Making chess sets from foraged clay EARLY SESSION

Over two weeks, we will create a checkerboard with slip techniques (paper resist/scraffito), and create chess pieces using simple sculpting methods. All of the 'colour' used to differentiate the black/white will be made using slip made from foraged clay/

Week 1 (Jan 31, 11.30am-2pm) : We will learn to process foraged, local clay from it's raw, found state, into a usable slip. This dark liquid clay, alongside a white stoneware, will be used to create the light and dark contrast of our chess board and pieces. We will also create the chess board from a slab of clay; we can create the checkerboard using slip techniques such as paper resist or scraffito.

Week 2 (feb 7, 11.30am-2pm): We will use simple scultping techniques to make our chess pieces. The slip from last week can be used to 'paint' half our pieces black. Inlay and scraffito can also create further details.

I will glaze work seperately after the workshop with a honey coloured glaze made from local clay also.

YOU MUST BE ABLE TO ATTEND BOTH SESSIONS. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS THE EVENT PAGE FOR THE EARLY SESSION (There is an identical parallel workshop running from 2.30-5pm).

Please note: The cost of the workshop INCLUDES the firing and glazing fee.

Work is collectable from the ESEACC from the week beginning Feb 16th 2026. I can only keep work for 3 months until it will be disposed of due to limited storage.