December 6th - Hand Building w/ Mudlab - Workshop Festival

Whether you’re new to ceramics or have years of experience, mudlab has a spot for you! Our structured multiweek classes foster learning and growth to fast track your pottery journey, our one-time workshops and date nights allow you to jump in the mud with no strings attached, and our self-guided drop ins give you the space to practice on your own terms. Join our incredible community and share our passion for clay!

For the Workshop:

Make a mug and a pinch/coil pot!

 Ever thought of trying pottery? Now’s your chance - Jump in the mud with us and make your very own mug and custom pinch pot in this unique ceramic handbuilding workshop!

Let your creativity run wild as our teachers expertly guide you through the process of prepping, planning, and turning your clay into your future favourite ceramic items. We’ll cover a variety of handbuilding techniques like coil and slab making to turn lumps of clay into mugs with handles, cups with carvings, a bud vase, or go zen and make your own sage/incense burner – it’s up to you!

You’ll have the chance to paint, shape, carve, and mold your clay into your masterpiece, and we’ll finish the final steps of firing and glazing for you. All pieces will be fully functional and food safe, as well as dishwasher, microwave, and oven safe!  

Final steps of firing and glazing generally takes 4-6 weeks to complete and you will be notified when they are ready with instructions to pick up your beautiful work!

Each participant will make 2 itmes:

1 mug/cup (with or without handle)

Carve, paint, shape and mold the clay into your very own mug!

Feel free to add colorful designs and intricate carvings, or keep it elegant and simple.

1 Pinch pot

A hand built item using traditional ceramic techniques such as pinching/coiling to create a fully functional or decorative item.

Popular items:

Bud vase

Salt pinch

Sage/incense burner

Spoon rest

Espresso cup

Ring holder

Trinket dish

About the Instructors

Niamh: - photo on the wheel working on the pot smiling wearing overalls 

As an Irish ceramic artist based in Vancouver, with a background in architecture and project management, I create functional pottery that brings beauty to everyday rituals. Inspired by nature, my work explores simplicity through a balance of organic and angular forms, with a particular influence from the colours, shapes and textures of the seashore.

Having grown up in a rural village along the Irish coast, the ocean has always been a source of inspiration and connection for me. From the blue tones of the water to the smooth, rounded forms of pebbles worn by the tide, these natural elements find their way into my work.

I am drawn to the versatility of clay and its ability to create texture, movement and depth. Through each piece, I aim to combine thoughtful design with everyday functionality, creating objects that feel just as special to use as they are to look at.

- Niamh (pronounced Neeve) of NOC Ceramics

Jurga:  

Jurga Hoffman (Muddy Handmade Ceramics) is a Vancouver based artist with a deep appreciation for color, texture and detail. Her background in drawing rarely lets her leave surfaces untouched - she loves to carve, draw and paint nature and animal inspired designs on her pots, blending art and function in this medium. Jurga creates in small batches, focusing on details and making each of the pieces unique and with a little story to tell. Whether it's a hand-carved local mountain range on a mug, a bowl with a seal swimming through a kelp forest, or a vase with a textured surface evoking a tree bark, clay lends itself to being a window into her world, and she loves sharing a glimpse of that with others.