GlazeLab: Colour Exploration in Midrange Glazes 16 and 23 Jan

Are your glaze options holding you, and your work back?

Have you ever wanted to make your own glazes from scratch, but unsure how?

Are you seeking to express your glaze voice but don’t know how or where to start?

Guided by award-winning glaze artist Karuna Douglas, you’ll explore the magical world of colour development on this 2 day intensive, hands-on workshop, providing you with the fundamentals of glaze testing, as well as practical tips, tricks and techniques from Karuna’s decades of experience as a glaze specialist.

Dates: Saturday 16 and 23 January 2027, 9am - 4pm (please note this is a 2 day workshop)

Location: Friends building

Booking: this 2 day workshop costs $450 and spaces are limited.

Using mid-fire glazes, participants will dive into the world of ceramic glaze colours and discover some of the science and creativity behind achieving stunning results that go beyond the standard store-bought options.

Encouraging, inspiring and empowering other clay makers to express their own unique voices through their glaze surfaces, is Karuna’s passion.

Suitable for beginner through to experienced clay practitioners, Day 1 is practical where participants will make glazes from scratch, and then will learn the practice of how to create colour progression/line, cross and triaxial blends.

Day 2 consists of seminars and discussion covering a range of topics including developing stable, durable glazes, glaze costing, glaze journalling, special effect glazes etc. followed by analysis of the collective +600 test tiles from Day 1.

Note: Methodology taught is applicable to any firing range.

What’s included:

·         Two days of instruction

·         Handouts

·         Glaze costing spreadsheet

·         All glaze materials, tools and firing of test tiles

·         Leftover test glazes available for participants to take home

What you are required to bring to the workshop:

·         ***+60 bisqued test tiles – suitable for firing to C5/6. Test tiles = 60-100mmH x 35-50mmW. Tiles must be able to stand unaided. Carving/Detail within the top 30mm. Test tiles can be provided at a cost, if required.

·         Respirator or dust mask

·         Cellphone/Camera

·         Journal and pen/s

·         Safety Glasses

·         Closed shoes/suitable clothing/apron

About the Artist:

Karuna Douglas

Born in Aotearoa, Karuna had no artistic abilities until a brain injury in 1997 unleashed her creative talent in the ceramic arts. She combined her love and knowledge of chemistry with an overwhelming passion and skill for glazes. This has resulted in a unique award-winning art practice that is known for its incredibly rich glazes and ceramic surfaces.

As an indigenous artist, the graphic intensity of Karuna’s work is strongly influenced by her multi-cultural upbringing. In her vibrant tilework, traditional Indian influences such as imagery, textures and colours are clearly identifiable, all elements that strongly reference her ancestral homeland; while her signature pounamu-inspired glazes evoke a unique sense of connection to her birthplace, with strong and unmistakable references to Aotearoa’s dynamic and volatile spaces.

“My work exists in the layers just below and just above the clay. It’s only microns thick but here, in the interfacial zone, that’s where I work.”