Adventures in Paperclay - 6 Week Workshop
Porcelain paperclay nest and eggs, earthenware paperclay sticks (by Denise Rouleau)
Wednesdays, March 4 - April 8
Time: 6-9 pm Location: Ivy Building for the Arts 2637 27 Ave South Mpls., MN 55404
Cost: $200 (no other fees. Includes materials for in class work)
Instructor: Denise Rouleau
Spaces are limited! Contact Denise, to pay by cash or check, otherwise click below to pay by credit card.
Go bigger, go lighter, go finer, go stronger, go faster... keep going with paperclay!
Paperclay is simply clay enhanced with beaten cellulose fiber. The addition of hollow fiber particles gives it unique properties that make paperclay appealing to artists who seek non linear working approaches, a new aesthetic, and options for overcoming limitations confronted with traditional clay. In this 6 week class you will learn unconventional clay techniques and explore how paperclay can fit into your artistic practice. We will experiment, push boundaries and discover; it will be an adventure!
Paperclay is for potters too: Although we will focus on handbuilding techniques, you can explore the benefits that paperclay may bring to your wheel thrown practice. I don’t have a pottery wheel, but you can bring in your leather-hard and bisque fired wheel thrown vessels and experiment with repairs and embellishments. You can combine traditional and paperclay methods and come up with your own unique way of working.
*This workshop focuses on ceramic paperclay, not the air dried modelling material*
*Images shown are examples of artist's paperclay sculpture. This class is about learning techniques and exploration, not creating a defined finished product*
Earthenware paperclay tree with porcelain paperclay leaves (by Denise Rouleau)
We will cover:
inspiration: artists who work in paperclay
fibers: choosing, processing, storing, fiber/clay ratios
making paperclay: low fire and high fire, plastic and slip form, storing
solving clay problems: repairs, working beyond leather-hard, weight, size, fragility, warping
techniques: traditional to non-linear: handbuilding (wet to wet, wet to dry, dry to dry), speed drying, dipping, brushing, slip trailing, combining techniques
equipment: mixers, plaster boards, fan heat tunnel
firing (loading, single, multiple, not to fire)
About Instructor:
Denise Rouleau is a mixed media – ceramic artist. She enjoys working with materials in unexpected ways. Her multimedia installations tempt viewers to look closer, uncover secrets, and create stories. In order to connect with the full spectrum of ceramics, in 2015 Denise completed a one year intensive certification program with the Minnesota New Institute of Ceramic Education (MN NICE). This led her to delve deeply into the material science of paperclay --an excellent medium for building complex and delicate ceramic sculpture.
“My introduction to working with the paperclay was frustrating because I didn’t have any local connections who could guide me through my rocky journey. The game changer was when I participated in an intensive 3 day workshop at the Clay Studio in Philadelphia with notable pioneers in its contemporary form (adding fiber to clay goes back to ancient times): Graham Hays, Jerry Bennett, and Rebecca Hutchinson. It was an eye opener and overwhelming. While I was initially drawn to handbuilding large tree limb structures, I began experimenting with coating found organic materials with paperclay slip to create delicate nature-inspired ceramic installations. There’s still so much to explore; the opportunities are endless and exciting. I hope you will feel the same!”
