Lee Arts Workshops
Gift Certificates for Workshops available!
You might be wondering what to get that special artistic someone for their birthday, for Valentine's Day, or just to show you care! How about a Gift Certificate for an arts workshop at the Lee Arts Center? Gift Certificates can be applied to any workshop from February 2010 to June 2011. Call 703-228-0560, or email Steven Muñoz, Director, Lee Arts Center for details.
Please call 703-228-0560 or 703-228-0558 to register by phone or Download the Spring Registration Form
Quick & Dirty Workshop Series
MAKING LIDDED BOXES -- A DIFFERENT APPROACH, WITH MARTIN KARCHER
Saturday, June 19, 10 am - 1 pm
Fee: $35 non-members, $30 LAC members
Every potter is familiar with the closed form approach of making lidded boxes. Martin will demonstrate a new way that makes it possible to have textured surfaces on both the outside and the inside of the lid. For texturing the clay, Martin will use a series of tools such as twisted wires, springs, combs, stamps and placemats, as well as molds made from carved woodblocks. Participants are invited to bring their own favorite texturing tools and ideas. Although the time available will not allow them to complete a lidded box, the participants will have an opportunity to practice different ways of texturing the clay and to learn how to complete the process on their own.
Martin Karcher has been making pots since 1974, when he was introduced to pottery by Nirmala Patwardhan, a disciple of Bernard Leach living in India. He joined the Lee Arts Center in 1994 and has taken workshops from a number of well-known clay masters. He truly enjoys the process and the endless challenges that pottery making entails. A juried member of both the Kiln Club and the Ceramic Guild, he exhibits his work regularly at the Scope Gallery of the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, VA.
Master Workshop Program
INTRODUCTION TO PRECIOUS METAL CLAYS: BRONZE CLAY WITH ALFREDO RATINOFF
Thursdays, May 13 & 20, 2010; 6:30 – 9:30pm
Fee: $ 95.00 non-members, $ 85.00 LAC members
Bronze has been used since ancient times in all different cultures to create everyday objects as well as fine artwork; this wonderful and almost ever lasting material was discovered thousands of years ago and used in almost every culture since early times to present day. Artists and sculptors used bronze because of it’s timeless beauty, but it often required a complicated process to fabricate a finished piece. Recently a new material called ‘Bronze clay’ was introduced to the market; it consists of fine bronze particles held together with an organic binder and after firing in a kiln becomes solid bronze.
Learn about this new material as Alfredo Ratinoff discusses the technical aspects of bronze clay; how to work with it, firing techniques and metal finishing like polishing, burnishing and coloring with acid patinas and paint. Participants will create a small piece with bronze clay; discuss concepts of design and learn a variety of techniques to create visual texture and interest. This is a great class for clay artists, potters, jewelers or anyone interested in exploring a new type of clay that can be used as an alternative media by itself or as an additional element to enhance once fired clay, plaster or any other art medium.
Alfredo Ratinoff was born in Buenos Aries, Argentina. He studied at the National School of Ceramics in Buenos Aires, and then in Madrid, Barcelona and Florence. He specializes in large scale ceramic mural installations and recently has expanded into other art mediums as in printmaking and precious metal clay. His work has been shown both nationally and abroad and he has done numerous commissions for both private and corporate collections. Alfredo is currently an artist-in-residence in the ceramics studio at the Lee Arts Center.
More information on Alfredo Ratinoff.