Creating glaze course

An Introduction to chemistry and testing

This is a 4 week course held on Mondays. It’s 2pm-6pm for the first 3 weeks, then there a 2pm-3pm follow up session on the forth week. The current course is sold out and we’re in the process of scheduling in a new course which should start in April 2023. To register your interest and be notified when we have the dates please email: info@thekilnrooms.com

Creating glaze – An Introduction to chemistry and testing with Elena Gileva

2pm – 6pm:  17th, 24th April & 1st May.  Follow-up session, 2pm – 3pm:  8th May (classes taking place as normal on May Bank Holidays)

£240 pp.  Taking place in our Bellenden Rd studio

Link to book course

Glaze is an integral part of ceramics but we often overlook it in favour of clay making processes. While there are a range of commercial glazes available on the market, being able to alter or make from scratch, bespoke glazes, will allow you the freedom to produce what you need and not be limited by what you can get. Like a good tailor, potters with good glaze knowledge can dress the clay body in the most complimentary covering, unifying the form and the surface. Understanding glaze can also help reduce or eliminate technical problems, solve food safety questions, offer confidence and open up a new avenue of exploration within ceramics.

This course will introduce participants to what glaze is, what materials do, how it can be developed and altered, and how it is influenced by the firing process. It is a result-oriented, applied workshop that will equip students with tools to start their own glaze research and development. Students will gain theoretical knowledge of the make-up of glazes, related chemical and physical qualities of their components, how to alter them and how to assess relevant processes in the kiln.

The course will move on to practical elements, making a range of base glazes and altering their texture and colour. The students will learn to work with a glaze recipe, to do line blends and to keep adequate records. Every participant will take away multiple glaze recipes and test tiles. The last week will be a shorter reviewing session where students can discuss the results with their teacher and each other. The full course costs £240 and includes all materials, firings and basic PPE, so there are no additional costs.

Note that this workshop will not cover in detail techniques of glaze application or decorative use.

Your teacher: Having graduated from the RCA with a masters in ceramics Elena Gileva has gone on to teach at Morley College, The Kiln Rooms and is a talented and successful ceramicist. Her work explores the decorative, historical and ornamental through the medium of ceramic, sculpture and installation. And is focused on various historical and personal narratives, references and processes, with hand-built ceramic objects taking centre stage in her practice. Link to Elena’s website

In the event of non-attendance or arriving late to classes it is not possible to provide alternative studio time, or for a class to be rescheduled as our courses sell out. Unfortunately we do not sell vouchers for these courses. T&Cs for all classes