The health and safety of our guests, artists, and instructors are our top priority. The Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts has put the following safety protocols in place:
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All patrons are welcome to wear masks
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Masks are encouraged for those at higher risk
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Up-to-date vaccinations are recommended
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Where possible activities take place outdoors
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Education
Previous Workshop
THIS WORKSHOP SOLD OUT
Jon Keenan
No experience necessary. Bring your friends and your imagination with you!
This 2-day workshop will explore a variety methods and techniques involved in making hand-built and wheel-thrown drinking vessels, and other unique pieces.
What happens to simple forms with the addition of handles, surface design, texture, and other design elements? How can we contribute to the presence of a work and not inadvertently distract from it? How do the lip, body, and foot work together to create a cohesive and harmonious whole?
These questions will be addressed through a variety of conversations and demonstrations centering on vessel forms (altered and straightforward), tea bowls, mugs and cups. Participants will consider decisions made in the creative process that affect the expressive qualities of their work.
This workshop will encourage a playful exploration of form while also exploring functional, aesthetic, and cultural aspects of clay, inspired by the beauty and magic of the Beatrice Wood studio.
Jon Keenan | Karatsu
Jon Keenan | Blue Stroke
Cost $275. per person ($250. for members)
Includes all materials and a communal vegetarian lunch.
WORKSHOP SOLD OUT
About Jon Keenan
My first exposure to pottery occurred as a young boy living in New Delhi when local potters visited my school to demonstrate their throwing techniques using hand powered wooden wheels that rested on the ground. Seemingly effortless, they made kalshi, globular water jars, out of an iron red earthen clay. The technical virtuosity and creative spirit of these potters stayed with me and had a profound impression on my future path. In high school, I enrolled in my first ceramics class and never stopped working in clay. My current work represents my involvement in raku and wood-fired ceramics that began as a student in Kyoto, Japan. Both functional and sculptural, my work’s primary focus is on anagama wood-fired natural ash glazed ceramics made and fired at my studio and kiln in Elkins, New Hampshire. I prepare my own clays and glazes with (sometimes local) materials containing the subtle hues of nature itself. My firings often take several days to achieve desired effects. The firing process directly influences the patina and character of the work, creating an earthy organic surface quality with the varied ash deposits and coloration. Exploring the expressive possibilities in porcelain and stoneware provides for unlimited opportunities to communicate subtle and nuanced ideas.
Jon Keenan and Beatrice Wood in 1995
I met Beatrice Wood at home in Ojai in 1995 around the time of her 102nd birthday. I had long been an admirer of Beatrice’s life and work and the opportunity to meet her was unforgettable. I am most thankful for the opportunity to be back in Ojai to exhibit my work for the first time at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts and to be part of Beato’s enduring legacy.
The Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts
Tel: 805-646-3381 / Email us at BeatriceWoodCenter@gmail.com.
Our workshops and classes all take place at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts (driving directions).
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Please call 805-646-3381 or email BeatriceWoodCenter@gmail.com for more information on our exhibitions, workshops, and performances. |
