Clay & Fire: East Creek Ceramics Retreat

Join Joe Robinson, co-founder of the East Creek Art Center, for a two-day ceramics retreat 60 miles from Portland in Oregon's coastal mountains, near the small town of Willamina. During your retreat at East Creek, you'll learn how to make, glaze, and fire ceramic art. The Saturday session will have students immersed in ceramic making guided by Joe, with options to work on the potter's wheel, experience a variety of demonstrations on hand-building and wheel-throwing techniques, and receive personal coaching on technique. That evening, the group will share a celebratory dinner cooked in the wood fired pizza oven. On Sunday, students will receive two vessels made by Joe, with the opportunity to play with surface design and see the results of Raku firing and horsehair Raku firing. Pieces will be heated to 1800F, pulled red hot from the kiln and placed in a bed of combustibles. Prepare for a show of fire and smoke! Practicing ceramic artists are welcome to bring their own bisque for the firing as well.

About East Creek: East Creek is a community art studio and ceramics retreat center, situated on 20 acres of lush forest. A historic 40-foot wood fired Anagama kiln is a rare feature of this compound. Built in 1983, the kiln is the second of its kind in the US. East Creek is pleased to host guests overnight with space to camp, tiny cabins and a bunkhouse. Joe has been part of the East Creek community for nineteen years, and has owned the property for eight. He has a MFA in Applied Craft + Design from Pacific Northwest College of Art and Oregon College of Art and Craft. For info on lodging and meals, visit https://www.eastcreekart.org/wildcraft