CANCELED Ceramics: Baby Face Workshop with Amber Aguirre  

Title: Ceramics: Baby Face Workshop with Amber Aguirre  

Schedule: Saturday, October 20, 2018 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

and Sunday, October 21 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm (there will also be open studio available in the ceramics studio on Saturday from 1:00 – 6:30pm if students wish to work on their own that afternoon)

Level: All Levels

Location: Ceramics Studio  

Tuition: $130 Member / $190 Non-Member

Supply: $25 

Full class description: Study the unique proportions of a child’s or baby’s face, and how to capture the distinctive features of your own model in clay. We will capitalize on the malleability of the medium to translate the human form into hand-built sculpture. The workshop will begin with a half day of demos and discussion, followed by optional open studio for students to begin their project if desired.  Day two of the workshop is a full workday with Amber’s guidance and more instruction as needed. Finished work will be fired at Donkey Mill within two weeks of completion. Great for beginners as well as returning students who will benefit from Amber’s expert demos.

Instructor bio: At the late age of 40, Amber’s mother discovered she was finally pregnant.  Amber was the “miracle child” of a couple who were planning to adopt a child.  It was thought that as a result of Amber’s mother being a Holocaust survivor who endured Auschwitz and the Death March that her ability to conceive was damaged. As the “late in life” child of both a Holocaust survivor and a forced labor camp survivor from Hungary, Amber’s childhood was unusual for growing up in the suburbs of San Francisco.  Hearing screaming at night from her mother’s nightmares was the norm.  Fear was a regular part of her life.  As a consequence of this childhood, Amber grew up with the overwhelming need to speak out against social injustice.

In kindergarten, Amber made her first ceramic piece.  It was a blue ashtray with her palm-print in it.  From the moment she saw that a malleable piece of dirt could be turned into a rock hard waterproof item, she was hooked on clay.  Much later in her career (second grade) when she won the local poster contest, she knew she was destined to be an artist. Many years later Amber received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of Southern California, and then continued her education with a Masters Degree in Art Education at San Francisco State University.  At that time she also received her California teaching credential and went on to teach ceramics in the public school system. 

When Amber moved to Hawaii with her husband 16 years ago, she left teaching so she could focus on her own art in earnest with the goal of being the professional artist that she had envisioned since second grade. Her art speaks of her feelings about war, racism, and other forms of social injustice.  Using her natural artistic gift, Amber hopes to be able to change the world “at least a little bit” through her sculptures. 45 years after making that fateful ashtray Amber is represented by top galleries in the field of ceramics and her work is exhibited and collected internationally. 

http://www.amberaguirre.com/

Supply fee includes: ½ bag of B-Mix clay, DMAC glazes, bisque and glaze firing.

Students should bring:

Photographs of a baby/toddler that you would like to sculpt.  The more photos from different angles, the better.  We will only be doing the bust so face shots are most important. 

The Tools we will be using the most:  DMAC has some/most of these tools, but if you have your own to bring, that would be helpful.  Please mark all your tools so that they do not get lost.

• Paddle
• Scissors
• Serrated ribs/scoring tools
• Flat edged ribs
• Fettling knife
• Various small paint brushes
• Various wood modeling tools
• Dress to get muddy!
• Water bottle
• Sack Lunch

Minimum Enrollment: 7

Maximum Enrollment: 15