Instructor: Steven Hill
Dates: August 16 – 21, 2026
Time: Sunday 5:00 pm – Friday 12:00 pm
Skill Level: Intermediate, Advanced
In this five-day workshop, you will learn the spraying and layering techniques that gives Steven Hill Pottery its unique look. You will use Steven Hill’s glazes, Steven Hill’s spray guns, and receive coaching directly from Steven.
Sunday: Course introduction
Monday: We will begin with everyone waxing and glazing 2 pots (1-vertical, 1-horizontal), loading a kiln, and firing. Steven will personally coach everyone spraying their pots. This firing will be unloaded on Wednesday morning.
Tuesday: Steven will address ways to achieve the kind of richness and surface variation in electric kilns that potters have come to associate with reduction / atmospheric firing. The basic techniques of spraying and the more advanced theories of layering and blending glazes will be explained and demonstrated. Students will wax their pots and develop a plan for glazing.
Wednesday: This is our main glazing day, and the class will be divided into two groups. The morning group will glaze from 9am – 12pm and the afternoon group from 1pm – 5pm. Steven will work with each student as they’re glazing to provide guidance. After the glazing is completed, the kiln(s) will be loaded, and firing will begin.
Thursday: In the morning session, Steven will throw, assemble, and apply slip to a few pots, while demonstrating his approach to making gestural forms. After lunch, Steven will lecture on spraying equipment, firing cycles, and further glaze experimentation.
Friday: We will unload the kilns and discuss the results.
Materials to bring:
Participants should bring 4 vertically oriented pieces (thrown or hand built), no more than 8” H x 6” W and 2 horizontal pieces, no more than 2” h x 8” W. The clay should be ^6 or ^10, white stoneware, or porcelain (preferred) and the pieces should be bone dry or bisque fired. If you are taking the Gestural Throwing workshop the previous week, you do not need to bring pots, as you will make them.
If you normally work with textures or slip, feel free to use them on your pieces for experimentation.
Since Steven will work with each participant as they’re glazing, six is absolutely the maximum # of pieces!!! No exceptions!