A Workshop at Gaya Ceramic Arts Center
Two Weeks in May of 2014: "Altered Form" led by Deb Schwartzkopf
In May of 2014 I taught a workshop at Gaya Ceramic and Design in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia! What a setting for a workshop- a wonderful, sensory overload! The studio facilities, director- Hillary Kane, all those assisting are impressively giving and well organized. Getting to work with the participants and enjoy the Island was a complete treat! Please spread the word of this amazing studio as a place to work and see the enchanting culture of Bali.
On one of our two day-excursions, we visited Jatiluwih. UNESCO Protected Rice Fields that stretch into the distance.
The two-week workshop was conducted in a beautiful open-air traditional, wooden structure which is the main building of Gaya Ceramic Arts Center. The Arts Centers goals of specialized workshops throughout the year, continuous classes on a weekly basis, and a vibrant Resident Artist Program offer many avenues for creativity and idea sharing. The approach to the facility is gated and has a lovely courtyard garden. This courtyard also houses an anagama and stacks and stacks of wood as well as a small temple.
Court Yard Entrance Wood-kiln with temple behind Arts Center Workshop.
The "Altered Forms" workshop was an exploration of altered thrown elements and hand building with slabs to create unexpected shapes and non-round functional pots. First off simple shapes were coiled into hump molds to give movement to slabs formed on them. Later on, various thrown parts were altered and cut. This all culminated in combining these together into more complex forms. Below are images from the studio and work made there by Deb and the participants. The clay used is produced from about 80% local materials by Gaya Ceramic and Design- the production facility across the street. Gaya Ceramic and Design creates one of a kind lines for hotel, private commissions and businesses locally and abroad.
1. Demonstrating 2. Thrown Sections 3. Participants at the wheel 4. Dessert Boats 5. Smoothing 6. Amazing Lunches catered from local eateries 7. The Glaze unload
During the evening and our days off, we often explored or ate dinner together with the workshop participants. The food in Ubud is amazing- Not too spicey, full of fresh fruits and vegetables, often steamed or sauted, delicious sauces, full of flavor! We ate lots of kinds white, red, and black rice. We even all took a cooking class together! Hillary and Grace took us on day trips to take in the different craft villages surrounding the area.
1. Shadow puppet evening preformance 2. Flower petals as offering materials at the Ubud Market 3. Batik Stamps at a production village 4. Five Elements restaurant and spa where we had lunch 5. Meal we made in cooking class 6. Coconut husks used as fuel for kiln firing roof tiles 7. Buddha drying in the sun at statuary production village.
On one of the day trips we visited a batik production village. Women were sitting in a circle around hot wax dipping their tanjanting tools and deftly waxing beautiful patterns on hand woven cloth, which was soon to be dipped in vats of indigo dye. Metal and wood stamps were also used with the hot wax to create delicate fabic designs. We saw vats of indigo dye being fermented and the process of dipping the fabric repeatedly to deepen the color. Five Elemets was the stop off for one of our lunches! Amazing raw, vegetarian cuisine! We went back later to end out trip with one of their amazing spa treatments. Another outing we went to a roof tile factory where they used coconut husks to fire the open top kiln, which was solidly stacked with tiles. The cooking class was definitely a highlight and there will be Indonesian food being made in Seattle! All in all- the workshop and trip of a lifetime! Thank you to all the organizers and particpants of the workshop!
Visit http://www.gayaceramic.com to participate in a workshop or residency!