individually on their progress and help problem solve and do demos as needed.
Adrian will work on demo piece as time allows.
Friday, February 27:
Continue working on pieces.
Lunch-family style in GCAC mezzanine
Demonstration on sectioning pieces
Help and Demos as needed
Saturday, February 28:
Continue working on pieces, carving, texturing, adding sprig-molded forms
Lunch-family style in GCAC mezzanine
Help and Demos as needed
Sunday, March 1:
~Free Day~ Studio closed.
Monday, March 2:
Continue working on pieces, carving, texturing, adding sprig-molded forms
Lunch-family style in GCAC mezzanine
Start finishing pieces
Tuesday, March 3:
Last day to finish pieces!! Must be done by end of the day. Make and dry quickly another small test piece for Terra Sigillata if time allows.
Lunch-family style in GCAC mezzanine
(Slide show by participants)
Wednesday, March 4:
Excursion day!
Thursday, March 5:
Demo on Terra Sigillata application techniques on small test piece.
Discussion and demonstration on Wax Encaustic
Discussion and demo Casein paint techniques, gold leaf techniques.
Lunch-family style in GCAC mezzanine
Discussion on low-fire glazes (test tile samples will be shown)
Friday, March 6:
Final critique/discussion about finished pieces, review of information as needed! Lunch-family style in GCAC mezzanine
Pack up sculptures to be taken or shipped home.
Saturday, March 7:
DEPARTURE DAY
**Details of schedule may be subject to change, but overall content will remain constant.