The Carnegie Hall 2023 Spring Class & Workshop Series schedule is full of arts education opportunities for all ages, but if you are interested in clay classes, Carnegie Hall offers all types for all levels. Kicking off the Clay Workshops is experienced teaching artist Kelsie Tyson with Feel for the Wheel followed by Ceramic Earrings and Pendants on Feb. 4. All classes take place in Carnegie Hall’s Pottery Studio.
Feel for the Wheel is a one-day Family Fun Class that teaches students the basics of throwing on the potter’s wheel. During class, participants will make two-five pieces, picking their best to be fired. Students will also have their choice of single glaze options for their pot. Saturday class dates to choose from are Feb. 4, Mar. 18, 25, Apr. 15, 29, May 13, and 27. Class time is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students must be at least 6 years of age or older and class size is limited. Cost is $60 ($45 for members).
Also beginning on Feb. 4 is Kelsie’s Ceramic Earrings and Pendants Family Fun Class. This workshop from 1:30 to 3 p.m. is an afternoon of fun for the entire family as students learn basic hand-building and glazing techniques to make custom earrings and pendants from clay. Handmade jewelry makes amazing gifts. Projects will be fired by Carnegie Hall and available for pick up later. Students must be at least 12 years of age or older and class size is limited. Ceramic Earrings and Pendants will also be offered on March 25. Cost is $55 ($45 for members) and all materials are provided.
Another Family Fun Class led by Kelsie is hand building a Ceramic Serving Tray. Classes are Saturdays, Mar. 18 and May 20, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Students will learn basic hand-building and underglaze transfer techniques to make custom plates or serving trays from clay. Projects will be fired by Carnegie Hall and available for pick up later. Students must be at least 12 years of age or older and class size is limited. Cost is $65 ($55 for members) and all materials are provided.
Kelsie’s popular five-week series Scratch the Surface: Sgraffito Club is back starting Monday, Feb. 20. Sgraffito is a ceramic surface design technique involving scratching through a decorative layer of slip or underglaze to reveal the underlying clay body. Sgraffito Club invites students to learn traditional and contemporary sgraffito techniques in a five-week course. Students will start the course mimicking surfaces and eventually develop their own imagery to create a three-piece matching set of wares. Section 1 takes place on Mondays, Feb. 20, 27, Mar. 6, 13, and 20; from 6-8 p.m. Section 2 takes place Mondays, Apr. 17, 24, May 1, 8, and 15; from 6-8 p.m. Students must be at least 16 years of age or older and class size is limited. Cost including clay, glazes, and firings is $200 ($185 for members). All students 50 years of age and older qualify for an automatic scholarship and pay only $110.
Kelsie’s final spring 2023 class is Seize the Clay, a six-week series that invites student to learn basic hand building and popular surface design techniques utilized throughout the clay community. By the end of the workshop, students will complete four projects and have finished a three-piece hand-built pottery set. No experience necessary. Class dates are Wednesdays, Apr. 19, 26, May 3, 10, 17, and 24; from: 6-8 p.m. Students must be at least 16 years of age. Cost is $185 ($165 for members) and all materials are provided. All students 50 years of age and older qualify for an automatic scholarship and pay only $100.
Kelsie Tyson is an artist currently residing in Lewisburg. She recently received her MFA in Ceramics and Glass from Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, PA. She uses photography, fiber, ceramics, and large installations to pursue a visual exploration of body image, sexuality, and the intersections between them. Her goal for her art is to help other West Virginians to appreciate their own bodies. Her artworks are personal, open, and fearless.
Limited scholarships for classes and workshops are available for students ages 50 and over thanks to the generous contribution of the Mary B. Nickell Foundation.
To enroll and for a complete list of classes and workshops visit carnegiehallwv.org/classes-and-workshops. A Classes & Workshops brochure is also available at Carnegie Hall.
