Wood-fire Extravaganza. Firing the Train and Wood-soda Kilns
In-Person Visual Arts Workshop with John Dix
June 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 2024
Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 9:30 AM - 5 PM (1 hour lunch)
Structure of Class: (3) 7.5 -hour in-person sessions
C274 • Intermediate, Advanced
Registration deadline: June 13, 2024
Current Mendocino Art Center members receive a 30% discount off each class registration! See below for details.
CLASS DESCRIPTION
In this hands-on firing workshop, students will get the chance to load and fire both the wood-fired train kiln and the wood-fired soda kiln. Students will learn stacking strategies to account for flame flow and ash accumulation. Students will also be required to take stoking shifts throughout the 48 hour cycle.
On day one we will load the train and light it in the evening. While it’s heating up, on day 2 the soda kiln will get loaded and lit. Both will fire off sometime in the evening of the 3rd night. Bring bisque ware of cone 10+ clay.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR — John Dix
For the last 50 years I have been developing and refining my artistic practice. My visual toolbox has, over the years, come to include encaustic, oil, watercolor, acrylics, and all graphic media, sometimes all in the same piece. My way of expressing my thoughts and feelings was, for many years, representational and I often used these images to tell a story, whether the narrative was literal or symbolic.
I have always thought of my art practice as my Yoga and have been a spiritual student for most of my adult life. There came a point in my practice when I was no longer satisfied with representing specific images. My work became more process oriented, developing visual structure and atmosphere in layers, with a special love for excavation, spontaneous mark making and abstraction.
I need to take a journey when I work. I am often asked about my images- my content. If I can pin anything down about my process, it is that I begin by making marks, pouring color, anything that permits me to make an entrance into an evolving journey. While I work, I often form narratives in my mind that may eventually tell the story of the piece. It is an integral part of my process. And titles are poetry for me. In fact, they also become a summation of the journey I take in the evolution of the piece. In essence, I tell a story through my images, with or without incorporating text.
TUITION & FEES
Current MAC Members: $1,318
Non-members: $1,882.60
Current Mendocino Art Center members receive a 30% discount off each class registration! This applies to the member only and can only be used once per class. This discount is reflected in the prices above. Not a member yet? View our membership benefits and sign up today.
REFUNDS & CANCELLATIONS
Cancellations must be made in writing, either by mail or email. If you notify us at least 14 days prior to the first class meeting, you will receive a refund of tuition less a $45 cancellation fee. No refunds will be made after that date for any reason due to our contractual obligations and material acquisitions. If the Art Center is compelled to cancel a class you will receive a full tuition refund. Memberships are non-refundable as they are considered a donation to the Art Center.