21-2022 – Margaret Bohls – From Ancient Vessels to Contemporary Forms

May 22 – June 4 2022

A journey of inspiration, learning to transform historical forms into your own, personal expression

Handbuilding, and/or throwing. Some ceramic experience required

21-2022 – Margaret Bohls – From Ancient Vessels to Contemporary Forms

Introduction

Ancient vessels and contemporary forms are the topic of this intense workshop. You will explore ancient pottery forms of Italy and transform historical inspiration in your own, personal expression. Through targeted field trips and concentrated studio time, you will achieve new methods of work and an insight into Italian culture that will inform your studio practice for a long time after the workshop.

Teaching method

Through museum visits in Florence, Volterra and Montelupo Fiorentino, students will study the historical pottery and vessels of the Italian peninsula, drawing inspiration for their own work. Using the coil-building and wheel-throwing techniques taught in this workshop, students will make vessels of their own, based on photographs and drawings of these objects.  Supported by personal guidance and the vast experience of Margareth Bohls, each student will develop their own, very personal vocabulary.

Techniques taught

The class will use local earthenware clay, slips, terra sigillata and majolica glaze. Techniques taught in ancient vessels and contemporary forms will include sketching as a tool for making, coil building, wheel throwing, making handles, lids and spouts, applying raised surface decoration, and majolica glazing techniques. The workshop includes several field trips off the beaten tracks, and is a chance to explore ancient Italian pottery. Ground transportation is included. This course is best for those with some ceramics experience, either hand-building or wheel throwing.

Logistics

On every working day, a delicious lunch is included and lodging is covered as well.

IN THIS COURSE, 2 SPOTS WITHOUT LODGING ARE STILL AVAILABLE! For booking and information about the cost Please contact info@lameridiana.fi.it

The artist

Margaret Bohls is an American potter and educator who makes hand-built pottery and vessels. Bohls has been teaching ceramics at the college level for twenty-three years and is currently Associate Professor of Art at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. She has taught hands-on workshops at renowned art centers. Bohls’ work has been shown in over 100 group and solo exhibitions since 1995 and is included in the permanent collections of the Minnesota Museum of American Art, the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA), the Weisman Museum of Art. She has written articles for the Journal of the National Council for Education on Ceramic Arts and Pottery Making Illustrated, and her ceramic work has been featured in periodicals such as Ceramics Monthly and Studio Potter Magazine.www.margaretbohls.com

Artist Statement

Bohls’ work is grounded in an abiding interest in historical vessel forms, and in the social context of these objects. Her methodology for creating new work often begins with a study of a particular set of historical vessels. She strives to identify a set of physical, formal attributes of these objects that visually communicate something about the culture that produced them or the era during which they were created. She uses drawing to distill the objects down to their critical visual and formal characteristics. These drawings become the basis for the creation of a series of ceramic forms of her own.  Her most recent series of work is based on several types of historical vessels produced on the Italian peninsula including Etruscan pottery and Italian Majolica. She has created still-life-like groupings that in some ways mimic the museum installations she studied in a recent trip to Italy.

Artist:

Margaret Bohls

Date:

May 22 – June 4 2022

Length of course

10 working days in the studio

Technique

Handbuilding

Level

Some experience required

Deposit for booking:

800,00

Total cost:

Euro 2800,00

THIS COURSE IS FULL

Info

The workshop fee includes the following:
Tuition of 6 – 8 hours per day
Studio open 12 hours per day
All materials and firings
Lodging in double room; single room on request at additional fee of 230 euros per week.
Freshly prepared three course lunch with wine on all working days
Welcome breakfast,
Welcome and Final dinner
Coffee break in the mornings and in the evenings
Excursions

Payment - Refund Policy

A deposit is required at registration. After submitting the registration form, you may proceed with the payment on-line. If you choose to pay by bank transfer, the registration will be confirmed once the deposit has been accredited in our banking account. The balance must be paid at the beginning of the course.
Cancellation
You may withdraw within 14 days of registration without incurring in any penalties and will have the deposit fully refunded.  No refund of deposits past 14 days of registration, pursuant to articles 53 and following of the EU consumer protection legislation.
If La Meridiana cannot hold the course due to unforeseen events beyond our control, La Meridiana reserves the right to offer a voucher for a different course of your choice. The voucher is valid for two years. The deposit will be transferred to the new course.

Safety

La Meridiana is equipped to comply with the current safety standards regarding Covid-19, including social distancing between people in and outside the studio. The daily maintenance of hygiene measures is guaranteed.  Please note that participants will be required to follow the security protocol and to comply with some simple precautions.