Three Days, Three Potters

$830.00

A unique opportunity to spend three intensive days in the studio with three accomplished potters, each sharing their approach to a different set of throwing and making skills.

Learn directly from ACT region-based artists Malcolm Cooke, Maryke Henderson and Joey Burns in one immersive course. Across the three days, explore techniques for throwing large forms, creating and altering dynamic thrown shapes, and refining pots through carefully considered rims, feet, handles and trimming.

Each day combines demonstrations, discussion and plenty of hands-on making, giving you the chance to put new techniques straight into practice and learn through doing.

Designed for intermediate to advanced potters.

Date:	Friday 15, Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 January 2027
Time:	10am - 4pm Friday & Saturday, then 11am - 6pm Sunday
Teacher(s):	Malcolm Cooke, Maryke Henderson and Joey Burns
Location:	Workshop two

10 SPOTS LEFT

Description

Spend three intensive days in the studio with three accomplished potters, each sharing their approach to a different set of throwing and making skills.

Day 1 – Malcolm Cooke: Throwing Large
Get to grips with the challenges and possibilities of larger-scale throwing. Malcolm will share approaches to preparing clay, including different wedging techniques, techniques for throwing larger forms, and trimming substantial vessels such as bottles and bowls. He will also bring examples of his work to demonstrate the techniques in context.

Day 2 – Maryke Henderson: Thrown Altered Forms
Explore how throwing can become the starting point for more expressive and unexpected forms. Maryke will demonstrate throwing, altering and developing forms, followed by hands-on making where you can experiment with transforming the shape and character of your own pots. Maryke will also bring examples of her own work to demonstrate the techniques in context.

Day 3 – Joey Burns: Rims, Feet, Handles & Trimming
Focus on the details that bring a pot together. Joey will demonstrate the throwing and trimming techniques he uses for refining form, surface and functionality while embracing the malleable nature of clay and creating work with unique character.

With a focus on rims, handles, spouts and feet he will explore how considering each feature can help to make a completed/resolved piece.

Designed for intermediate to advanced potters, this course is about pushing your skills further, seeing familiar processes from fresh perspectives and adding new techniques to your studio practice.

Finish the three days with a drink and an informal opportunity to chat with all three potters, share ideas and reflect on the weekend’s making.

Each day begins with an introduction to the artist and their work, followed by demonstrations of their techniques. After lunch, spend the afternoon getting hands-on, experimenting with new skills and developing your own work.

Day 1 – Friday 15 January | Malcolm Cooke: Throwing Large
10am–4pm

Day 2 – Saturday 16 January | Maryke Henderson: Thrown Altered Forms
10am–4pm

Day 3 – Sunday 17 January | Joey Burns: Rims, Feet, Handles & Trimming
11am–5pm

Sunday drinks and informal gathering: 5pm–6pm

Malcolm Cooke

Malcolm Cooke is an accomplished ceramic artist with more than 55 years of experience in pottery. Based in Tharwa, ACT, he established The Art Shed studio and gallery in 1992. His practice encompasses wheel-thrown forms, carving, inlay decoration and wood firing, with a particular interest in the relationship between form, surface and the effects of flame and ash. His work has been exhibited widely in Australia and internationally and is held in public and private collections around the world.

More about Malcolm: Malcolm Cooke’s website

Maryke Henderson

Maryke Henderson is a Canberra-based ceramic artist known for her expressive forms and distinctive soda-fired surfaces. A graduate of the ANU School of Art and Design, she has developed an individual approach to throwing and altering forms, combining functional vessels with an intuitive exploration of shape, texture and surface. Her work reflects an ongoing interest in the unpredictable effects of soda firing, where flame and vapour create subtle variations in colour and texture. Her practice has been presented in exhibitions exploring the development of her work over many years.

More about Maryke: https://canberrapotters.com.au/unpredictable/

Joey Burns

Joey Burns is a practising potter and teacher based near Gundaroo, NSW. After beginning his career in a pottery production factory, he completed a Diploma of Ceramics at Northern Beaches TAFE in Sydney and went on to work as a ceramics technical assistant at Ernabella Arts Centre in South Australia. He now works from his home studio, making functional pottery that balances usability with individuality. Drawing inspiration from people, animals, architecture and the rural landscape, Joey embraces the spontaneous qualities of clay to create pieces with distinctive character. He is also an experienced teacher at Canberra Potters

More about Joey: https://www.instagram.com/sawpitstudios/

OUTCOMES

By the end of the course, you will have:

Developed your skills in preparing clay and throwing larger forms.
Explored techniques for throwing and altering forms.
Practised refining rims, feet, handles and spouts.
Developed your understanding of trimming and finishing techniques.
Gained insights into the individual approaches of three experienced ceramic artists.
Explored new techniques to apply to your own ceramic practice.

Notes

This course is ideal for advanced potters who wish to expand their technical skillset and stretch their wheel throwing techniques.

Fees: Include recycled clay, tuition, studio access, light morning tea, coffee and tea, a cold drink and nibbles. (Firing is Not included in course cost.)
Duration: 15 hours of tuition, including a one-hour lunch break each day. Drinks and nibbles will be provided on Sunday evening 5-6pm.
What to Bring:

Personal pottery toolkit, including throwing and trimming tools.
Your own lunch each day. A fridge and microwave are available.

Important Information

Duration: three days – 10am – 4pm Friday & Saturday, then 11am – 6pm Sunday
Fees: Include recycled clay, tuition, studio access, light morning tea, coffee and tea, a cold drink and nibbles. (Firing is Not included in course cost.)
What to Bring: Personal pottery toolkit, including throwing and trimming tools. Your own lunch each day. A fridge and microwave are available.
Studio Clean-Up: To maintain a safe and healthy environment, it is a requirement of class attendance that participants clean their workspaces and assist with the general clean-up of the workshop at the end of each class.

Terms & Conditions

Refund Policy – Classes & Short Courses:

Class fees will be refunded, less a 10% admin fee, if cancellation is notified more than 10 business days before the first class date.
If less than 10 business days’ notice is given then a refund, less 10%, will only be given if the place can be taken by another student otherwise the full fee is forfeited.
Please view your booking as a commitment to attend.
Classes cannot be transferred from one term to another or one year to another.
If a class is cancelled due to lack of enrolments, 100% of your class fee will be refunded.
All changes to bookings and refunds incur a 10% administration fee.
Canberra Potters will not issue refunds for missed classes or missed emails. Please ensure you have saved the following Canberra Potters emails to your contact list.
Canberra Potters is a teaching facility and students attend our classes to learn about pottery. Imperfect, broken and cracked items are part of the learning process. We do not provide refunds for work that cracks or breaks while drying, during firing or in general class activities.