Saturday, June 14
Hands-on workshop 10-2
Artist talk and Q+A, 3-4 PM
Workshop: $275
Artist talk only: $25 (All proceeds go to support our student financial aid program)
Don't miss this special and rare opportunity to learn from renowned ceramic artist Christa Assad. If you can throw a basic cylinder but struggle to shape it into something more refined, this workshop is for you! Wheel Life, Wheel Problems is all about form, flow, and finesse—helping you transform your thrown pieces into more intentional and dynamic shapes. Discover techniques and tools to elevate your wheel-thrown pieces beyond the traditional round, creating intentional and dynamic shapes that express your personal artistic vision.
Christa will guide students through her signature approach to ceramic forms, sharing professional techniques and creative insights developed over decades of practice. This hands-on experience will focus on:
- Mastering thrown forms with attention to proportion and balance
- Developing technical skills that enhance your thrown pieces
- Finding inspiration in both industrial and natural forms
- Coaching particpants through their individual throwing issues
Following the workshop, Christa will present an artist talk sharing her journey and creative process. Learn how her relocation to Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico in 2017 has influenced her artistic practice and perspective. There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end.
Christa Assad is an acclaimed ceramicist who now balances her creative life between potting and painting from her desert hideaway in Baja. There, she operates the only wood kiln in the region, experimenting with local clay and incorporating treasures discovered during her explorations of the dramatic landscape.
Assad's distinctive works begin on the potter's wheel but transcend the round, resulting in pieces that have earned places in permanent collections including The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, The Ceramic Research Center at Arizona State University Museum, and The Penn State Fulbright Scholar Collection. Her work has been featured in Garth Clark's "Shards," Kevin A. Hluch's "The Art of Contemporary Pottery," and Lark Books' "500 Teapots" and "500 Pitchers."
With a rich history of international exhibitions and teaching, Christa brings both technical mastery and artistic vision to this special workshop opportunity.