Intro to Handbuilding with Morin Bissonette

Ages 18+
Experience Level All


4-6 pm
Monday, November 3
Wednesday, November 5
Monday, November 10
Wednesday, November 12
Monday, November 17
Wednesday, November 19


Class Description

Come and get your hands dirty in the Ceramics Studio! Students will learn the basic skills of handbuilding.

Skills Covered

• Basic concepts of the stages of clay
• Pinching
• Coiling
• Soft slab building
• Hard slab building
… and more!

Students will be provided with

• Fresh clay
• Access to traditional ceramic tools
• Space in our kilns to fire pots
• Use of shop glazes
Additional materials are available for a fee.


Class Timeline

Week 1 – Pinch Technique

Learn the stages of clay and the pinch technique to begin forming a sphere. Refine and complete your sphere using paddles and scrapers.


Week 2 – Coil Building

Learn to roll consistent coils as you create a coil-built pot or sculptural form.


Week 3 – Slab Building

Explore both soft slab and hard slab handbuilding techniques while creating a cup or mug and a slab-built box. Between sessions, Morin will bisque-fire completed pieces in preparation for glazing.

Students who have not previously glazed ceramics will attend a glazing session with Morin. Experienced students who are confident glazing independently may complete this step during open studio time.

Morin Bissonette

Morin Bissonette

Ceramics Studio Manager & Teaching Artist @morinandmud.artworks

About the Instructor

Ceramist and Sculptor, Morin Bissonette, grew up in Lake Placid where she fell in love with many types of art such as dance, ceramics, and generally creating. As it happens Morin’s first time taking a ceramic class was right at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts making her position at the Arts Center very full circle. Morin went on to get a Bachelor of Fine Arts at SUNY Plattsburgh where she concentrated in ceramics and sculpture. Her work focuses on the process of creating and bringing one back to their inner child. Furthermore she enjoys experimenting with different methods and mediums.

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Questions? Contact Managing Director Jon Donk at [email protected].