Large Platter Workshop 2/26

There was a large platter workshop in our clay studio today and it was very successful. Thank you for take part in this class!

Materials arrived 2/25

We waited for the truck coming for long long time, and at last lots of materials arrived with full truck load this afternoon! We are sorry for making you wait, and now we have a lot. Please give us a call/email and come to pick up what you need.

Supply Shop:
phone: 910-428-9007
Email: info@starworksnc.org

Spring Workshop Information

STARworks Ceramics clay studio will have several exciting workshops this spring.

1: Large Platter Workshop
Friday February 26th 10am-12pm, $35/person Max 4 participants,
Instructor: Hitomi Shibata --- Full on 2/19
Participants will learn throwing technique and make a minimum 16 inch platter. After the class, you can take your platter home with you. We will provide our original local NC clay and you can choose either cone10 or cone 6. Firing is not included. This workshop is geared to anyone wanting instruction in Japanese large platter throwing technique. There are basic tools in our studio, but you might need to bring your own pottery tools. Intermediate to Advanced.

2: Coiled Large Jar Workshop
March 1, 2010, $35/person Max 10 participants,
Instructor: Hitomi Shibata
Participants will learn coil building techniques and make a minimum 12 inch tall jar on a banding wheel. Instruction will include information about Japanese traditional jars and how to make one. After the class, you can take your jar home with you. We will provide our original local NC clay and you can choose either cone10 or cone 6. Firing is not included. This workshop is geared to anyone wanting instruction in Japanese coil building techniques. There are basic tools in our studio, but you might need to bring your own pottery tools. Beginner to Advanced.

3: Clay Box Workshop
Saturday March 13, 2010 10am- 11:30am, $30/person Max 10 participants,
Instructor: Hitomi Shibata
Participants will make a container clay containeres by molds. Decorating techniques will be taught including inlay, clay slip applied using a brush( Hakeme) and drawing. After the class, you can take your clay box home with you. We will provide our original local NC clay for your work and you can choose either cone10 or cone 6. Firing is not included. This workshop is geared to anyone interested in learning new forming and decoration techniques. There are basic tools in our studio, but you might need to bring your own pottery tools. Beginner to Intermediate.

4: Introduction of Clay Research
Saturday April 24, 2010 10am-12pm, $35/person Max 20 participants,
Instructor: Takuro Shibata
Participants will learn how to test clays and techniques developed by Takuro Shibata who does the STARworks Ceramics clay research. He will give a lecture and demonstration emphasizing use of local clays, and then participants will process local clays to prepare for testing. This workshop is geared to anyone interested in making and testing their own clay formulas using local materials. All levels.

Please sign up soon because space is limited. In case of a bad weather or without meeting minimum number of participants, classes might be canceled with full refund. Give us a call or email, if you are interested.
Email: hitomi@starworksnc.org

Kids Class in the office

STARworks Ceramics had kids from Biscoe, NC and they made mugs and face jugs. Unfortunately our clay studio was too cold to work, so we set up table and bench in our office area. They saw the article of news paper and very interested in making pots. Pots will be ready for pick up in a month and hope they will like it.

Montgomery Herald Article

Ms. Linda Beaulieu from Montgomery Herald (Troy, NC) came to STARworks and interviewed us and kids last summer, and she made a nice article about STARworks Ceramics on January 13 issue. Thanks Linda for supporting our educational program!

We would like to continue these kind of program for local kids. Your any support, donation, helpful information and suggestion are needed.

Visiting Artist

We have a visiting artist in our clay studio. Asheboro resident, Wayne Shiver has been helping STARworks Ceramics as a volunteer, and now he is making Bonsai pots for his own project. He is also a very serious Japanese arts and crafts collector, certified master gardener, and certified chef.

In addition, he and a potter in Asheboro, Mike Durham will give a Bonsai workshop which will be organized by Randolph Arts Guild in March. Please click here, for more information about that class.

Holiday Information

STARworks Ceramics will be closed on January 18th (Monday).
Have a nice holiday!

A letter from parents

A Happy New Year!

Thank you for supporting STARworks Ceramics and hope it's going to be a great year for everyone.

We received a nice letter from a person whose child took pottery making class at STARworks Ceramics last year, and we want to reference it because it's very good news.

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My oldest son and I made a visit to STARworks this summer with Communities in School. While there he made this great Pirate Jug that he was very proud of. He then entered it in the NC State Fair under the 4-H Division and won 2nd place with it. Donny said that he saw our picture on one of the boards that were set for display when he was doing the tour during the Annual Meeting. I thought you could let them know how well he enjoyed it and also how successful he was. I wish I had thought to take him back and do Christmas presents for people. Tell them that can be an angle for next year for them.

Thanks,

Lynn

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Congratulations! and we are so glad to hear it.

STARworks Ceramics want to continue these kind of hands-on pottery programs for local children for future. Your any support, donation, suggestion and helpful opinion are needed.

Holiday Info

STARworks Ceramics will be closed
from Dec 19th (Sat), 2009
to January 3rd (Sun), 2010.
We are sorry for inconvenience.

Have a great holidays and a happy new year!

STARworks Ceramics

Happy Birthday

Today, Dec 17th is Takuro's Birthday. We had a pot luck lunch in our office and it was fun lunch with our colleagues. He became 37 years old.

Takuro Shibata started working for Yadkin Pee Dee Lakes Project in July, 2005 and set up STARworks Ceramics Materials & Research several months later.

STARworks Ceramics area, March 2005

We visited STARworks building with Nancy in March 2005, it's several months before he started working, and we were very surprised how big it was. In the airplane on the way to go back to Japan, Takuro was really worried how his ceramic business could grow. When he started, he had one bloom and swept up the huge floor day and day. If I were him, it might have been hopeless work, but he didn't gave up. It's been over four years so far, and we think he made it possible.

Happy birthday Takuro and let's grow more gray hair!