Verity Howard: A Beginners Guide to Hand Building (9th June, 3 Sessions)

Coiling and Pinching, a Beginner’s Guide to Hand Building

Learn a wide range of techniques to create beautifully hand-built pieces, with this three-session online course, learning from renowned ceramic artist Verity Howard. 

After graduating from Manchester School of Art in 2015, with a First-Class BA (Hons) Degree in Three-Dimensional Design, Verity returned to Hereford to set up her art practice.

Verity uses clay as a medium for drawing and monoprinting to create sculptural ceramic forms. These works explore mystery, trigger memories, generate atmosphere and evoke a sense of place.

Verity has won numerous awards and exhibits nationally and internationally, including at Ceramic Art London 2022 and at Ceramic Art Andenne, Belgium, 2022. Also key to Verity’s practice is her work running ceramics workshops in the community and in educational settings.

You can view more of Verity's work on her website here: www.verityhowardceramics.com

Instagram: @verityhowardceramics

Duration and Place

Duration: 3 weeks - total 4.5 hours

Online Course

Session times

• Thursday 9^th June - 5.30 pm-7.00 pm UK time (1.5 hours)
• Thursday 16th June - 5.30 pm-7.00 pm UK time (1.5 hours)
• Thursday 23rd June - 5.30 pm-7.00 pm UK time (1.5 hours)

Please note that classes may be slightly longer depending on student questions. 

Class Description

Learn how to use pinching and coiling techniques to create pots and vessels of different shapes and sizes with foot rings or feet. Create your own coiled planter, refine your work and discover how to use coloured decorating slips.

This class covers:

• Gain insight into Verity’s practice and career.
• Learn the basics of pinching.
• How to create different shaped pinch pots.
• How to add feet and a foot ring onto a pinch pot.
• How to join two pinch pots together to create a hollow form.
• How to turn a pinched hollow form into a vessel.
• Learn the basics of coiling.
• How to create different shaped coil pots.
• How to create a coiled planter.
• How to refine a coiled planter.
• How to apply coloured decorating slips.
• How to brush on glazes.
• The basics of firing.

Students will complete the class with a small pinched pot, a small pinched vessel, and a coiled planter, decorated with coloured slips.

How it works:

• Verity will teach you the techniques via our live online classroom.
• She will provide additional notes and you will have ample opportunity to ask questions during the sessions. You do not make pieces during the live session.
• Each week she will demonstrate a technique to try yourself during the week between sessions, you are also able to contact her if you have any questions between sessions.
• A member of the Hot Clay team will also be online to assist you and Verity.
• Mix with Verity and other students in our dedicated private Facebook group, open for the duration of the course. Then join our exclusive Online Clay Class Facebook group to continue to mix with those who have attended any of our online classes.
• A materials list will be provided in advance of the class, so you can purchase what you need to create your pieces during the course.

We feel that this is the best way to get the very most from the course, but this is not compulsory to make the pieces during the course itself. 

This is a live online class, but in case a student experiences issues with internet connection during the live class, a recording of each live session will be available to view until two weeks after the final session. This cannot be downloaded or shared and is only available for this limited time. By participating you agree to be recorded for this purpose.

What to Prepare

• You will need a computer, tablet, or phone with a camera and microphone in order to join the online classroom
• You should have a reliable internet connection, fast enough to make video calls or stream videos
• Information on your booking will be emailed to you prior to the course date, including how to join the online classroom
• A pen and paper to take any notes
• We restrict the class size to 20 people

Equipment Note

A list of the clay and materials needed to make the pieces taught on the course is in the PDF above. 

Inclusivity:

We are committed to maintaining a respectful community where all our students can learn and develop their full potential, within a safe environment.

If you have a disability or any specific requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us prior to the session so we can accommodate you.

Cancellations up to 2 weeks before the course 90% refund, a 50% refund will be given up to one week prior to the course. In order to keep class costs low for all, we make no exceptions to this policy.