Guest Artists Workshops
Each year, Easthampton Clay invites a variety of esteemed visiting artists to facilitate specialty workshops in their area of expertise. Guest workshops may cover advanced and altered wheel throwing, sculpture, handbuilding, surface design or atmospheric firings. Ceramics students are welcome to visit Easthampton Clay to learn from the best in the field! Browse our upcoming and past workshops below.
Easthampton, MA is an ideal four season destination, with a vibrant arts and music scene, award winning cuisine, and breathtaking views of Mt. Tom. Easthampton Clay is located in the Eastworks building, a 500,000sqft converted mill building in the heart of Easthampton, uplifting artists and creatives, small business, restaurants, events and entertainment spaces and more. It neighbors a series of converted mills along the beautiful Mill River and Mill River bike path, each of which is home to local breweries, restaurants, small businesses, and artist studios. For lodging and travel recommendations, please reach out to us at info@easthamptonclay.com.
Structure, Surface and Story
with Adero Willard
Thursday, June 3rd - Saturday, June 6th 2027 10AM-5PM
This hands-on workshop will introduce the narrative of pattern and color on clay. Over four days, students will learn a playful approach — inspired by the visual language and material sensibilities of Adero Willard — to creating layered surfaces that move from simple to complex. Using slabs as a canvas, we will explore mark-making, pattern, rhythm, and repetition.
From the first layers of slip on soft clay slabs through paper stencils, wax resist, tape masking, and sgraffito, students will build soft and hard slab forms that can be functional, vessel, or sculptural as the work draws them individually forward. Layering continues at different stages of building and finishing — surface and structure growing together rather than one following the other. From black to white, primary, pastel, or whatever moves you — we will explore how abstraction, pattern, and color can tell a personal story. Representational images are welcome here too.
The focus is the conversation with material. We will draw from shapes found in nature, textiles, history, and personal memory — familiar objects and patterns that carry meaning. From those starting places, we will practice listening: to the clay, to the surface, to the quiet creative instinct that already knows what comes next.
Each day moves from demonstration to making — a call and response that gives time to play, try, and connect. Students will build a toolkit of techniques, ideas, and inspiration, and develop a deeper understanding of how to work with slips, underglazes, resist, collage, and wire. The real practice here is learning to ask the questions that lead to genuine discovery — from play to finding your own creative voice.
Come with personal inspiration: shapes cut out of newsprint to use as stencils, color ideas drawn from textiles, familiar objects, a loose sense of palette. Leave with surfaces that feel like yours.
Adero was born in New York City. She completed her BFA in Fine Arts at NY State College of Ceramics at Alfred and received an MFA from Nova Scotia College Of Art and Design in Halifax, NS, Canada. Willard taught ceramics as a visiting assistant professor at NY State College of Ceramics at Alfred University from 2020-2023. Adero is a co-founder and board member of POW! Pots on Wheels!, an organization dedicated to bringing ceramics to communities lacking ceramics programs. In the spring of 2023, Adero curated an exhibition at NCECA in Cincinnati titled “Clay Holds Water, Water Holds Memory”. Adero has participated in several ceramics discussion panels, exhibited work nationally and internationally, and has been featured in numerous publications and books on ceramics. Currently, Willard serves as an assistant professor of ceramics at California State University Sacramento.
Ruth Easterbrook’s work has challenged traditional concepts of glazing since her ceramics career began in the early 2000s. In this workshop, Ruth invites participants to expand their understanding of glazing techniques and application. Through a series of demonstrations and hands-on application, students will be prompted to reframe their approach glazing, elevating their surface design. Explore concepts of glazing, underglazing, inlaying and the relationship between the three.
In part 1 of this workshop, Ruth will give an artist talk and presentation before opening the floor for a Q&A. This will be a public talk open to Easthampton Clay members and students. Following the Q&A, participants are invited to join us for an optional opening reception.
Part 2 of the workshop will be a full day of balancing demonstrations with hands-on making. Students will observe techniques demonstrated by Ruth before applying the techniques to their own work.
During part 3, students can expect to finish their glaze lessons and glaze the remainder of their bisqued pieces. Ruth will demonstrate multiple techniques over the course of the weekend that will help you achieve a more interesting glazed surface using wax, tape, washes, and underglazes.
Participants are required to come prepared with 3-5 pieces of bisqued work to use as glazing surfaces for parts 2 and 3 of this workshop. Please note that we will have some small test tiles and abandoned bisqueware available for technique application, but that this workshop is designed for students to walk away with techniques applied to their own works in progress (3-5 bisqued pieces fired to cone 5/6). Easthampton Clay will fire most test tiles glazed during the workshop. Firing of student-provided bisqueware is not included in the workshop.
Transformative Glazing
with Ruth Esterbrook
Thursday, October 7th, 2027
5-6PM (Artist Talk)
Friday, October 8th, 2027 10AM-5PM
Saturday, October 9th, 2027 10AM-5PM
Guardians Embodied Through Sculpture
with George Rodriguez
Wednesday, October 14th, 2026 | 10AM-5PM
Thursday, October 15th, 2026 | 10AM-5PM
Friday, October 16th, 2026 | 10AM-5PM
Saturday, October 17th, 2026 | 10AM-5PM
How can we celebrate those we love, or manifest strength for the future? How do rituals inform the way we interact with the world? In this workshop, we will use our hands and clay to create a personal guardian. Will this guardian be a protector, a memory, or a wish? Working from personal photographs, writings or drawings which guide us, we will use traditional slab and modeling techniques to make and assemble a 16-20in free standing sculpture. We will learn how to work hollow, and apply unique texture and detail to our forms. Each participant’s project will be personalized, so we will discuss individual plans to achieve construction. Concurrently, we will make one-part plaster press molds to embellish our sculptures and bring ornamentation to the surface.
This workshop will be four full days of learning through demonstration, hands on instruction and lecture. There will be a break for lunch at 1PM each day, and light refreshments will be provided in the morning. At the end of Part 4 participants will walk away with a completed greenware sculpture. Participants will have the option to opt into bisque firing their work at Easthampton Clay for no additional cost. Once work is fired, students will have the option to pick up their sculptures at Easthampton Clay, or to have their piece professionally packed and shipped (market rate). Easthampton Clay will not offer glaze firing for non-Easthampton Clay members or students.
Born and raised in the border city of El Paso, TX, George Rodriguez creates highly ornamented, ceramic sculptures, often underlined by a connection to sociopolitical themes. His guardian figures, tomb sculptures, and installations, commemorate and build community. His most recent projects include a permanent installation at the new Kansas City International Airport, a community tile mural at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia, and an outdoor public sculpture at CASA of Maryland, an immigration advocacy organization in Baltimore. His sculptures are part of the collections of the National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago, IL; Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C., and the NationalMuseum in Stockholm, Sweden amongst others. Rodriguez holds a BFA from the University of Texas El Paso and an MFA from the University of Washington, Seattle. He is an Assistant Professor at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture in Philadelphia.
Past Workshops
PART I: August 30, 2025 - Students will learn the ins and outs of wood firing, including all of its quirks, materials, and important considerations before preparing work for a wood fire kiln. Students will be guided through concepts and provided with special clay bodies that they'll take with them to throw or handbuild work for the firing. Easthampton Clay will bisque fire your workshop pieces in preparation for the next session if you are a current student or member of our studio.
PART 2: September 20, 2025 - Students will learn wadding and glazing, prepare their pots for the firing and begin to load the kiln. This is an interactive day where students will be hands with the finishing of their pots, as well as in the loading process.
PART 3: September 21, 2025 - Firing begins! We will organize shifts of 1-2 people for a couple of hours on this day. This will not require your full day.
PART 4: September 27, 2025 - We unload, clean up, and celebrate!
Join Easthampton Clay and renowned potter James Guggina for this four part, hands on workshop! Students will learn the ins and outs of wood fired pottery, and participate in every step of the firing process at James’ studio kiln in Florence, MA. The right candidate for this workshop has experience independently constructing work, and has access to a bisque firing between parts 1 and 2 of this workshop. No experience with wood firing necessary.
James Guggina Woodfire Workshop
Day 1: Friday, January 16th 2026 | 4:30-8:30PM
Day 2: Saturday, January 17th 2026 | 10AM-6PM
Plan for a short break during Friday’s session, and a one hour break for lunch on Saturday.
In this two day workshop, experienced wheel throwers will learn to craft their own altered teapot under the tutelage of renowned potter Maya Machin. Through a series of demonstrations and hands-on instruction, participants will choose from a variety of altered forms to produce a teapot that encapsulates each artist’s personal style and skillsets.
The teapot is a goalpost form for potters, and in this workshop you will have the opportunity to elevate a classic vessel. Maya will provide a number of variations and modifications for each participant to build off of. Learn to alter the body of your teapot to create a niche nook for cups, to tunnel the form, and explore a variety of lid and spout shapes.
Participants should be experienced in wheel throwing with confidence; working and centering a minimum of 5lbs on the wheel. This workshop is best suited for potters who have progressed beyond the basics and are looking to elevate their repertoire of skills. Easthampton Clay will offer firing at an additional fee per cubic inch to participants who are not current students or members of Easthampton Clay.
Enclosed Lidded Forms Workshop
An Intensive 2 DayWorkshop
with Special Guest Artist Lucy Fagella
May 16 & 17, 2025
Day 1: Friday May 16th, 5-8PM (Throwing, Demonstrations)
Day 2: Saturday May 17th, 10AM-4PM (Throwing, Demonstrations, Trimming & Finishing)
In this two part workshop students will learn from demonstrations and ample time at the wheel, exploring the intricacies of constructing enclosed boxes and lidded containers. Applying foundational knowledge on the wheel, workshop participants will push themselves to throw and alter functional forms that can serve as salt cellars, spice jars, jewelry boxes, sugar jars, garlic keepers, treasure jars, and urns. Students will learn how to throw forms, and watch demos on how to trim the form. Part 1 will explore throwing, and pieces will dry in overnight before we reconvene for part 2 on Saturday. More throwing, trimming, practice and demonstration will complete the workshop on Saturday.
This workshop is open to individuals with a solid foundation in their own ceramics practice; we ask that beginners and students/makers with less than 1 year of experience do not register, as instructors will be building upon foundational techniques throughout this workshop. Participants can look forward to both demonstrations and hands-on wheel work to achieve dynamic enclosed lidded forms throughout this workshop.
Calipers will be a required material/tool for this workshop and participants will have the option to purchase with their registration if they don’t have their own to bring to the weekend. Firing is not included in this demonstration and skill based workshop; Easthampton Clay members who register will have the option to trim and fire with our studio beyond the workshop. Any outside participants will have the option to bring trimmed pieces back for a bisque firing at an additional fee.
Lucy Fagella has been making and teaching pottery for over 40 years. In 2001 she began her full-time career as a potter, specializing in handmade urns, salt cellars, garlic, keepers, sugar, jars, and other functional lidded jars for the kitchen. Her work has been included in many national juried and invitational exhibitions, as well as various publications and ceramic books. American Craft Magazine, Ceramics Monthly, Pottery Making Illustrated, Crafts Report, Studio Potter, Country Living, Yankee Magazine, Foodies of New England, and Edible Pioneer Valley. Ceramic books include, 500 Cups, 500 Pitchers, 500 Teapots Vol 2, by Lark publications. Design and Create Contemporary Tableware, Herbert Press. In the Potter’s Kitchen, American Ceramic Society. Lucy has been a member of the Asparagus Valley Pottery Guild since 2001 and is one of the founding members of the Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail since its inception in 2005.
Put A Lid On It: Exploring Unusual Lidded Forms
An Intensive Workshop with Special Guest Artist Maya Machin
Saturday, June 29th, 2024 | 10AM-4PM
Easthampton Clay is thrilled to be hosting renowned potter Maya Machin for our first in-house skill intensive workshop on June 29th. This will be a 6 hour day in the studio during which participants will examine the intricacies of enclosed and lidded ceramic forms on the wheel. Throughout this workshop, participants will learn to hone their skills through detailed demonstrations and hands-on application of techniques designed to elevate your approach to forms.
This workshop will delve into the many intricacies of making lidded forms. Maya will review some common lid forms before delving into more in depth and unusual shapes (such as stacking canisters, split canisters, and stopper type lids.) Participants will discuss balancing aesthetics and functionality, and how to get a perfect fit every time. The one day intensive format of this workshop will compel us to focus on the process of making, technique and skill building rather than the finished work itself. (Participants are welcome to take their greenware with them at the end of this workshop, but firing a finished piece is not included in this workshop).
This workshop is open to individuals with a solid foundation in their own ceramics practice; we ask that beginners and students/makers with less than 1 year of experience do not register, as instructors will be building upon foundational techniques throughout this workshop. Participants can look forward to both demonstrations and hands-on wheel work to achieve dynamic enclosed forms throughout this workshop.
Calipers will be a required material/tool for this workshop and participants will have the option to purchase with their registration if they don’t have their own to bring to the weekend. Easthampton Clay will bisque fire finished pieces following the workshop. We will reach out when pieces are bisqued and ready for pickup.
Maya Machin grew up on a homestead in Vermont where the emphasis was on using and making things by hand. Maya began her pottery endeavors at Romulus Craft where she did a mini-apprenticeship for her senior project in high school, and was completely hooked. She attended Hampshire College and concentrated on early childhood education and ceramics. In 2003, she began a three-year apprenticeship with Mark Shapiro in Worthington, MA. She has also studied under and/or assisted David Stuempfle, Michael Kline, Kim Ellington, Naomi Dalglish, and Michael Hunt. She shows regularly in juried craft shows and galleries in the area. Maya has always loved teaching and is adept at meeting every student where they are and helping them increase their skill in a way that works for them.