Entering its 10th year, Boulder Mountain Clayworks is celebrating its continuing success with the opening of a new gallery.
Ketchum artist Susan Ward, who began this artists' co-op in 1997, plans on opening the new clay and art gallery in the Tenth Street Center opposite the Knob Hill Inn. An opening reception is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 10, from 5 to 7 p.m.
"The Gallery will feature the best claywork being done in the valley in a gallery setting," said Ward. "The new gallery will also function as an exhibition space for visiting clay artists to exhibit their work when they come to give workshops. The shows will change monthly and provide the community with a source for exceptional clay vessels.
"Our community needs a space for display of fine local art. It is our goal to provide that space and enrich the local art community in the process."
The hubbub of activity at Clayworks' Tenth Street studio, just below the new gallery, will continue as normal this fall with the launch of the new fall schedule of classes. Classes on offer include:
Workshops
Free Form Sculpture (Oct. 6-8): Visiting Australian sculptor Julie Harvey returns to Clayworks with this weekend workshop of hand building figures on a large scale.
Intricate Building (Oct. 28 & 29): Marjolaine Renfro, a noted Ketchum artist and sculptor, will conduct this workshop which focuses on one project and will be a fast moving and stimulating weekend of hand building.
From Plaster to Pots (Nov. 24-26): Guest artist, Katrina Chaytor—head of the ceramics program at the Alberta College of Art and Design—will use computer icons, compose patterns and motifs to make highly decorated, functional, hand built pots. The class marries surface and form in a full weekend workshop,
Regular classes
Beginning Clay and Hand Building: Ward, herself a potter, will teach both these classes, which concentrate on basic techniques and are open to those without experience. She also teaches a festive, advanced class on Altered Functional Ware
All Level Wheel: Julie Singer, the studio manager, holds an MFA in Ceramics. She teaches this class for those looking for a refresher course or the next step. She also offers an advanced course on Enclosed Forms with fun, voluminous shapes.
Children's Clay classes: These begin the first week of October.
Painting & Drawing: Nationally recognized artist David deVillier will teaching a four week painting class as well as a drawing class. DeVillier's paintings are exhibited locally at Gail Severn Gallery.
Teenage Wheel classes: These begin Sept. 18.
Family clay making: These parent/children activities are scheduled in November and December. New to the schedule is Mom's Night Out! Mom's time to make holiday vessels and decorations.
Clayworks will also continue to offer monthly Raku Firings and Potluck Saturdays. In October, they are extending an invitation to the community to join Clayworks in making Empty Bowls for the Idaho Food Bank.
For dates and times of the regular classes visit bouldermtnclay.com.
Get your hands dirty
Visit bouldermtnclay.com or call 726-4484 to find out which classes are right for you. Boulder Mountain Clayworks can be found under the red awnings at 471 East Tenth St., in the Ketchum light-industrial area. Prices for classes range from $30 to $260. Punch cards are available for studio time: 15-hour cards are $65 and 30-hour cards are $120.
Katrina Chaytor's "Condiment Pots with Salt and Pepper" (High Fire, stoneware, oxidation). Chaytor will teach at Clayworks in November.
