Exploring Professional Pottery

A 12-week workshop series on

PRODUCTION

STUDIO PRACTICE

& BUSINESS FOUNDATIONS

• Begins September 16th •

Morning Ceramics is excited to host another fantastic workshop series

in collaboration with

Aubrey Sloan

of Vibrant Pottery

What is this class?

Drawing upon the expertise and guidance of some of Portland’s most prolific & successful potters, this series is designed for artists who are ready to explore the next step in their career.

Whether you’re looking to turn a hobby into a serious pursuit or are just beginning your professional career, this series offers thoughtful mentorship, hands-on skill-building, and strategic guidance to help you refine your body of work, develop your ceramic business, and grow toward your individual goals.

DETAILS:

Through twelve weeks of studious exploration artists will be coached towards success, exploring hard-won lessons that were gathered over years of trial-and-error, research, experimentation, networking, and a little bit of luck.

Each week will focus on a different aspect of the professional process, methodically breaking down the steps and efforts required to create, iterate, perfect, and ultimately sell a cohesive body of work.

•
How do you transform a bag of clay into a series of pieces that speak your voice?
How do you maximize your production time in the studio?
How do you determine which avenue will be the most successful for selling your type of work?

•

These questions and many more will be explored in a supportive, academic setting with ambitious but achievable goals established throughout in order to develop a foundational understanding of what it takes to make pottery your profession.

Alongside the guidance of Aubrey Sloan, we’ll be hosting exclusive Guest Artist talks from six powerhouse Portland ceramicists - sharing their wealth of knowledge, experiences, advice, and the unique journey they’ve navigated to make their mark on the ceramics scene. We’ll be pulling back the curtain with the opportunity to ask burning questions, gain insightful feedback, and hone in on what it takes for some of Portland’s best artists to make their living from the success of their craft.

FEATURED ARTISTS:
Scot Cameron-Bell • Amy Fields • JaMpdx • Dennis Portz • Erika Rier • Brett Wulc

This transformative program will culminate in the exhibition and selling of a newly developed body of work,
with a guaranteed spot in the 7th annual Morning Ceramics Holiday Sale.

General Seating

$1495

Early Bird Special

$1245
(through June 30th)

Payment plans available through Affirm.
Click here to see the full Affirm T&Cs

• • •

12-Week workshop + mentorship under artist Aubrey Sloan

•

6 Exclusive artist talks, including:

+ One-on-one guidance

+ Personal critique

•

Open studio access + private storage at Morning Ceramics Studio

12 weeks of studio access, with up to 35 hours per week

Dozens of professional pottery wheels

Spacious, individual hand building tables

Large slab roller + extruder

Mid-sized equipment: banding wheels, rolling pins, Giffin Grips, and more!

•

Materials:

Up to 10 cubic feet of bisque firing

Up to 10 cubic feet of glaze firing

Choice of clay (25 lb)

Unlimited use of studio glazes

•

Vendor table in the 7th annual Morning Ceramics Holiday Sale

with one-on-one display & set-up support

($3500+ value)

+ Additional opportunity for professional product photography session

by Ty & Chey

MEET THE ARTISTS

Scroll through and click to read more about each artist and what they will be bringing to the program.

Scot Cameron-Bell

Putting yourself out there and defining your unique style
(Individual pieces to create a cohesive body of work)

Originally from San Francisco, Scot Cameron-Bell has made a lasting impression on the Portland pottery scene since her move here. Scot has coined the phrase “your art doesn’t have to match your sofa”, playing into a whimsical, colorful art style, influenced by the color combinations on 1930’s-era fabric.

Scot works with wheel-thrown pieces, altared and stretched, before being methodically decorated with drawings of birds, imaginary flowers and, finally, decoration techniques that give off the look of cracking, weathering, and aging of a piece, as if it had been buried for many years.

Amy Fields

Specialty pieces and Juried Festivals, local and national
(Lamps, carving, firing style, juicers, boxes and texturing, discussing jury process for shows)

Chasing the natural beauty of Oregon, Amy Fields landed in Portland, Oregon after growing up in New York and studying at Alfred University. Working primarily in fine porcelain and black stonework clays, Amy mastercrafts high-end tableware, highly textured wall sculpture, and breathtaking light fixtures, often minimal and utilitarian, and influenced by nature-inspired imagery.

Amy’s forms are created through both wheel throwing and handbuilding, after which they are completely transformed through intricate and intensive trimming, carving, decoration, and sanding. Especially fond of fine porcelain bodies and the translucency they lend themselves to, Amy’s techniques chase after the natural qualities of the materials she uses, taking them to a new level of refinery and polish.

JaMpdx

JaMpdx is the sweet collaboration of two long-time friends, Jenn Gauer and Meghan Radick.
Creating together for over 20 years, these two have carved out an unmistakable style through the combination of precise, porcelain wheel throwing and hand-piped cake-decorating techniques. Each piece is functional, decorative, and meant to be used and enjoyed.

JaM has created a wide following, dipping into many enthusiastic groups like the knitting, cake decorating, and pottery communities.

Initially focusing on online and market sales, Jenn & Meghan have recently opened up a brick & mortar where customers can find their wares and take skill-based workshops.

Dennis Portz

Local networking & resources
(pop-ups, wholesaling, galleries, and more)

Longtime community organizer Dennis Portz has become a vital force in Portland’s ceramics scene, blending a prolific production practice with deep ties to the city’s passionate small business community.

A full-time farmer and potter, Dennis has cultivated numerous opportunities for artists at all levels, pioneering accessible, high-impact sales platforms and gallery relations that serve as stepping stones for both emerging and established makers.

His talent for business-oriented community building has earned him a leadership role in the Oregon Potters Association, where he spearheads seasonal and pop-up event initiatives, expanding avenues for local artists to thrive.

Erika Rier

Speaking through art
(Sketchbooking, experimenting, and diving in)

Originally from New England, Erika Rier has settled in Portland, OR, where she has been a full time artist for over 20 years. With roots in painting, illustration, and textiles, ceramics has provided Erika with a 3-D canvas where her ideas can attach themselves to everyday objects. Her work marries striking illustrative scenes, with expressive patterns and comedic, surreal quips. Often turning out dozens of unique pieces per week, Erika’s work speaks volumes – depending on how closely the audience is listening, sometimes loudly, and sometimes deceptively quietly.

Aubrey Sloan

Artist mentoring and program lead
(Taking the next steps as an artist, studio practice, development & growth)

Oregon Based, Texas grown artist Aubrey Sloan has over a decade of pottery experience, with a ceramics focused BFA from San Angelo State University. She has served as Vice President and President of the Oregon Potters Association. In her own practice as Vibrant Pottery, Aubrey’s approach to functional work reflects the vibrant colors and beauty of the Southwest. Her pieces are meticulously and elaborately hand-carved, resulting in striking designs and forms that capture the intricate look and feel of the nature around her.

Aubrey’s heart for building and cultivating a thriving ceramic community can be seen in her generous educational approach to her pottery practice. Regularly offering one-on-one teaching and mentorship to artists at all skill levels, Aubrey has continued her outreach with the development of numerous educational programs and learning opportunities both as part of the Oregon Potters Association and as a partner at the East Creek community art studio and retreat.

Brett Wulc

Testing and Iterating
(Dinnerware, glaze testing, focus your niche)

Beloved by the internet, Brett Wulc has captivated the interest and eyes of a vast online audience, dazzling pottery (and food!) lovers through his slice-of-studio-life Instagram and Tiktok accounts.

Working with clay since the age of 16, his passion led him to study Ceramics at Sierra Nevada University in Lake Tahoe under Rick Parsons. Brett creates what he calls “meaningful pottery and dinnerware for the home”, consistent and versatile pieces of tableware that explore the connection between art and functionality. Brett has turned the business of his ceramic studio practice into a daily routine that involves not only developing and exploring his skills as a potter, but also approaching his work time with a modern appreciation for social media content. Brett has mastered getting the best of both worlds, churning out high quality, consistent ceramic work, while turning the process into engaging content that has attracted the attention, and business, of an ever-growing fanbase.

SCHEDULE

Week 1 - Sep 16 • Aubrey Sloan
Introduction & goal setting

Week 2 - Sep 23 • Aubrey Sloan
What are we making?

Week 4 - Sep 30 • GUEST: Erika Rier

Adding to the conversation

Week 3 - Oct 7 • GUEST: Brett Wulc

Testing & iteration

Week 5 - Oct 14 • Aubrey Sloan

Tools, flow, efficiency

Week 6 - Oct 21 • GUEST: Dennis Portz

Local networking & resources

Week 7 - Oct 28 • Aubrey Sloan

Trimming and finishing

Week 8 - Nov 4 • GUEST: Scot Cameron-Bell

Putting yourself out there

Week 9 - Nov 11 • GUEST: Amy Fields

Speciality pieces & juried festivals

Week 10 - Nov 18 • GUEST: JamPDX

Collaboration & business organization

Week 11 - Nov 25 • Aubrey Sloan

Final steps: Glazing, firing, cleaning work

Week 12 - Dec 2 • Aubrey Sloan

Display, presentaton, pricing, sharing your work

FEATURED ARTISTS: Scot Cameron-Bell • Amy Fields • JaMpdx • Dennis Portz • Erika Rier • Brett Wulc

HELLO@MORNINGCERAMICS.COM

FEATURED ARTISTS:
Scot Cameron-Bell • Amy Fields • JaMpdx • Dennis Portz • Erika Rier • Brett Wulc