5 Day Hands on Workshop with Forrest Lesch-Middelton
Where: Petaluma Pottery, Petaluma, CA
Dates: September 5-10th, 2021. Sunday intro and slides from 7:00-8:00. M-F from 9:30-4:30 each day
Ages: 17+up | All levels, some wheel throwing experience preferred but not required
Price: $750

COURSE DESCRIPTION Join me for an intensive five-day workshop in the comfort and convenience of my own studio in the heart of beautiful Sonoma County, California. Over the course of a week we will explore the entire process I use for making highly decorative pots and tiles using the volumetric image transfer technique that has become the cornerstone of my work. Beginning with an informative wheel-throwing and tile demonstration, we will quickly transition to creating a silkscreen with your own imagery to practice with and take home with you at the end of the session. I will cover silkscreen preparation, creating imagery for film, coating and developing a screen, and printing and using transfers. By the end of day one you will have developed your own silkscreen for use throughout the week, and an understanding of how to successfully set up your own inexpensive, low tech, and reliable darkroom in your own studio.
Beyond screen printing techniques, investigations into form and function, and a thorough understanding of wheel throwing and basic design principles are the foundation of this workshop. From there you will combine imagery, form, and surface using the techniques Forrest has developed that allow him to integrate wheel throwing and image transfer simultaneously to create uniquely decorative functional wares ripe with content. 
Like learning a new language, the volumetric image transfer process requires patience and can be tricky. You will have ample time to develop your work in class, and cultivate a deeper understanding of how to best incorporate the image transfer process into your own studio practice. Daily demonstrations will be followed by one-on-one instruction. Generous discussions and exercises regarding best studio and business practices will be covered and are designed to help provide new insights and assist you in breaking the barriers that may be holding you back. By the end of the week you will be amazed at how far you’ve come!
This will be the first ever five-day workshop to take place in my teaching studio, Petaluma Pottery. The benefits of teaching a workshop in my own studio are endless. As a teacher, there is a simple comfort in knowing right where everything is in the studio and a streamlined workshop means more time focused on helping you advance your work.
More details and to sign up HERE!