OLIVIA TANI
CONSCIENTIOUS CONTOURS: Slab Building Beyond Straight Lines
April 12-25, 2026
Enjoy demonstration and guidance on transforming slabs into compelling three-dimensional constructions from Minnesota Artist Oliva Tani. With an eye for engineering and a keen sense of line and volume, Olivia’s techniques turn unique shapes into surprising vessels and sculptures. Learn the secrets of the slab and explore undiscovered dimensions in your own work– and then finalize your surfaces with the serendipitous touch of a soda atmosphere in Gaya’s BaliCAT Soda kiln!
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 - Olivia Tani
Sunday, April 12th
Welcome dinner. Participants get to meet and have conversations about their backgrounds. Olivia gives a brief artist talk, focusing on what led her to pursue clay. The presentation will give a preview of certain building methods covered during the workshop.
Monday, April 13th
Orientation to the studio. Olivia will cover the goals and focus of the workshop.
Tools will be discussed, and there will be a small hands-on opportunity to create a useful individualized scoring tool to use during projects made of sculptable epoxy putty and sewing pins.
First, the morning will involve a demonstration of rolling large slabs from the slab roller onto a portable surface, then preparing and transferring them without damage.
Sculptural arc vase forms will serve as the catalyst to voluminous and refined slab building processes— Olivia gives a detailed demonstration of constructing the foundational slabs for these vessels. Olivia will highlight the importance of bisque molds in this process while demonstrating how she uses them as tools to influence the curves of slabs.
Lunch-family style in GCAC mezzanine
Then, we’ll discuss best practices with stencils and how the 2D can and will transform to 3D! After sketching and planning their own ideas, participants will choose their own shape to work toward. On the first day, the goal is to have a slab foundation and frame for an arc vase vessel. Participants will then work independently on their own pieces, with Olivia offering one-on-one guidance.
Tuesday, April 14th
After the foundation of the arc vase is well constructed, participants will get a demonstration of how to construct the inner “spine” of the form. This spine gives rise to planes and volumes and is a pivotal step in the process. The importance of tools to stretch and form the slabs into the desired volume will be explained in detail. Architectural tricks for ensuring strong joints and watertight vessels will be covered. Independent work with coaching.
Lunch-family style in GCAC mezzanine
Independent work. Participants may consider beginning a second iteration of the arc vase process using a different stencil.
Wednesday, April 15th
The next form: “The Blate”
Olivia will give a demo at the wheel using a bisque mold and a thick slab. This reductive process is an alternative way to make a plate or shallow bowl… or ”blate”. This technique involves rib tools to reduce and shape the underside, or “foot” of a shallow dish. The wheel is used as a tool to create even walls, in the style of traditional “trimming” with the dimension of the bisque mold forming the interior contour.
Continuing the slab vase forms: Olivia will demonstrate the final slab attachments to complete the arc vase. We will close off our forms with a slab made by using a special stencil technique. This special technique is key in creating a naturally fitting slab at the meeting place of curves.
Lunch-family style in GCAC mezzanine
During the afternoon, participants can opt to continue their arc vase forms or begin the thick slab at the wheel to start a “blate”. Olivia assists with individual questions.
Thursday, April 16th
Optional next form (Addition to the Blate): “the Blasket”
First, participants work to create fresh slabs to continue and complete their vases or dishes.
During the morning, Olivia covers the addition to the blate that can become a hollow basket handle. This handle is the same that she uses on her teapots.
Olivia also demonstrates this basket handle technique as a translatable way to create a spout participants can use in their home practices.
Lunch-family style in GCAC mezzanine
Friday, April 17th
Refinements – Focus on the Skin
Olivia will give a detailed demo of her refining techniques. Participants will learn how to transform any surface, no matter how rough from the building process, into a smooth, contoured surface using a special series of tools. Participants are encouraged to experiment with any surface treatment they are interested in or keep it smooth. The smooth finish is a jumping-off point for texture or planning slip/glaze decoration choices.
Contours and connections mesh together to create a finished work that shows thoughtfulness and a unique sense of volume that cannot be achieved on the wheel alone, nor with flat slabs.
Lunch- family style in GCAC mezzanine
Saturday, April 18th – Last day of wet work
The last day to make changes and additions to work. Participants will have the opportunity to utilize slip in their surface designs, pre-bisque.
Using Olivia’s techniques, participants will put finishing touches on projects and get guidance on showing their own voice in their pieces.
Lunch- family style in GCAC mezzanine
Sunday, April 19th
Free Day! Bisque fire.
Monday, April 20th
Olivia will show glazing and or spraying, waxing, latexing and slipping techniques.
With time allotted, Olivia will begin to demonstrate other complex forms such as her Three Point Bowl, or thrown Ewer and Cups.
Lunch- family style in GCAC mezzanine
Tuesday, April 21st
Loading the BaliCAT Soda kiln. All participants will be working in shifts to both understand placement and directly assist in the loading of this unique kiln.
Lunch- family style in GCAC mezzanine
(Slide show by participants)
Wednesday, April 22nd
FIRING the SODA KILN!
Demos of more complicated forms will offer another depth of exploration/challenge during the hours leading up to the dramatic loading of soda into the kiln. All participants are encouraged to actively participate and engage.
Thursday, April 23rd
FINAL firing and FULL-day excursion.
Friday, April 24th
Opening the kiln, Olivia and participants will discuss the results and plans for potential future projects. Lunch- family style in GCAC mezzanine
Packing, photographing and admiring the results, closing sentiments, workshop concludes by 5 pm
Saturday, April 25th
The studio is closed. Participants will depart, taking home their finished pieces and the skills gained throughout the workshop.
****Details of schedule may be subject to change, but overall content will remain constant.