2020 WORKSHOPS at the BRAY
TABLE of contents
About the Bray
Summer 1
Summer 2
How to take a workshop
Printensive with Jason Bige Burnett
Making and Seeing with Bandana Pottery
Ceramic Science for the Artist with William Carty
China Painting: new directions with Paul Lewing
Understanding Soda Firing with Stuart Gair
Exploring the Body with Kelly Stevenson & Chuck Aydlett
Workshops at a glance Workshops FAQ Education Beyond Workshops Internships Community Classes
@archiebray #archiebray @archie_bray
Monoprinting: the duality book with Arthur Gonzalez The Vessel: taking a line for a walk with Linda Sikora & Mary Barringer Narrative Vessel & Moldmaking with Jessica Brandl
The Portrait: expressing life with Tip Toland
R egistratio n B egi n s
How to take a workshop at the Bray!
The Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts is a public, nonprofit, educational institution founded in 1951 by brickmaker Archie Bray, who intended it to be “a place to make available for all who are seriously interested in any of the branches of the ceramic arts, a fine place to work.” Its primary mission is to provide an environment that stimulates creative work in ceramics. At the heart of that mission is a group of rotating ceramic artists who come to the Bray to work and who make up our residency program. In over 65 years, we have served over 600 residents. Click here for more information about our residents.
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Things to do in your free time: Make work! Enjoy creative freedom with around-the-clock studio access. Get centered! Roam the 26-acre historic Bray grounds and sculpture gardens. Try something new! Explore new ceramic supplies at the Archie Bray Clay Business. Shop! Peruse the Bray Gallery for unique artwork from current and past Bray Residents. Be Inspired! Walk the hallway of the Shaner complex and see what the current resident artists are making. Learn something new! Thumb through a few books in the Research Library, where the focus is solely on books about ceramics and art.
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January 15, 2020 at Noon MST.
DATE
ARTISTS
WORKSHOP
June 1–4
Jason Bige Burnett
PRINTensive!
June 8–12
William Carty
Ceramic Science for the Artist
. Students are responsible for booking their own housing.
June 15–26
Stuart Gair
Understanding Soda Firing
Plan Transportation
June 25–July 1
Arthur Gonzalez
Monoprinting: the duality book
July 6–10
Linda Sikora & Mary Barringer
The Vessel: taking a line for a walk
July 13–17
. Suggested tools list will be available on the website.
Jessica Brandl
Narrative Vessel & Mold Making
August 3–7
Bandana Pottery
Making and Seeing
Get Excited!
August 10–14
Paul Lewing
China Painting: new directions
August 16–22
Kelly Stevenson & Chuck Aydlett
Exploring the Body
October 17–18
Tip Toland
The Portrait: expressing life
Register
. To register please visit archiebray.org or call 406/443-3502 x11
Reserve Accommodations
. Getting here and being here. . Fly into HLN. For longer workshops, students may consider a rental car.
Gather Supplies
. Workshops run 9 am to 5 pm daily unless otherwise stated. . Studio access extends beyond hours of the workshop. . Plan to bring sack lunches or cash for order-in lunches.
Visit www.archiebray.org for more details about workshops and the Bray.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PRINTensive! with
JASON Bige Burnett JUNE 1-4, 2020
Join us for a 4-day, action-packed crash course in creating screen printed underglaze transfers with Jason Bige Burnett.This workshop is recommended for students wanting to incorporate graphic imagery into their work and add screen printing to their skillset. Demonstrations will include creating a low-budget exposure unit, stencil making and imagery design for the silkscreen process, the entire screen printing process and how to transfer images to greenware. Participants will leave with examples of images transferred to ceramic tiles, printed underglaze transfers to use for future projects and a greater understanding of the screen printing process to be able to create transfers in their studio.
Jason Bige Burnett, currently a long term resident artist at the Archie Bray Foundation, earned his BFA in ceramics and a BA in both graphic design and printmaking from Western Kentucky University. He continued his studies as a core fellowship student at Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina then went on to Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts as an artist-in-residence. Burnett is the author of Graphic Clay: Ceramic Surfaces and Printed Image Transfer Techniques (Lark/Sterling Publications). @jasonbburnett @islatransfers
Experience in clay is necessary for this course, but we welcome beginning screen-printing students. Participants should be aware that there will be a lot of walking and standing on concrete surfaces for lengthy periods.
Tuition $550 Maximum enrollment: 15 Open to intermediate and advanced artists
REGISTER
PREPARE TABLE OF CONTENTS
Ceramic Science for the Artist is returning to the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts after 15 years! The course has been expanded to include clay body and glaze development, trouble-shooting and defect analysis; glaze chemistry and color development; raw material properties, substitutions and safety; and insights into how materials perform during the making and firing process. Dr. Carty has developed a unique approach to help ceramic artists understand ceramic science and how to apply this knowledge to solve studio problems.
Ceramic Science for the Artist with
william carty
Participants will work together to invent glaze formulas, mix test glazes, develop ideas, share information, discuss problems and work toward solutions. Upon completion of this course, students will return to their studio with a working knowledge of chemistry and how it applies to glaze and clay development. Students will be equipped with the tools to solve material problems that arise in the studio. Carty makes all content from the course available to students in the form of handouts and digital documents.
All test tiles will be provided. Students should bring a notebook, examples of ceramic studio problems to solve and test tiles of their preferred clay if desired. Glaze tests will span a range of common ceramic temperatures: Cone 10, Cone 6 and Cone 04.
William M. Carty is the John F. McMahon Professor and Chair of Ceramic Engineering at Alfred University. He received his BS and MS in Ceramic Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla, and his Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Washington. He and his research group have, with the help of many graduate and undergraduate students, researched all aspects of traditional ceramics including clay and glaze primarily in advanced microstructure evolution and materials behaviors. Bill has taken a special interest in the work and challenges facing artists who use ceramics as a primary medium. He has authored or co-authored over 80 papers and is a frequent contributor to NCECA. After almost 20 years of teaching ceramic science to artists, he is slowly understanding (and can speak eloquently, but perhaps ad nausea, about) the potential benefits of applying science to solve ceramic art creation problems.
JUNE 8-12, 2020 Tuition $575 Maximum enrollment: 15 Open to all levels REGISTER
PREPARE TABLE OF CONTENTS
Understanding Soda Firing with
stuart gair
Join us for a participatory, soda-firing intensive with Stuart Gair. This experience is recommended to artists wanting to be immersed in the entire soda firing process to deepen their understanding. Gair will demonstrate his techniques for throwing and altering forms, incorporating hump molds into the making process and adding local materials for unique results. Over the two weeks, participants will have the opportunity to make work; discuss how their design choices will be affected by the kiln; learn about clays, slips and glazes typically used in soda firing; dig and incorporate local materials into their work; and help load and fire a cross-draft and a downdraft soda kiln to cone 10 reduction atmosphere. Firing two different kiln designs will allow students to observe the similarities and differences between the firing types. In the first week, students will have the opportunity to make work for the firings, gather local materials to incorporate into their work and learn about slip and glaze application. The second week will focus on the entire firing process including loading, firing, unloading and discussion of the results. Students will leave having experienced the entire process of soda firing; acquired recipes for recommended clay bodies, slips and glazes; a better understanding of kiln types for those that may want to build their own kiln; and samples from both firing types.
While this class is open to all levels, students should have basic throwing and handbuilding skills and should be prepared to participate in the entire experience which can be physically demanding. They need not have any prior experience with soda firing.
Stuart Gair received a history degree from Ohio University and completed an MFA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Currently, Stuart is an artist-in-residence at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, where he is exploring a new body of work and teaching classes. Recently, Stuart was named an Emerging Artist by Ceramics Monthly magazine and Emerging Craftsman by the Ohio Craft Museum. Stuart examines a wide range of wares that have endured through time with a particular interest in how form follows function, balance, elegance, silhouette and volume. This informs how objects are displayed and how they can occupy a space in similar ways to those historical objects that he admires. He strives to capture the viewers’ attention with subtlety and variation of surface in each piece. Stuart fires all work to cone 10 in a soda kiln. He has participated in residencies across the country including Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts and Harvard Ceramics Program. Gair is represented by numerous established galleries which include Lacoste-Keane, Lillstreet Art Center, The Clay Studio of Philadelphia. stuartgair.com
JUNE 15-26, 2020 Tuition $1200 Maximum enrollment: 15 Open to all levels REGISTER
PREPARE TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Monoprinting: the duality book with
Join Arthur Gonzalez for a 7-day, participatory workshop exploring methods of monoprinting on sculptural clay surfaces. Demonstrations will cover the entire process of monoprinting images onto clay including painting with underglazes on plaster surfaces and transferring these paintings to clay. Discussions will offer an introduction to the world of poetic imagery and explore new ways of thinking about art and imagery. Gonzalez will guide each student through these techniques and concepts with each student making their own sculptural book with monoprinted pages. Students are encouraged to bring image ideas for image work during the week and questions about imagery on clay, transferring images to clay and how to build sculpture in a way to receive imagery on its surface.
arthur gonzalez
Students will leave having experienced printmaking and basic mold making and will have improved their ability to develop and execute ideas in their work. Students should have a basic level of comfort with clay and a working ability to paint and draw. This workshop is recommended for students seeking to explore the potential of the clay surface as a canvas and who want to develop their painting and drawing skills.
JUNE 25-July 1, 2020 Tuition $875 Maximum enrollment: 12 Open to all levels REGISTER
PREPARE
Arthur Gonzalez is an internationally exhibiting artist with over fifty solo shows in the last forty years, including eight in Manhattan, New York. He has received many awards including the Virginia Groot Foundation twice and is an unprecedented four-time recipient of the National Endowment of the Arts Fellowship within ten years. His work appears in numerous public collections including the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art in Gifu, Japan; the Smithsonian Archives of American Art; the Oakland Museum of California; and also the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento. He is a tenured Professor at the California College of the Arts (formerly CCAC). Gonzalez has been an artist-in-residence in many places including University of Georgia, Athens; Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Penland School of Craft, North Carolina; University of Akron in Ohio; Tainan National University in Taiwan; Pilchuck Glass School in Seattle, Washington; and the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts in Helena, Montana. arthurgonzalez.com
The Vessel: taking a line for a walk with
Linda Sikora & Mary Barringer JUly 6-10, 2020 Tuition $775 Maximum enrollment: 15 Open to intermediate and advanced artists REGISTER
Join Linda Sikora and Mary Barringer for this 5-day intensive in making and thinking about the vessel. As two potters—one a thrower and one a handbuilder—they will explore the idea of line in pottery. Discussions will explore how profile, proportion, rhythm, decoration and edge all address line in different ways. Sikora and Barringer will consider these elements through demonstrations, exercises and critical examination to help participants to see form more clearly and pursue their ideas more confidently.
Linda Sikora resides with her family near Alfred, NY where she has a studio practice and is a professor of Ceramic Art at Alfred University. Academic study includes Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University (BFA) and the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis (MFA). Professional activities are national and international. Sikora has participated in residencies at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, MT; Chunkang College of Cultural Industry, Korea; Tainan National College of The Arts, Taiwan; and Clay Edge, Australia. Her work appears in the following collections: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Racine Art Museum, Alfred Ceramic Art Museum, LA County Museum of Art, Minneapolis Institute of the Arts, Everson Museum, Huntington Museum of Art and Fuller Craft Museum.
This workshop is about making and seeing. Participants will leave having expanded their making skills, experimented with new forms and reinvigorated their practice with new ideas. Basic throwing and/or handbuilding skills are recommended.
Mary Barringer received a BA in art from Bennington College and has been a studio artist since 1973, making both sculpture and functional pottery. Her work has been exhibited internationally, and she has taught widely at universities, art schools and craft centers including Ohio University, Hartford Art School and Anderson Ranch Arts Center. In addition to her studio work, she has written and lectured on the history of ceramics and, from 2004 until 2014, served as editor of The Studio Potter journal. She lives in western Massachusetts.
lindasikora.com
marybarringer.com
PREPARE TABLE OF CONTENTS
Her work has been shown nationally and internationally in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including “Hazard” hosted by Crane Yard Gallery, “Grounded” hosted by the Alberta College of Art and Design and “Unconventional Clay: Engaged in Change” hosted at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in conjunction with NCECA Biennial Invitational. In 2015, Brandl was award NCECA’s international residency at c.r.e.t.a. Rome and received a McKnight Artist Fellowship from the Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her most recent work investigates the vessel as canvas and sculptural diorama.
Narrative Vessel & Mold Making with
JESSICA BRANDL
Jessica resides in Helena, Montana where she is an artist-in-residence at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts.
JUly 13-17, 2020 Tuition $650 Maximum enrollment: 15 Open to intermediate and advanced artists
This 5-day workshop with Jessica Brandl will investigate the narrative potential for functional objects to record and tell the story of our lives. Brandl will demonstrate how to reinterpret everyday objects in clay through a variety of techniques using the pottery wheel, handbuilding and fast-mold-making techniques for complex forms such as press molds and plaster-crack molds. Discussions will address topics of meaning, metaphor, design and pushing the boundaries of clay as a representational material.
Jessicabrandl.com
REGISTER
PREPARE
Students will move through the design process for bas-relief objects—large and small, sculptural and functional—with the end goal of producing small prototypes. Brandl will then walk students through the step-by-step process of making plaster-crack molds of prototypes. Discussions will accompany each stage of the process and will address design, production and technical information about materials and their applications.
This workshop is recommended for students who have a strong interest in the vessel and utility, are seeking to optimize and refine their making process, studio practice and production efforts and have an introductory understanding of working in clay and plaster. Students should expect to work from a hollow-form vessel as the baseline for all exercises. The week’s efforts will lead to a finished mold for students to take home. Jessica Brandl is an American contemporary ceramics artist from the Midwest. She was raised amidst car and motorcycle culture with its love of travel without a destination. Travel continues to define her professional practice as she moves throughout the world. Brandl’s vessels and sculptures explore the comparative relationship all people have with narrative and symbolic language. Brandl holds an MFA in Ceramics from The Ohio State University and a BFA from The Kansas City Art Institute.
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Making and Seeing with
BANDANA POTTERY AUGUST 3-7, 2020 Tuition $775 Maximum enrollment: 15 Open to all levels
Join Naomi Dalglish and Michael Hunt of Bandana Pottery in this 5-day, participatory workshop and learn about their process of making work from generating ideas to turning them into finished, fired artwork. Dalglish and Hunt will share their approach to a variety of throwing, handbuilding and decorating techniques including throwing off the hump, altering and carving from solid clay and exploring the possibilities of slip decorating. Students will discover how these techniques can inform each other, lead to new ideas and deepen our ability to respond to their materials. Class time will be split between demonstrations, participatory making and lively discussions about what is being made. This workshop is recommended for students wanting to learn how to think critically about their work and develop a deeper harmony between all elements of the vessel.
Naomi Dalglish and Michael Hunt collaborate in making wood fired pottery. They combine coarse local clays, white slips and ash glazes to make the deeply layered surfaces for which they are known. After getting hooked on clay in high school, Hunt came to Penland School of Craft where Will Ruggles and Douglas Rankin became teachers and mentors to him. Several years later he was invited to go to Korea to learn the traditional method of making large onggi storage jars with master potter Oh Hyang Jong. Dalglish began making pottery with her grandmother as a child. She studied clay at Earlham College with Mike Theideman, a former apprentice of Warren MacKenzie. After college, Naomi came to Penland School of Craft to take a kiln building class and met Hunt, who was building a kiln at his studio in the area. Hunt and Dalglish now work together as full-time potters, firing their wood kiln four times a year and occasionally teaching workshops. Their pottery is named “Bandana Pottery� after the small community in which they live. They exhibit their work nationally and internationally.
bandanapottery.com
REGISTER
PREPARE TABLE OF CONTENTS
China Painting: new directions with
PAUL LEWING AUGUST 10-14, 2020 Tuition $650 Maximum enrollment: 15 Open to all levels
REGISTER
Paul Lewing started painting in oils at the age of eight and continued into college at the University of Montana in Missoula. There he discovered clay, studying with Rudy Autio and earned both a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts degree. After graduate school, Paul moved to Seattle and has been a professional clay artist there since 1972. Paul is known for his painterly style of glazing and for the wide diversity of imagery, styles and techniques he employs in his tile art. A former mule packer, horse wrangler, and hunting and fishing guide, Paul often shows his love of mountains and the outdoors in his landscape, floral, animal and fish murals. He is also widely respected for his expertise in glaze chemistry.
Articles and work by Paul have appeared in numerous magazines and textbooks. Paul is also active in the crafts community as president of the Washington Potters’ Association, president of Northwest Designer-Craftsmen and a member of the Studio Potter Network National Advisory Board. In 2018, he was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Montana. He has taught at over 170 workshops across the United States. Paul’s work has been shown in many regional and national exhibitions and is included in the collections of the Montana Institute of the Arts, Colorado Springs Art Museum, the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts and Pacific NW Bell.
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China paint, also known as overglaze enamel, has been a popular ceramic decorating medium for a thousand years but is almost unknown among today’s studio ceramists. Come and explore the possibilities of china painting in this 5-day, participatory workshop with Paul Lewing. Lewing will demonstrate painting with various brush types, stamping, printing, spraying and stenciling. Students will investigate resist and wipeout techniques, traditional shading and ground-laying methods and a variety of fascinating materials unfamiliar to most ceramic artists. While commercial glazed tiles will be available for students to work on during the week, participants are encouraged to bring their own creations or commercial
china of any temperature range that have been glazed and fired with a clear or white glaze. Each student will have the opportunity to produce tiles and other ware of their own design. Work will be fired each night for four nights, and students will leave with finished work. While this workshop is open to all levels, we recommend it to individuals with some experience in ceramics, traditional china painting or a non-ceramic painting technique. paullewingtile.com
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Exploring the Body with
kelly stevenson & chuck Aydlett august 16-22, 2020 Tuition $975 Maximum enrollment: 15 Open to all levels REGISTER
During this 7-day, hands-on intensive, Stevenson and Aydlett will offer students a practical approach to the human figure by guiding students through the process of composing and sculpting narrative busts in clay. This workshop will focus on developing concepts that inspire unique work and will explore handbuilding and surface techniques to bring your ideas to life. This workshop is recommended to both sculpting and functional artists who want to develop practical skills in sculpting the human figure. Stevenson will work with students to create a life-size, sculpted portrait bust. Related demonstrations will combine a coil-and-pinch construction with uniquely imaginative and layered surface applications. Participants will learn how to animate the figure through sculpting emotive facial expression, by manipulating and altering hollow forms and utilizing varied surface techniques including image transfer, inlay and encaustic painting. Meanwhile, a wide range of slab building techniques will be demonstrated by Aydlett including how to use a variety of press molds to combine and build a human figure. Focusing on heads, Aydlett will use this process to demonstrate the creation of figurative sculpture and functional figural vessels. Demonstrations will also include a variety of two-dimensional techniques like sketching with underglaze pencils, mapping a multi-glazed surface, majolica brushwork and decal techniques. Pre-made bisque and leatherhard heads will be provided for students to practice techniques.
A portion of this workshop will focus on how to build an implied narrative through sculpted form and surface development. Discussions and exercises will cover topics such as idea development, communicating character, practical approaches to sculpting and finishing techniques to enhance meaning through material and aesthetics. Students will take home a toolbox of new sculpting and finishing skills that can give their sculptures an added sense of humanity through a sense of empathy.
Kelly Stevenson is a fourth-generation Montanan born and raised in Livingston, Montana. She received her BFA from Montana State University in Bozeman, MT in 2009 and completed a year as a post-baccalaureate student at the University of Montana in Missoula, MT in 2011. In 2011, Kelly completed two short-term artist residencies at the Clay Studio of Missoula and the Medalta International Artist Residency in Medicine Hat, Canada. In 2015, Kelly received her Master of Fine Arts degree from the Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design at Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA, where she was the recipient of the Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design Fellowship. Upon receiving her MFA in 2015, Stevenson accepted a position as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Berry College in Rome, GA where she instructed Ceramics, Mixed Media Art, and Community Outreach Art Courses until 2018. Kelly is currently the Quigley-Hitltner Fellow and a resident artist at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts. kellystevensonceramics.com
Chuck Aydlett has been curious about drawing and painting on objects for thirty years. He received his BFA and MFA from the New York College of Ceramics at Alfred University. His work is in a variety of private and public collections including the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, North Carolina and the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art in Salt Lake City, Utah. Aydlett was an award recipient for the Jerome Foundation Grant and the McKnight Foundation Grant while living in Minnesota. He has been on faculty at Pennsylvania State University, St. Cloud State University and Winona State University. Aydlett currently lives and maintains a studio in Helena, MT where he manages the Clay Business at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts.
PREPARE TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Portrait: expressing life with
Join Tip Toland for a 2-day, participatory experience in sculpting the portrait. Working from photographs as well as anatomical charts, participants will build and hollow an expressive life-size head. Toland will demonstrate the rule of thumb method of anatomy and proportions of the human face. Discussions will cover what happens when the face contorts to create expression. The goal of these two days is for students to enhance their ability to see and study the human expression accurately and deepen their understanding of the facial anatomy which creates it. Participants will be able to keep their sculpture as reference material for future sculptures in the form of an unfired mask or full head. Post-workshop bisque firing and shipping are available at an extra cost.
Tip Toland lives in Vaughn, Washington. She received her MFA from Montana State University in 1981. Tip is a full-time studio artist and a part-time instructor in Seattle. She conducts workshops across the United States, Europe, Australia, Mexico, Taiwan and the Middle East. She is currently represented by Traver Gallery in Seattle, WA. Her work is in public and private collections, including the Yellowstone Art Museum, Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian, Nelson Atkins Museum, Crocker Art Museum, St. Petersburg Museum of Art, the Daum Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
tiptoland.com
TIP TOLAND OCTOBER 17-18, 2020 Tuition $300 Maximum enrollment: 15 Open to all levels
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e d u c atio n beyond workshops
COMMUNITY CLASSES SESSIONS
In addition to the full-immersion experience of workshops, the Bray offers intensive technical seminars, community classes for all ages and educational internships. Seminars are quick intensives that focus on developing knowledge of a specific technical skill. Classes are designed for beginning to advanced students of all ages and offer the opportunity to develop new skills and reach personal goals while working with our resident artists. Classes are offered all year round. Summer camps for young artists run throughout the summer from June to August.
Every summer we invite a team of interns to immerse themselves in a summer at the Bray. Interns assist in various aspects of Bray life including preparing for and providing support during educational programming. Interns work directly with visiting and resident artist instructors. During their stint at the Bray, interns are provided access to the Education and Research Facility, clay and firings. Applications are open for rolling submission. Long-term opportunities also are available. Find more information here.
8-week Session 1 (winter): January 6–February 27, 2020. 8-week Session 2 (spring): March 1–April 30, 2020. 4-week Session 3 (late spring): May 10–June 4, 2020. No classes currently scheduled between June 5–July 27, 2020. 6-week Session 4 (summer): July 28–September 3, 2020. 6-week Session 5 (early fall): September 6–October 15, 2020. 8-week Session 6 (fall): October 19–December 17, 2020.
With the opening of the Education and Research Facility, the Bray is now accepting proposals for custom educational events such as workshops, seminars and symposia. For more information and to view the proposal application, click here.
Visit www.archiebray.org for more details about community classes.
2021 dates and classes will be posted online by December 10, 2020. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Workshop FA Q
calling 406-443-3502 ext. 11 (education) or ext. 18 (gallery).
Can I buy and pay with a gift card?
About the Archie Bray Foundation (the Bray):
calling the Bray at 406-443-3502 ext. 11.
What is the Archie Bray Foundation?
What if I don’t have easy access to a computer or have an email address?
The Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts is a public, nonprofit, educational institution founded in 1951 by brickmaker Archie Bray, who intended it to be “a place to make available for all who are seriously interested in any of the branches of the ceramic arts, a fine place to work.” Its primary mission is to provide an environment that stimulates creative work in ceramics. At the heart of that mission is a group of rotating ceramic artists who come to the Bray to work and who make up our residency program. In over 65 years, we have served over 600 residents. Click here for more information about our residents.
Students may call to register at 406-443-3502 x11. You may also request that any information regarding the workshop will be mailed to you by emailing education@archiebray. org.
Will I receive information about the workshop?
Where is the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts?
Immediately following the completion of workshop registration, registrants will be emailed a receipt and a confirmation letter with detailed information about the workshop schedule, what students should bring,, how students may need to prepare and about traveling to Helena. This information can also be found in the online catalog by clicking the “PREPARE” button for each workshop to learn more.
About Helena, Montana
A reminder email will be sent out prior to the start of the workshop which will include an updated preparation list.
The Archie Bray Foundation is located outside Helena, Montana.
What can I expect from Helena and the surrounding area? Next to the Bray is a small spring-fed, man-made lake called Spring Meadow. It is a great place to take a quick swim or a nice walk. Thirty minutes east are a couple larger lakes called Canyon Ferry Lake and Hauser Lake and just northeast you can find the Missouri River. These areas offer nice beaches and many opportunities for sailing, canoeing, windsurfing, boating, fishing and rafting. A couple of Helena health clubs have gyms, spas and swimming pools. There is also a city pool which is heated. Just south of the Bray is Mount Helena, a beautiful mountain city park where people may hike and picnic. Nearby are many mountain bike trails, camping spots and golf courses. As you may know, both Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks are less than a four-hour drive from Helena. We recommend bringing warm clothes for the evenings as the temperature can drop dramatically at night in Montana. Watch the forecast closer to departure.
Workshop Registration
What skill levels do you recommend for students of a workshop?
Our workshops are open to “all levels” or “intermediate and advanced artists”. Most workshops describe in more detail which skills students should have before registering for the workshop. For workshops recommended for “all levels”, students with beginning or above level of knowledge will enjoy this experience. Due to the intensive nature of workshops, we find that students with at least a beginning level of experience for a given workshop topic on which they can build during the workshop are most successful. For workshops recommended for “intermediate and advanced artists”, students are expected to have an intermediate understanding of the general topic. For example, if the workshop has a focus on throwing, students should be proficient in the basics like wedging, centering, throwing and trimming.
Payment and Costs How do I register for a workshop?
(Click here to be taken to the online registration website) Workshop registration for the 2020 season opens: Wednesday, January 15, 2020, at noon MST. Registration is also accessible by visiting http://archiebray.org/workshops_classes/workshops.html or
How do I pay for a workshop?
Payment in full is due at the time of registration. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express are accepted online and over the phone. Gift cards can be used online by using the coupon code “GIFT”. Gift cards, cash or check can be used over the phone by
Gift cards can be purchased at the North Gallery or by calling 406-443-3502 ext. 18. If paying for workshop registration with a gift card, enter the coupon code “GIFT” on the first page of registration. On the second page, there will be an opportunity to enter the barcode found on the back of the card. Your card balance will be updated. In the case that the workshop balance is greater than the workshop, students may pay the remaining balance here online, or they will be emailed an invoice for the remaining balance. For paper gift certificates, enter the unique number written on the certificate.
I’m registering for more than one workshop. Can I pay a deposit to reserve my spot and pay the remaining balance later? If registering for more than one workshop, a minimum 50% deposit for each workshop is due at registration to reserve a spot. Registrants will then be emailed an invoice for the remaining balance(s). Balances are due according to the following schedule. Remaining balances not paid in full by the following dates are subject to cancellation. To pay a deposit when registering online, use the coupon code “DEPOSIT”. Registrants may pay remaining balances here online.
workshop topic. Most workshops ask students to bring basic tools that are pertinent to their preferred method of working and/or purchase recommended tools germane to the topic that students will want for future use. Click to view workshop descriptions that include material lists for each workshop. Additional costs outside of the workshop will include travel, transportation, housing accommodations, food and any tools or materials purchased for personal use beyond what has been provided for the workshop and to take home after the workshop. The Bray Clay Business offers workshop participants a 10% discount on items purchased during the time of the workshop. For more information, go online at archiebrayclay. com or call the Clay Business 800-443-6434 or 406-442-2521. Normal Clay Business hours are Monday–Friday from 9 am–5 pm and Saturday from 9 am–1 pm. To ensure that your desired items are in stock, you may put in an order ahead of your workshop and pay for it, discount applied, at the time of the workshop. The Clay Business is closed Saturday afternoons and evenings, Sundays and select holidays.
Is there a workshop discount offered to students?
Workshops are scheduled within one of two summer sessions which adhere to the following schedule. View a specific workshop description to determine which dates apply.
Students with current university student IDs are eligible for a 10% discount on most workshops. Please ask at the time of registration if registering over the phone. To receive a student discount when registering online, apply the coupon code “STUDENT”. Email a copy of your ID to education@archiebray.org within 7 days of registering to retain your spot in the workshop.
Summer I: Workshops taking place between June 1–July 17, 2020 • Wednesday, January 15, 2020: registration opens. • Monday, March 16, 2020: full balance due to retain registration.
Do you offer scholarships?
Summer 2: Workshops taking place between July 18–October 18, 2020 • Wednesday, January 15, 2020: registration opens. • Thursday, April 30, 2020: full balance due to retain registration.
Is there a lab fee?
Lab fees are fees added to tuition costs. The Bray does not add lab fees to the cost of a workshop. The cost of the workshop as advertised is the total cost to each student to fully participate in the workshop and it covers tuition, materials and firings essential to the workshop topic.
The Bray offers a limited number of scholarship opportunities under the Francis Senska Scholarship Fund to enable students and educators to attend workshops at a reduced rate. Scholarships are intended to make workshops available to the broadest population of students. Scholarships provide partial coverage for the cost of a workshop which allows a registrant to fully participate in the workshop without added costs. Scholarships are awarded based on financial need and/or demonstrated seriousness of interest in the ceramic arts. Click here for more information and to apply. There is no deadline for these scholarships. Application submission is rolling and reviewed until a workshop is full or registration expires.
Will there be extra costs beyond the workshop price?
The cost of the workshop as advertised is the total cost to each student to fully participate in the workshop and covers tuition, materials and firings essential to the
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Refunds and Cancellations I have to cancel my registration. Am I eligible for a refund?
Cancellations for all workshops carry at least a $100 administrative fee. Final dates to receive partial refunds are unique for each workshop, after which refunds are not offered. Workshops are scheduled within one of two summer sessions which adhere to the following schedule:
Summer I: Workshops taking place between June 1–July 17, 2020
• Wednesday, January 15, 2020: registration opens. • Monday, March 16, 2020: last day to receive a full refund minus $100 administrative fee, after which cancellations are eligible for a 50% refund. Outstanding balances are due by this date to retain registration. • Monday, April 20, 2020: last day to receive a 50% refund, after which cancellations are not eligible for a refund.
Summer 2: Workshops taking place between July 18–October 18, 2020
• Wednesday, January 15, 2020: registration opens. • Thursday, April 30, 2020: last day to receive a full refund minus $100 administrative fee, after which cancellations are eligible for a 50% refund. Outstanding balances are due by this date to retain registration. • Friday, June 5, 2020: last day to receive a 50% refund, after which cancellations are not eligible for a refund.
The Bray and its instructors invest considerably in planning for workshops. Cancellations are often difficult to fill. Cancellation fees help to offset these vacancies. To cancel a registration and request a refund for the eligible amount, registrants may fill out this online form or email education@archiebray.org. Eligible refunds will be issued as a check and mailed to the address provided on the form or via email. Processing may take up to 6 weeks. If unforeseen circumstances cause the Bray to cancel a workshop, workshop registrants will receive a full refund or be given the option to attend another workshop. Although the Bray has never canceled a workshop, registrants are urged to make flexible travel arrangements (e.g. refundable airline tickets or trip insurance). The Bray is not responsible for any losses on non-refundable travel arrangements.
Accommodations and Transportation Does the Bray have on-campus housing?
There is no housing on the Bray grounds. Workshop participants are responsible for booking their own accommodations.
Where do workshop students stay during their workshop?
Students are responsible for their own accommodations. The Bray does not offer on-campus lodging or camping for workshop participants. Common options include Oddfellow Inn & Farm (previously known as the Mountain Meadow Inn), Best Western Premier Helena Great Northern Hotel and Airbnb or VRBO locations. For more information about hotels in Helena, visit HelenaMT.com. Camping is available at the Lewis & Clark County Fairgrounds Campground and Cromwell Dixon Campground. In the past, the Bray has partnered with a nearby inn to offer housing reservations at the time of registration. While this service is no longer offered, the Oddfellow Inn & Farm offered a discount for workshop students. Visit their website to reserve a room at a discounted rate.
Is there camping available on the Bray campus?
The Bray does not allow camping on the premises. The closest campsite is Lewis & Clark County Fairgrounds Campground. Students also recommend Cromwell Dixon Campground.
Can I bring my dog?
Regrettably, the Bray does not allow dogs on the grounds. Please leave your pets at home during your workshop. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.
Does Helena have an airport?
Students can fly into Helena through Helena Regional Airport (HLN).
I won’t have a car. Is there public transportation I can use?
Helena is a small town without public transportation. We recommend renting a vehicle if your accommodations are not walkable to the Bray or you would like the independence of exploring the Helena area. Bike rentals are available through Big Sky Cycling & Fitness. The Bray is currently trying to build a fleet of bikes that can be rented by artists that come. For more information, contact education@archiebray.org.
What is the Bray’s Bike Program?
Students can help the Bray build its fleet of bikes by purchasing a bike upon arrival to Helena to use during their workshop and then donating it to the Bray’s Bike Program at the end of their experience. With a full fleet, the Bray would be able to rent bikes to serve students and residents coming to the Bray each summer. For more information, contact education@archiebray.org.
If I extend my trip or bring a friend, what else is there to do in the Helena area?
Next to the Bray is a small spring-fed man-made lake called Spring Meadow Lake. It is a great place to take a quick swim or a nice walk. If driving, are a couple larger lakes east of Helena called Canyon Ferry Lake and Hauser Lake and to the northeast the Missouri River. These areas offer nice beaches and many opportunities for sailing, canoeing, windsurfing, boating, fishing and rafting. A couple of Helena health clubs have gyms, spas and swimming pools. There is also a city pool which is heated. Just south of the Bray is Mount Helena, a beautiful mountain city park where people may hike and picnic. Nearby are many mountain bike trails, camping spots, hot springs and golf courses. As you may know, both Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks are less than a four-hour drive from Helena. For more information about Helena or Montana, click on the links below: Visit Helena Montana, Helena Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Helena, The Lively Times, Montana Travel and Tourism information and Official Montana State Travel Information.
The Workshop I’m flying and would like to ship my tools there ahead of time. Can I do that?
Yes, anything that you would like to send ahead of you can be shipped to: Archie Bray Foundation ATTN: Your Name and workshop name 2915 Country Club Ave Helena MT, 59602
Where will my workshop take place?
The workshop will take place in the Education and Research Facility which was opened in October of 2017. Click here for more information about the location of the Bray and its campus.
What do I bring to my workshop?
We generally recommend bringing your preferred clay tools, particularly those relevant to the topic of the workshop. More information like a Student Material List of items to bring and a general workshop schedule will be posted online along with the workshop description. A reminder email will be sent out prior to the workshop which will include any additional recommendations from the instructor including what tools to bring, clarification of expectations and a schedule. The Bray always provides clay, glaze, other consumable materials and studio equipment that are essential to the workshop topic such as plaster for a plaster workshop.
What is a typical schedule for workshops?
A typical hands-on workshop will follow this general schedule: First Day: 8–8:45 am, find assigned classroom in the Education and Research Facility and check-in. Students that are new to the Bray are recommended to arrive between 8–8:30 am and attend a brief tour of the facility and grounds which will begin 30 minutes prior to the start of a workshop. Click here for a map of Bray grounds. Each Workshop Day: Workshop hours will be 9 am–5 pm with an hour lunch unless otherwise stated. Students may continue working in assigned classroom(s) and use the upstairs eating area outside of the 9–5 workshop hours. Final Day: Students clean up the studio and gather personal belongings and, if needed, organize items for shipping. Workshops and studio access ends at 5 pm.
Will lunch be provided during the workshop?
No. Students are responsible for their own lunch. The Bray does not have a food service on campus nor is there an easily walkable lunch location. If you have a vehicle, you will have the opportunity to go get lunch. There is a refrigerator, microwave and eating area available for student use in the Education and Research Facility. We recommend students bring a sack lunch or bring cash to order lunch to be delivered, especially if they are unfamiliar with the Bray and Helena. Since the Bray is located on the edge of town, few restaurants will deliver to our location. If this is your preference, we recommend ordering from the Bridge Pizza as one of the few places that will deliver to the Bray. Click to view their menu. For this, the workshop assistant will help coordinate ordering lunch as a group.
How long will the workshop break for lunch?
Hands-on workshops break for an hour. Demonstration-only workshops break for 30 minutes.
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Studio Use Can I work in the studio outside of allotted workshop hours? Yes! The studio is open to workshop students 24/7 during your scheduled workshop days. Can I rent studio access before or after the scheduled workshop days? We do not offer rented studio space. Your only option is to take a workshop, seminar or community class. For more education programming, visit our website. Firing is not a part of my workshop, and I really want to take my piece home. We understand that students work really hard while at the Bray and may want to take home finished work. This may not always be possible. We encourage students to review the workshop information carefully and/or contact education@archiebray.org to confirm expectations about what a student can expect to take home. Workshops are short educational intensives that prioritize developing skills and deepening knowledge through exposure to instructors, a community of artists, techniques and a state-of-the-art facility that students otherwise would not have access to. Workshops that are seven days or less often do not include a firing or will only include a bisque firing for students to take home prototypes or reference material from exercises.
My workshop says to bring bisque. Can I buy bisqueware at the Bray? The Archie Bray Clay Business does not currently sell bisque. Contact education@archiebray.org to inquire about bisqueware that may be leftover from previous workshops that would be available for students to use. I forgot my tools! Is there somewhere I can buy tools? Yes! We have our very own Bray Clay Business which supplies not only the Bray artists but this entire region with tools and clay. The Clay Business offers workshop participants a 10% discount on items purchased during the time of the workshop. For more information, go online at archiebrayclay.com or call the Clay Business 800-443-6434 or 406-442-2521. Normal Clay Business hours are Monday–Friday 9 am–5 pm and Saturday 9 am–1 pm. To ensure that your desired items are in stock, you may put in an order ahead of your workshop and pay for it, discount applied, at the time of the workshop. What kind of clay will we use? Bray Clay. We manufacture nineteen of our own clays which we use for all workshops. The type and temperature range is dependent on the workshop. Each workshop description provides information about materials that the Bray is providing.
Workshops are held in the Bray’s new 7,500 square foot Education and Research Facility. Fulfilling Archie’s dream of providing “a fine place to work” that stimulates creative work in ceramics, the facility contains large flexible classroom spaces, state-of-the-art equipment, a research library, plaster room, fabrication lab and so much more! Our hope is to offer educational opportunities so students can experience quality time and space in a creative learning environment. While attending workshops, students will experience expert instruction while enjoying creative freedom around the clock in the community studio. The Archie Bray Clay Business operates on-site to provide clay, ceramic supplies and expert advice to workshop attendees and the local ceramic community.
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For more information regarding workshops at the Archie Bray Foundation, visit http://archiebray.org/workshops_classes/workshops.html or contact the Education Manager at: Archie Bray Foundation 2915 Country Club Ave. Helena, MT 59602 phone: 406/443-3502 x11 e-mail: education@archiebray.org