Martha Grover Workshop
I met Martha Grover at a workshop at Penland School of Crafts. She was the studio assistant for Jim Lawton who was one of her Professors at the University of Massachusetts. Needless to say I was very excited to watch her teach a workshop at Mudfire.
I think that one issue instructors can have in workshops is creating the right balance between doing demonstrations and giving people time to work. Martha did a lot of demonstrations but she kept letting the participants go back to their clay and work and she continually checked with everyone to see what they wanted. Most of the time they said they wanted to watch her work and everyone seemed to make a decent amount of pots. Everyone seemed to be happy throughout the workshop.
It was really interesting for me to see what she had learned from Jim. Much of the technical side of constructing her pots were steps that Jim showed us last summer, but that's where the similarities ended. She was very much doing her own work, putting her own unique style into every piece. Although most of the pots that were constructed by students in the class were very similar to her style I could already see people adding their own voice. I'd be really interested in seeing where this new knowledge takes peoples work.
The class was also a lot of fun. People were laughing and playing in clay, simply having a good time. Some even expressed a desire for a one or two week workshop so they could continue to play and learn. I'd say it was an excellent workshop and I'd highly recommend taking one with Martha if you ever get the chance.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery by Lori Buff
I think that one issue instructors can have in workshops is creating the right balance between doing demonstrations and giving people time to work. Martha did a lot of demonstrations but she kept letting the participants go back to their clay and work and she continually checked with everyone to see what they wanted. Most of the time they said they wanted to watch her work and everyone seemed to make a decent amount of pots. Everyone seemed to be happy throughout the workshop.
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| Martha Grover Tulip Vase |
It was really interesting for me to see what she had learned from Jim. Much of the technical side of constructing her pots were steps that Jim showed us last summer, but that's where the similarities ended. She was very much doing her own work, putting her own unique style into every piece. Although most of the pots that were constructed by students in the class were very similar to her style I could already see people adding their own voice. I'd be really interested in seeing where this new knowledge takes peoples work.
The class was also a lot of fun. People were laughing and playing in clay, simply having a good time. Some even expressed a desire for a one or two week workshop so they could continue to play and learn. I'd say it was an excellent workshop and I'd highly recommend taking one with Martha if you ever get the chance.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery by Lori Buff
I bet that was a great workshop! I wish I had gone to the NC Potters conference the year she was there. Nonetheless, Jeff was there and he came home and showed me some of here techniques... one of which has made my the lids on my oval bakers fit so much better.
ReplyDeleteI'm itching for some kind of workshop, I hope to find one along the way. A one or two week immersion would be great; sort of a clay retreat.
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