Term 1 2025 NOW OPEN!
The Extended Surface with Amelia Black
This course is designed to provide the tools to explore and expand your creative vocabulary in the use of applied oxides, stains, terra sigillata and glaze colours to develop a personalised “library” of custom material samples you can use in your own pieces. Gaining inspiration from the work of respected ceramic artists and potters; from the natural environment; as well as from the city streets of Collingwood; students will be guided in the development and application of their own “material voice” using slips, engobes, terra sigillata, inclusions, and special effect glazes. This class is designed to give you the tools to deeply personalise your unique pathway within the many choices that make up the ceramics/pottery journey.
Note: Students are welcome to re-enrol from term to term as course content will vary in order to cover many options!
This course can either be enrolled as a stand-alone course OR together to fully complement our Thursday afternoon Intermediate/Advanced Hand Building course (called Form & Surface). If taken together you will receive two x 2 hour classes plus two hours of studio access (one at the end of each class) which together creates one full day per week (10am – 4pm) for the development of your work! The two teachers work closely together to ensure the students’ personal approach is coordinated.
Deep, personal exploration designed for real development!
2025 dates:
- Term 1 2025: 30 January- 28 March (bookings open now!)
- Term 2: TBC
- Term 3: TBC
- Term 4: TBC
Amelia Black is an American-born ceramic artist and design researcher based in Naarm/Melbourne who holds an MFA in Design Criticism(NY) and who co-founded Studio Ana, a community ceramics facility in New York NY. Amelia has worked as a designer and strategist utilising sustainable practices and now works as a researcher and production technician in ceramic manufacturing. A designer who can’t stop making, Amelia utilises a broad design skill set to research, make, and ultimately invest in the human experience of ideas through clay.
Amelia’s work is focused on the materials that make up our ceramic practice and the explorations of where these materials come from today and what new materials we might be able to engage through ceramic technology to create a more sustainable approach to pottery.
Note: no classes on public holidays
Time: Thursdays 10 – 12pm with a FREE extra hour of extended studio time
Fees: Normal: $625, Concession: $595, SCC Current Student: $595
Note Optional extra: This course is carefully coordinated to pair with the Intermediate/Advanced Hand Building course (called Form & Surface) held on the same dates in the afternoons 1 – 3pm (which also offers an optional FREE extra hour studio time)
When: Enrol by the 8-week term, see dates and times above. Limited pre-release spots open for future terms.
FAQs: please read these FAQs and familiarise yourself with our studio guidelines before enrolling.
Refunds and Transfers: We are a very small business with limited class sizes so we do not give refunds but we do understand shit happens and life gets busy. So, we have refund insurance available to purchase at the payment gateway and we strongly advise you to purchase it to cover you in case of illness. We can occasionally transfer you at short notice if we have someone on the waiting list who can jump in ($25 transfer fee) but otherwise you are welcome to transfer your booking to a friend (no charge) – just let us know so we can update our contact list.
Booking info: Booking buttons appear on the left when we open for new enrolments. Some spots open in advance but please note the date we open to the public will be at the top of this page. Enrolments generally open half way through a term for the forthcoming term. Please return to this page to check the date and refresh your browser after the booking date to book online.
Please choose your class carefully because we do not give refunds if you make a mistake. We do not keep waiting lists, sorry, but we do keep cancellation lists so if you miss out please email us and we will put you on a list.
Fees: 8-week term $625 ($595 Continuing Students and Concession and $575 (current Form & Surface students). Cost is inclusive of all materials and use of all studio facilities. Firing is $15/kg extra. 50% deposit payable on booking. Balance due three weeks before start date.
Missed Lessons and *Studio Access Times (SATs): SATs are available to students to use our studio facilities (and fully included materials) for some extra making time. SATs are offered as 3-hour sessions ($30) each weekday afternoon and 1-hour FREE extensions to the morning classes. NEW: We provide one FREE extension hour after each morning class! (usually $10!) You can attend any 3-hour SAT on any day by booking through our website. One missed class per term can be replaced by one FREE 3-hr SAT. Unlimited further SATs are $30 per session. Times and days are subject to change pending studio needs and will be communicated to you by your teacher in the first class but generally are available each weekday 12-3pm and Saturday 9-12.
Please note: Deposits are a commitment to attend. They are non-refundable and the balance must be paid in full three weeks before the start date. When paying by deposit online the balance will be automatically deducted from the same credit card three weeks before the course start date through our booking agency We Teach Me or you will be given a link to click and pay. Please note: due to limited places and high demand, if the balance is not received before the required date we reserve the right to offer your place to someone on our cancellation list.
Refunds
Please choose your classes carefully. Due to our limited class sizes once you've booked and paid either the deposit or the full fee, we will only refund what you have paid if the class is cancelled. If you are unable to attend you may transfer your booking to a friend for no charge or, provided we can fill your place, we can hold your payment in credit for up to 24 months for a future course. Please note: we do not take any responsibility for pre-existing health issues or injuries that may be exacerbated by the activities we teach you. Please seek a doctor's opinion or ask us if you need to know more.