Ceramic Sculpture Tasters: 'Hares Busts or Little Owls' . . . with Mark Bradley
New for 2026 - we're delighted to welcome Mark back to Greystoke, and this time offering short taster courses of animal Sculpture in Stoneware - choose from either a Hare bust (AM) or a Little Owl (PM).
Mark will guide you through the various processes involved in creating your sculpture. Each will be unique with its own character and expression. The Hare bust is approx 6"tall, as is the Little Owl which after firing, will be perched on a small wood log. .
Mark will provide all the equipment and materials needed to complete the sculpture during the half day - you only need to bring along shirt or apron to protect your clothes and your materials money below. Once finish the pieces will be very carefully transported back to Mark studio to be slowly air dried. After around a month they will be ready for bisque firing. In the hope they survive the kiln, Mark will then apply the various oxides to highlight the various features before then firing for a second time.
The colouring is with oxides, students can choose to skip this stage if they wish, and Mark can return them either bisque,or fired twice, which turns the clay into stoneware.
The pieces will hopefully be ready for collection back at Greystoke within 4 to 6 weeks of the class. Sometimes, in damp conditions, this can take take longer.
This course will usually take place in the ground floor Squirrel Barn with three steps up from the gravel driveway.
This class is suitable for every standard of student from beginners upwards
9.30am to 12 noon Hare Bust
1.00pm to 3.30pm Little Owl
Each session £40 inc fresh coffee/ home made biscuits inc.
Material Charges to Mark on he day: £25 inc (see below NOTE*)
* NOTE : As fans of 'Pottery Throwdown' know well - putting anything into the hands of the 'kiln gods' is a risk. They're an unpredictable lot, and sometimes things go wrong and carefully sculpted pieces can be damaged with small cracks appearing during the firing process. Or badly wrong even - very occasionally pieces may even explode! If breakages occur, repairs will of course be attempted. Although rare, students should understand this is 'part and parcel' of working with Ceramics and kilns, and there is no guarantee their workshop piece will turn out perfect or in tact.
Dates for this course - see the table below to book:
Saturday 30 May 2026
Typically this course runs with around 7-8 students.
Please bring: Please bring your £25 materials money in cash which covers all materials, tutor costs and tutor time, both pre and post workshop. Students also need to bring something to protect their clothes.
