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Pottery and Pit Firing

Intensive two day course






Day 1: Saturday 29 August, 10am–1pm
Day 2: Saturday 12 September, 10am–5pm (Includes a 30 minute break)

Day 1: Saturday 29 August, 2pm–5pm
Day 2: Sunday 13 September, 10am–5pm (Includes a 30 minute break)

£140



Safety
We are committed to working with our artists and communities in continuing to provide opportunities for creativity during these challenging times. Together, we have been working throughout lockdown in reconfiguring our courses to ensure the safety of all concerned without compromising on quality. Find out more about our new safety measures.

Gift vouchers available
Please read our Covid-19 Booking Terms and Conditions below carefully before booking.
Who is this class suitable for?
Ages 16+
Suitable for all skill levels.

What will be covered in the class?
In this two part intensive with popular ceramicist Lizzie Westray, participants will learn how to make and fire pottery without a conventional kiln.

Day 1.
You will be making a collection of small items in our specialist ceramic studio. Once completely dry, your work is ready for a day of pit firing in Milton Keynes Arts Centre’s secret garden.

Day 2.
An outdoor event with participants loading their fire pits with scrap wood, supervising the firing, especially during the first 3 hours, where you are continually adding small amounts of fuel whilst preventing any 'flare-ups' and sudden temperature changes. It's really not a case of simply lighting it and standing back.

Please be aware, that at points during the firing the atmosphere will be smoky, much like an outdoor log burner.

There will also be smoke firing demonstrations throughout the day, revealing how smoke colouring can add dramatic results to ceramic ware. If you have any bisque fired work from a previous course at home and would like to give it a go, please bring a small item to add to the smoke firing. If you are completely new to ceramics and would like to have a go, please speak to Lizzie about making a small item on Day 1, which can be bisque fired ready for Day 2.
What’s included?
All materials are included.

Location
Day 1. Ceramics Studio (Ground floor with raised tables, narrow doorways)
Day 2. MKAC secret garden (at Great Linford site)

Tutor 
 Lizzie Westray is an Milton Keynes based ceramicist specialising in sculptural ceramics and ‘low-tech’ firings such as Raku and wood-fired kilns.

Download our Ceramic Studio Handbook for further details on our studio terms of use.

Booking Terms and Conditions
Completing your booking with Milton Keynes Arts Centre signifies your agreement to the below terms of Refunds and Cancellation. All profits support our annual programme of exhibitions, events and charitable outreach projects.

Courses may be rescheduled/cancelled by Milton Keynes Arts Centre if the minimum number of required students is not met. Notification of a possible reschedule/cancellation will be sent to students three-working days before the first workshop of the term, in this instance refunds will be issued in full if a course is rescheduled/cancelled.

In acknowledgement of these exceptional times, Milton Keynes Arts Centre has amended its refund policy on a temporary basis. Students are now entitled for refunds in the following circumstances:

  1. If you are unable to attend a class as you are showing coronavirus-like symptoms
  2. If you are unable to attend a class as someone you live with is showing coronavirus-like symptoms
  3. If Milton Keynes Arts Centre cancels or postpones classes.

Refunds shall be made on the basis of every class students have missed.

In all other instances outside of these circumstances, bookings are non-refundable and only transferable at the discretion of Milton Keynes Arts Centre.
Photographs and/or video will be taken during this course
As a registered charity, it can sometimes be necessary to share photos and videos of our community outreach in printed matter, social media, press releases and funding applications. By taking part in this event you grant Milton Keynes Arts Centre full rights to use the images resulting from the photography/video filming to help achieve our charitable aims.

Milton Keynes Arts Centre
Parklands
Milton Keynes
MK14 5DZ

We have limited opening hours for course participants and by appointment only.

If you would like to arrange an appointment or book onto one of our courses, please get in touch:

+44 (0)1908 608108
hello@miltonkeynesartscentre.org

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