MARS Clay Camp
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Come get your hands dirty with us! We're offering a five-session hands-on fundamentals course on working with clay led by Emiko Naito, with four two-hour sessions devoted to teaching participants how clay works, how to use clay to create functional objects (for everyday/household use), and how to use sculpting tools (sponges, wire tools, wooden knives, trimming tools) and techniques. At the fourth session, each student can choose one item they’d like to see kiln-fired and glazed by instructor Emiko. At the fifth and final session, course participants will come to collect their finished works at a celebratory show-and-tell where guest speakers Rick Mahaffey (ceramics artist and longtime professor at Tacoma Community College) and Jana Gardner (ceramic artist and co-owner of Ashford Creek Pottery) will share examples of pottery techniques they use or have used in their work.
Who can enroll? No experience is necessary, and anyone 12 or up can register. Course is capped at 20 participants.
Dates: Clay Camp takes place Fridays from 5:30pm to 7:30pm on July 31, August 7, August 14, and August 21. The final class is a celebration and pottery pickup to be held mid-day on Sunday, August 23 (11 a.m.-2 p.m.), with special guest speakers and snacks. (If you cannot make the final class, we will have an alternative pickup location in Mineral.)
Location: MARS World Headquarters, 116 Lincoln Ave., in Mineral. (We’re in the former church directly across from the Post Office.)
Accessibility: We have a rear door that is accessible for those who use wheelchairs or walkers (please advise if that applies to you); otherwise, the front entry requires the use of stairs.
Cost: $25 per person, which includes all materials, hands-on clay time, and instruction.
Scholarships: If cost is a barrier, Mineral Lake Lions Club has offered to cover the cost of six participants (more if there is demand), with preference for teens ages 12-18 and residents of East Lewis County/Pierce County near Mt. Rainier.
This course is made possible with project grant support from ArtsWA.