Workshops | Ceramic Designers

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SGRAFITTO WORKSHOP

with Karis Swink Barry

Date: Sept 26, 2026

Time: 9 am - 2 pm

Location: Virginia Wesleyan Univ

Workshop Description

Clay artist Karis Swink Barry, who lives in the western part of our state, will be presenting a hands-on Sgraffito Workshop for CDA in September. Karis creates beautiful pieces of pottery that are not only useful but have lovely surface designs. Several of us have seen her demonstrations at the Virginia Clay Festival in Stanardsville, Virginia.

Karis adds engobes, which she makes, to her pieces. Then when dry enough she uses the sgraffito technique to add her designs.

This workshop is a one-day hands-on workshop, There is not enough time for the engobes to dry, so we will be using underglazes, which CDA will supply, to mimic the engobes. Karis will explain how she mixes her engobes, adding stains and pigments for colors, and show us her carving techniques. After her demonstration, we will practice carving our own sgraffito pieces while Karis comes around and coaches us.

This will be a great workshop to try this technique and learn more about the use of engobes (and underglazes) with sgraffito carving. Each attendee will bring 2 or 3 leather hard pieces to use. These can be cylinders, bowls, plates or sculptural pieces.

Where: Virginia Wesleyan University, Ceramic Studio.

When: Saturday, September 26, 2026

Time: 9:00 am to 2:00pm (Karis will need time to drive home while it is still light out).

Participants: 20 (we will keep a waiting list once the slots are filled)

Fee: $65 for CDA members, $100 for non-members (will include a CDA membership)

Workshop fees are non-refundable unless we have a waiting list and someone can take your place.

Member: $65

Non-member: $100

Past Workshops and Demos

SODA FIRING WORKSHOP by Ray Wood

MISHIMA TECHNIQUE

Amy Lee shared her extensive knowledge on Mishima techniques using underglazes to fill in gently carved designs in the wax. She broke down the steps into easily understandable segments. The participants then applied these techniques in their own creations.

THROWING TALL WORKSHOP

Noah Hughey-Commers spent the day demonstrating some of his throwing techniques and coaching participants in challenging themselves to push their throwing skills from using more clay, taller cylinders, dryer throwing and pushing the clay to its limits.

BIRDHOUSE WORKSHOP

Pam Gray taught the group how she makes birdhouses. She starts by texturing slabs then cutting out the sides, floor and roof pieces. She shared her technique for joining the pieces and cutting the entry hole for specific types of birds.

KATIE MALONEY WORKSHOP

Katie led the workshop participants through her methods of incorporating animal figures onto her pottery. Participants then created their own interpretation of these methods.

CLAY MOSAIC WORKSHOP

Ginger Jenkot shared slides of the history of mosaic, then guided participants on how to make their picture "mosaic ready". Each participant then created their custom mosaic piece.