• Workshops

    Join my email list for future announcements at eepurl.com/oElav

    5-Day Figurative Sculpture Workshop with Kelsey Bowen
    THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL
    June 6–10, 2025 at Sara's West Linn studio
    Learn Kelsey’s approach to coil building, hollow forms, gesture, figure sculpting, hands, textures, building an animal head, creating narrative through object & pose
    $750 plus approx. $27 materials fee
    Limited to 10 students • Handbuilding experience is helpful, but not required. Everybody is welcome!
    To register email sara.swink@gmail.com


    •••• 2025 WORKSHOPS WITH SARA at Clay Circle Studio ••••

    Stacking Totems & Narrative Clay Sculpture Series
    August 23-24 plus 4 Saturdays: Aug 30, Sept 6, 13 & 20
    10am to 3pm (plus open studio hours) (lunch break from 12-ish to 1) in West Linn
    $695 includes clay, glazes & firing. Metal stands not included.
    Early Bird discount: Pay by April 15, it's $625
    (I'm also offering the option to take the weekend and tack on additional days as you like. $350 + $100 each additional day)
    Totems, like shrines and other empowered objects, are a way to zero in on what inspires you and is meaningful. During the first weekend, there will be exercises such as collage on paper and sketching in clay to collect and play with images, ideas, stories, forms and surfaces to incorporate. We’ll look at an approaches to stacking totems that are key to the design process. You can make a small desktop totem (or if you prefer, a series of sculptures) that may serve as a standalone piece or be the model for a larger version.
    The next two Saturdays will focus on building components including spacers, figures, and forms of all kinds with demonstrations, individual consultation, and group "projects" as desired. We'll cover some surface techniques on unfired clay. On the following Saturday we will glaze bisque-fired pieces. On the final Saturday we'll assemble totems and measure for ordering custom metal stands or you can continue working in clay or glazing.
    Some familiarity with pinch, coil and slab handbuilding techniques is recommended. Limited enrollment.