Thank you for your inquiry about the ceramic workshops this summer at Eagleheart Center. This letter will give you further information about the workshop and the Center, the curriculum, facilities, room and board accommodations, and costs. And please feel free to call or email for further information or to discuss the workshop.

This summer we want to offer an approach and content that is different from most ceramic workshops. The primary intention is to help you develop your own work, become aware of new possibilities, gain awareness of current developments in ceramics, and give you the inspiration and resources to continue developing long after the workshop is over and you have returned to your home situation. How is this accomplished?

No matter the level of your accomplishment or involvement, the workshop takes you from where you currently are, technically and artistically, and helps you develop new tools and resources according to your concerns and interests. This is accomplished through a series of demonstrations and exercises that help you see more clearly where you are and where you are wanting to go. These are all "user friendly". Over the past 30 years of university teaching and international workshops, I have worked out some effective and non-intimidating methods of exploration and discovery. Many of these exercises are done in clay, but other media are introduced as ways of expanding investigation.

Technical issues such as wheel and handbuilding methods, glaze formulation, kiln firing and raku reduction techniques will be covered. But these are not seen as an end in themselves but rather as means towards self-expression. Discussions concerning critical analysis as a means of improving your work will be encouraged. Scheduled exercises will help develop awareness and use of criticism as a positive force in your work. As you might imagine, since I have been involved with Raku Ceramics for the past 40 years, all aspects of Raku and its history will be presented. Because of its immediacy, Raku serves as an effective way of exploration and development even for those also involved in other aspects of ceramics.

The workshop environment is ideally suited to such pursuits. First of all, the setting is a high country rural ranch adjacent to the Colorado National Monument (Google it to see the landscape) which allows focused pursuit of your work. Secondly, the studio is open 24 hours a day and is adjacent to your living quarters. Each student will have access to a wheel or handbuilding facilities, glaze chemicals, and the kilns. Instruction and demonstrations will cover all aspects of the ceramics process. Each student will share an individual cabin with another student close to the studio and dining facilities. The meals are excellent and are provided by the Eagleheart staff. Clay and glazes are provided. The tuition fee includes 100 pounds of clay and after that clay can be purchased at our cost. Depending on current shipping fees, clay has been running around 27 cents per pound. All glazes and firing are included in the tuition fee. Please bring your own tools.

Thank you for your interest and we hope to see you here!

Jim Romberg
Artist/Professor Emeritus
Creative Director
Eagleheart Center for Art and Inquiry

Learn more about our ranch and cabins.

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