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North Carolina

The Art of Working Clay by Hand

Program No. 21934RJ
Discover the thrill of working clay by hand as you join experienced instructors to create your own unique masterpieces. Plus, explore the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains!
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CraftsSmall GroupBest ValueRetreats
Length
6 days
Rating (5)
Activity Level
Starts at
1,149

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6 days
5 nights
15 meals
5B 5L 5D
1
Check-in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Montreat, NC
2
Bowl Making, Intro. to Working with Slabs, Surface Design
Montreat, NC
3
Scraffito Design & Slips, Elective Hike
Montreat, NC
4
Completion of Projects, Glazing, Free Time
Montreat, NC
5
Glaze Day, Wheel Experience
Montreat, NC
6
Wheel Trim & Handles, Kiln Opening & Final Pieces
Montreat, NC
View Full Itinerary

At a Glance

Encourage and inspire your creative spark as you experience the joy of working clay by hand. Working under expert guidance in a fully equipped pottery studio, use soft clay slab construction and extruded forms to learn and apply a range of techniques including slip and score construction, the slump mold process, scraffitto design and glazing. Begin with raw clay, form it, glaze it and fire it to produce decorative and functional pieces you can take home proudly. It may all sound foreign now, but by the end of the program you’ll sound — and look! — like a pro.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Daily climbing a flight of stairs to the second floor of a building where classes are held, walking up and down hills.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Work with a professional potter to create your own pieces.
  • Go home with useful and beautiful finished pieces as well as a toolbox full of new skills that will surely spark your interest to do more with clay!
  • Learn specific handbuilding, throwing, glazing and kiln/firing techniques, as well as gaining new insight into the culture of clay.

General Notes

The Retreat Difference: This unique, often basic and no-frills experience at a Road Scholar Retreat includes opportunities for early morning exercise, interaction with the local community for insight into local life, an authentic farm-to-table or locally sourced meal, a live performance or event, and a value-priced single room. Appropriate for beginners and more advanced students. Opportunities are available for traveling companions to attend a different program at Montreat during the same week. Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Profile Image
Becky Garrity
Becky Garrity studied sculpture and ceramics at the College of William and Mary and landed a pottery apprenticeship in Japan. After a brief stint as a graphic designer, she devoted herself to pottery, and since 1998, she has been committed to making pots and teaching pottery. Her aesthetically influenced work is showcased in several galleries, and she claims her pottery is inspired by the energy of her eager students.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Becky Garrity
Becky Garrity View biography
Becky Garrity studied sculpture and ceramics at the College of William and Mary and landed a pottery apprenticeship in Japan. After a brief stint as a graphic designer, she devoted herself to pottery, and since 1998, she has been committed to making pots and teaching pottery. Her aesthetically influenced work is showcased in several galleries, and she claims her pottery is inspired by the energy of her eager students.
Profile Image of Ann Laird Jones
Ann Laird Jones View biography
Rev. Dr. Ann Laird Jones has been working in the Sally Jones Pottery at Montreat for 26 years, and loves every part of working with clay! She is driven by the vigorous conversation between arts and theology, and is moved by the collaborative opportunities to work in community with great artists. She has served as Montreat Conference Center's director of arts ministry since 1993.
Profile Image of Tracy Bailey
Tracy Bailey View biography
Tracy has been on the program staff of Montreat Conference Center since 1986. She began working with Elderhostel programs in 1989, and in 1997 assumed the additional role of on-site coordinator. A native of the area, she graduated from Asheville-Buncombe Technical College in 1981. Her favorite hobbies are hiking, pottery and reading. Tracy married Sam in 2007, and added three daughters to her family. In addition to her own grown children, she and Sam have been foster parents since 2010. They have four grandchildren.
Profile Image of Sarah Peters
Sarah Peters View biography
Sarah Friday Peters grew up surrounded by the pottery traditions of North Carolina. She started making her own pots while working summers in Montreat as an arts and crafts instructor, as well as a handbuilding pottery instructor. Sarah began Wellspring Creative in 2006, making handcrafted jewelry and gifts, and is current president of the Triangle Potters Guild in Raleigh, North Carolina. Nature, spirituality, fellow potters, and new tools, textures, and techniques continue to inspire her. She and Cathie are looking forward to inspiring you!
Profile Image of Cathie Dodson
Cathie Dodson View biography
Cathie Dodson, an artist and former English teacher who moved to Montreat from Louisiana six years ago, has worked on Montreat summer staff at Sally Jones Pottery since 2018. She enjoys sharing the sanctuary space that exists in the pottery studio and helping others explore their own creative gifts in new ways.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
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Program No.
21934
Duration
6 days
Program Begins
Montreat, NC
Program Concludes
Montreat, NC
Group Type
Small Group
Activity Level
At a Glance
Encourage and inspire your creative spark as you experience the joy of working clay by hand. Working under expert guidance in a fully equipped pottery studio, use soft clay slab construction and extruded forms to learn and apply a range of techniques including slip and score construction, the slump mold process, scraffitto design and glazing. Begin with raw clay, form it, glaze it and fire it to produce decorative and functional pieces you can take home proudly. It may all sound foreign now, but by the end of the program you’ll sound — and look! — like a pro.
Best of all, you'll...
  • Work with a professional potter to create your own pieces.
  • Go home with useful and beautiful finished pieces as well as a toolbox full of new skills that will surely spark your interest to do more with clay!
  • Learn specific handbuilding, throwing, glazing and kiln/firing techniques, as well as gaining new insight into the culture of clay.
View Full Itinerary
General Notes
The Retreat Difference: This unique, often basic and no-frills experience at a Road Scholar Retreat includes opportunities for early morning exercise, interaction with the local community for insight into local life, an authentic farm-to-table or locally sourced meal, a live performance or event, and a value-priced single room. Appropriate for beginners and more advanced students. Opportunities are available for traveling companions to attend a different program at Montreat during the same week. Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available.
Featured Expert
Profile Image
Becky Garrity
Becky Garrity studied sculpture and ceramics at the College of William and Mary and landed a pottery apprenticeship in Japan. After a brief stint as a graphic designer, she devoted herself to pottery, and since 1998, she has been committed to making pots and teaching pottery. Her aesthetically influenced work is showcased in several galleries, and she claims her pottery is inspired by the energy of her eager students.
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
Profile Image of Tracy Bailey
Tracy Bailey
Tracy has been on the program staff of Montreat Conference Center since 1986. She began working with Elderhostel programs in 1989, and in 1997 assumed the additional role of on-site coordinator. A native of the area, she graduated from Asheville-Buncombe Technical College in 1981. Her favorite hobbies are hiking, pottery and reading. Tracy married Sam in 2007, and added three daughters to her family. In addition to her own grown children, she and Sam have been foster parents since 2010. They have four grandchildren.
Profile Image of Sarah Peters
Sarah Peters
Sarah Friday Peters grew up surrounded by the pottery traditions of North Carolina. She started making her own pots while working summers in Montreat as an arts and crafts instructor, as well as a handbuilding pottery instructor. Sarah began Wellspring Creative in 2006, making handcrafted jewelry and gifts, and is current president of the Triangle Potters Guild in Raleigh, North Carolina. Nature, spirituality, fellow potters, and new tools, textures, and techniques continue to inspire her. She and Cathie are looking forward to inspiring you!
Profile Image of Cathie Dodson
Cathie Dodson
Cathie Dodson, an artist and former English teacher who moved to Montreat from Louisiana six years ago, has worked on Montreat summer staff at Sally Jones Pottery since 2018. She enjoys sharing the sanctuary space that exists in the pottery studio and helping others explore their own creative gifts in new ways.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Daily climbing a flight of stairs to the second floor of a building where classes are held, walking up and down hills.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Suggested Reading List
View Full List: 1 Books
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call 800-454-5768
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