COOL ATMOSPHERE:
Inventive Pottery Forms and Surfaces for Cone 6 Soda
with Justin Rothshank
July 6-19, 2025
Venture into the “cooler” side of ceramics, during this cone 6 pottery and soda firing workshop with ceramic artist, author, and educator Justin Rothshank, who views pottery as “artwork that serves a physical, tangible purpose.”
During the making stage, the focus will be primarily on wheel throwing, but will also venture into hand building methods, including slab, coil, and extruding to round out Justin’s holistic approach to making functional ceramic art. These vessels will serve as canvases for decorating with complex and layered surfaces, using such means as slips, stains, washes, underglaze crayons, stamping, and more. Next, the BaliCat kiln will further embellish wares with the movement and flash of a soda atmosphere. This is not the end of the creative journey, however. There are more ways to finish the ceramic surface post-firing, and these will also be explored.
Technical improvement, formal innovation, creative expression, and soda firing— they all come together in this two-week intensive led by a deeply thoughtful instructor. Experience a dynamic and expansive foray into the making and meaning of functional ceramics.
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 - Throwing, Surface and SODA
Venture into the “cooler” side of ceramics during this cone 6 pottery and soda firing workshop with ceramic artist, author, and educator Justin Rothshank, who views pottery as “artwork that serves a physical, tangible purpose.”
During the making stage, the focus will be primarily on wheel throwing but will also venture into hand-building methods, including slab, coil, and extruding, to round out Justin’s holistic approach to making functional ceramic art. These vessels will serve as canvases for decorating with complex and layered surfaces, using such means as slips, stains, washes, underglaze crayons, stamping, and more.
Next, the BaliCat kiln will further embellish wares with the movement and flash of a soda atmosphere. This is not the end of the creative journey, however. There are more ways to finish the ceramic surface post-firing, and these will also be explored.
Technical improvement, formal innovation, creative expression, and soda firing—they all come together in this two-week intensive led by a deeply thoughtful instructor. Experience a dynamic and expansive foray into the making and meaning of functional ceramics.
We'll discuss surface preparation for soda firing, including slips, underglazes, underglaze crayons, stamping, staining, washes, and decal application. We'll discuss firing temperatures and clay bodies for use in the soda kiln.
We'll also discuss finishing work, including cold working, refiring, cleaning post-fired surfaces, repairing flaws from atmospheric disturbances, and adding decals.
We can also discuss specifics of ceramic decals, throwing standing up, production strategies, and wood or soda firing at different temperatures.
Sunday, July 6:
6:00 PM - Welcome dinner at Moksa Restaurant, followed by a presentation by Justin Rothshank about his work and career.
Monday, July 7:
Studio orientation. Introduction to materials, the BaliCat soda kiln, schedule overview, strategies for success.
What is soda firing?
Demonstration: simple thrown forms that take surface decoration and soda atmosphere well. Cups, bowls, mugs
12:30 PM - Lunch (family-style).
Demonstration and discussion: Self Portrait converasation/excersice. Underglazes
Tuesday, July 8:
Discuss Book “Low Fire When Soda” and Cone 6 soda firing. Demonstration:
hand building vessels/forms
12:30 PM - Lunch (family-style).
Demonstrations: Trimming simple thrown forms.. Surface techniques at the soft to leather clay stage.
Wednesday, July 9:
Discussion and demonstration: surface techniques at leather hard and beyond. Trimming thrown pots.
12:30 PM - Lunch (family-style).
Demonstration and discussion: throwing tall forms...bottles, pitchers, closed forms
Thursday, July 10:
Demonstration and discussion: combining thrown and handbuilt elements to make composite forms.
12:30 PM - Lunch (family-style).
Demonstration and discussion: pulling it all together, composite forms.
Load pieces ready for bisque number 1 into the kiln by 5 pm.
Friday, July 11:
Demonstration and discussion: composition: layering, combining techniques and materials, creating depth and interest. Bisque number 1 firing...
12:30 Lunch- family style
Focus on making and finishing up works for the second bisque. Last wet-work day.
Saturday, July 12:
Unload bisque number 1. Demonstrations and discussion: bisque-stage surface techniques and glaze discussion with demonstrations. Underglaze crayons, underglaze transfers
12:30 Lunch- family style
Complete all greenware works in preparation for bisque: no more new making, at this time focus on finishing surface elements and drying works that are complete. Begin glazing pieces already bisqued, if ready. Sign up for kiln loading shifts.
Second bisque firing begins at midnight.
Sunday, July 13:
Free day! Relax, go on independent adventures, recharge for another busy week in the studio.. Bisque number 2 firing. Studio is closed.
Monday, July 14:
Unload the bisque kiln number 2. Review of bisque-stage surface work including glazing on remaining wares.
Identifying priority works for soda kiln, separating the oxidation from the soda firing wares....Preparing cone packs, wadding, etc. Wadding discussion.
12:30 Lunch- family style
Begin loading the soda kiln in shifts. Those not on loading shifts may glaze wares.
Tuesday, July 15:
Loading the soda kiln in shifts: those not loading may finish glazing for the oxidation firing tonight.
12:30 Lunch- family style
Finish loading the soda kiln by 3 pm, brick up the door. Balinese offerings made for a blessed firing.
All wares for oxidation firing must be already loaded or in front of the gas kiln by 5 pm.
Wednesday, July 16:
Firing the soda kiln. Oxidation kiln also firing.
12:30 Lunch- family style
Soda introduction sometime during the afternoon.
Thursday, July 17:
Excursion: While both kilns cool, we will venture outside the studio to distract ourselves and find more inspiration....
Friday, July 18:
Unload the oxidation kiln first, review results, discussion. The soda kiln will still be quite hot.....
12:30 Lunch- family style
Unload the soda kiln, analyze results, discussing impact of form, surface decorations, placement, soda accumulation, etc, Compare and contrast with the oxidation work. Clean shelves, bricks, kiln. Choose most
meaningful piece of the two weeks to share as a group. Pack up wares for bringing home, and then group hugs and farewells.
Saturday, July 19:
Departure Day, studio is closed.
***Schedule is subject to revision prior to the commencement of the workshop