Dates: August 28-31 [Four days]

Time: 10am- 5pm (hour lunch break at 1pm)

Where: Sculpture Space NYC, 47-21 35th St, Long Island City, NY 11101

Class: This course is limited to 14 students!

Join me for an immersive four-day workshop In New York City, New York, where you'll create your own ceramic furniture—choosing from a chair, stool, or side table. Led by ceramic artist, designer, and educator Austin Coudriet, this workshop will focus on advanced hand-building techniques, with a special emphasis on designing and constructing strong internal structures to support large-scale ceramic forms.

By integrating coil and slab-building techniques, we’ll explore methods for reinforcing large-scale forms, including the use of internal ribs, hollow chambers, and strategic bracing. This hands-on approach will give you the skills to design ceramic furniture that is both structurally sound and visually compelling.

Additionally, we’ll cover moisture control, shrinkage planning, and structural attachment techniques to help your work withstand the challenges of ceramic furniture-making. This masterclass is designed for intermediate to advanced makers eager to refine their skills and push creative boundaries. If you're a beginner, prior experience is recommended before enrolling.

Beyond the studio, take advantage of your time in NYC —explore world class museums, restaurants and shows

* Refund Policy – New York City Workshop

• Before August 1st: A refund of $1,025 will be issued for cancellations.

• After April 1st: No refunds will be available. However, if the vacated spot is filled by another student, a partial refund of $900 may be granted.

**SSNYC’s Firing service guidelines and fees**

-Drying Time: 4 weeks / Storage fee for Greenware pieces $60 (4 weeks) 

Additionally SSNYC requires a refundable security deposit of $55. The deposit will be refunded upon the pick up of the piece within 15 days after the pickup notice.

Firing Fees:

$0.04 per cubic inch cone 06

$0.04 per cubic inch cone 6

$0.12 per cubic inch cone 10

Studio access Fee for glaze application: $130

Day 1: Introduction to Design, Materials, and Coil-building 

Morning Session: Introductions and Design Foundations

Welcome and Presentation
Austin introduces the workshop, outlines the 4-day course, and shares insights into ceramic furniture design, scale, and interior structures

Understanding Ceramic Furniture
Presentation and discussion covering:

• Shrinkage, compression and moister control

• Interior structure formula

• Past student examples

Design Exploration

• Students sketch a handful of design ideas

• Emphasis on achievable forms for first-time furniture makers

• Austin provides individual feedback, helping students identify:

  • Which designs are structurally viable

  • Which ideas may need simplification or rethinking

• Students make Maquettes of their top designs

Afternoon Session: Start on the Main Furniture Piece

• Slab and coil demonstrations by Austin 

• Base Slabs & Initial Construction

• Proper slab compression to prevent warping, sinking, and cracking

• Crafting and attaching coils for maximum strength and efficiency

Day 2: Construction & Internal support Systems

All-Day: Coil building & Internal Support

Austin works one-on-one with students, focusing on:

• Proper coil attachments and maintaining consistent wall thickness

• Strategic use of internal supports for best weight distribution

• Demonstrations on when and how to add internal supports

• Demonstration on how to connect legs

Day 3: Furniture Fabrication 

All-Day Session: Furniture Height & Arch Supports

Main Furniture Construction
This day is dedicated to sustained building time for the external form and internal supports

• Demonstration on how to convert rib structures into arch support

• Demonstration on how to convert arch supports into the final grid

Day 4: Surface Refinement, Flipping furniture

Morning session:

Students building upside-down will prepare to flip works
Austin demonstrates and guides:

• How to cut and level each piece

• How to add a slab seat

• When and how to flip a piece

• Surface refinement and how to smooth a form

Afternoon Session: Drying work, Firing work, and Transportating work

Austin explains:

• Drying techniques for large work

• Kiln firing schedules for ceramic furniture

• Common failure points during bisque and glaze firing

• Avoiding collapse, cracking, and uneven shrinkage

Loading and Transporting Work
Austin assists students with:

• Safe loading techniques

• Supporting large ceramic pieces during transport

Outcome:
By the end of the workshop, participants will have successfully crafted a one-of-a-kind ceramic furniture piece, having navigated the entire process from conceptual design to material selection, construction, and finishing techniques. Through hands-on practice, they will gain a comprehensive understanding of the technical challenges and creative possibilities involved in ceramic furniture-making. Participants will:

• Master Essential Ceramic Techniques: Learn and apply foundational skills such as slab construction, coil building, and the use of internal supports to create durable and functional pieces.

• Understand Material Properties: Deepen their understanding of clay behavior, such as shrinkage, warping, and cracking, and learn how to manipulate these properties to ensure the longevity and stability of their work.

• Learn Adaptive Problem-Solving: By troubleshooting construction issues like warping, cracking, and weight distribution, participants will learn how to think critically about their furniture design and how to make adjustments as needed.

• Navigate the Firing Process: Learn about kiln schedules, firing temperatures, and proper drying techniques, empowering them to manage the critical stages of firing and prevent issues during the drying process.

In addition to acquiring technical skills, participants will leave the workshop with the confidence to approach future projects independently, armed with a thorough understanding of the complexities involved in large-scale ceramic works and furniture design.