FINDING YOUR VOICE:
with Volumetric Image Transfer and Architectural Tile
with Forrest Lesch-Middleton
May 12-25, 2024
A recognizable voice is what defines an artist and drives a successful body of work; it allows an artist to communicate ideas through objects, independent of themselves. In this workshop you will work through a series of exercises that drill deep and uncover ideas to a place where you can further develop your work. From there you will combine imagery, form, and surface using the techniques Forrest has developed that allow him to integrate wheel throwing and image transfer simultaneously to create uniquely decorative functional wares ripe with content.
Learn to develop silk screens, make embossments for molds and stamps, and explore the reduction cooling process Forrest uses to bring a sense of history to his work. Beginning on tiles and advancing to wheel thrown forms, Forrest will walk you through his process encouraging your own creative exploration. At the end of this densely packed workshop you are certain to leave with a new approach to surface, content, and decoration.
Open to all levels of experience.
TUITION: USD $2200 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 - FINDING YOUR VOICE with volumetric image transfer and architectural tile
Sunday, May 12: Welcome Dinner MOKSA
Enjoy a delicious dinner and get to know one another. Forrest will offer a presentation about his work over dessert.
Monday, May 13: Introductions, orientation, and prepping.
Forrest will demonstrate silk screen printing, image transfer to tile, volumetric image transfer to a cylinder, and stretching. Other topics will include materials and clays, building a dark room, and prepping screens.
Lunch- Family style in GCAC mezzanine
Making tiles for tomorrow, make what you make the way you make it!
Tuesday, May 14: Digging in.
Trimming and putting together pots from yesterday. Throwing forms based on a cylinder, making screen and making film. Topics will include: prepping screens: coating, exposing, washing out, taping, and drying screens. Cutting square tile, mixing transfer media.
Lunch- Family style in GCAC mezzanine
Bringing images to laser printer at copy shop.
Wednesday, May 15: Putting it all to use.
Forrest will demonstrate using tile templates and throwing forms related to bowls. Questions will be answered about printing, discussions about tessellation, and drying tile properly.
Lunch- Family style in GCAC mezzanine
Printing, printing, printing, using your own screens!
Thursday, May 16: Success, failure, or opportunity?
Demonstrations will include trimming, transferring to the inside of a pot, throwing multi-part pots, cleaning up tile. There will be images about slides, and conversation about expectations.
Lunch- Family style in GCAC mezzanine
Bringing forth new ideas.
Friday, May 17: Putting it all together.
Forrest will demonstrate putting together a teapot, putting together a pitcher, and making a lot of tiles. He will share images of image transfer, and discuss determining a firing schedule.
Lunch- Family style in GCAC mezzanine
Making pots with parts.
Saturday, May 18: Back to the drawing board, and the kiln.
Demonstration: using multiple transfers at once, and using transfers as paper resist. Exploring the many ways this technique can become personalized. Group critique at the halfway point. Discussions about bisqueing vs once-firing, kiln schedules, and best practices for firing tile.
Lunch- Family style in GCAC mezzanine
Exercises for developing new ideas, digging deeper, collecting content. Coating a new screen, continuing working, and planning your next screen.
Sunday, May 19: FREE DAY
Enjoy Bali, reflect on what you’ve learned, and put some thought into what’s to come next.
Monday, May 20: Finishing and firing for effect.
There will be a review about making a screen and a glaze demonstration. Finishing up works, loading kiln. Making a new screen, using a new image with the information you have already learned.
Lunch- Family style in GCAC mezzanine
Keep on making with your new screen. Making, trimming.
LOADING 1st Bisque kiln (big kiln) by the end of the day.
Tuesday, May 21: Glazing.
Forrest will demonstrate glazing pots with patterns. Discussion about finding and/or formulating the right glaze for image transfer.
Lunch- Family style in GCAC mezzanine
Continue experimenting on thrown forms, etc.
(1st BISQUE KILN FIRING…)
Wednesday, May 22: Last firing day.
Forrest will demonstrate mounting tile, and grouting.
Lunch- Family style in GCAC mezzanine
Fnishing up any remaining trimming and assembling.
Glazing all bisqued wares for Cone 10 reduction firing.
LOADING 2nd Bisque (small kiln); LOADING Cone 10 Reduction firing (big kiln) by end of the day.
Thursday, May23: EXCURSION
A hands-on visit to a beautiful indigo and natural dye batik studio, followed by lunch and tour of Ubud’s most renown contemporary art gallery and art lounge restaurant.
(2nd BISQUE & Cone 10 Reduction Glaze firing…)
Friday, May 24: Unloading and assessing
Unload kilns both kilns by mid-morning, critique results.
Lunch- Family style in GCAC mezzanine
Assembling tiles, final discussion, photographing works, packing up.
Saturday, May 25: Departure day, studio closed.