35 Days Beginners Course Retreat in Dharamshala

This course is designed for those who wish to learn pottery/ceramics and take it further as a profession or a serious hobby. It’s a full-time course, a thoughtful blend of technical guidance and artistic educational goals for students to bring up their skill levels.

In Dharamkot Village there are 2 studios 10 minutes walk apart, both studios cover approximately 5000 square feet area in total and accommodate 32 peoples at a time. Both places are equipped independently yet function as one unit.

Studio-1 which is our old studio is used for daily/non residential workshops while studio-2 is used for retreats and beginners course. At the studio 2 we have accommodation for 18 people.

Both places are well connected by road and have an amazing view of mountains. We use terracotta and stoneware clay, pottery wheels, slab rollers, low-mid fire glazes and gas/elactric kilns.

Dharamkot studio is primarily a community art space where people can learn art and use the studio space/materials.

Studio itself is not making any products; artists make their work in the studio and sell on their own or from the studio.

6:30 AM - Yoga & Meditation session
9:00 AM - Breakfast
11:00 AM - Attend the fourth workshop on “Texturing/Surface Decoration”.
2:00 PM - Lunch
3:00 PM - Guided Dharamshala Sight-seeing Tour (Dalai Lama Temple, St. John’s in the Wilderness Church and the McLeodganj Market)
6:00 PM - Return to the Studio with our guide in a cab or stay longer and take a taxi back.
8:00 PM- Dinner (You can also explore one of the many restaurants/ bars in Mcleodganj)

This course is designed for those who wish to learn pottery/ceramics and take it further as a profession or a serious hobby. It’s a full-time course, a thoughtful blend of technical guidance and artistic educational goals for students to bring up their skill levels.

COURSE OUTLINE: The five-week beginners’ pottery course in Dharamkot studio is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the basic components required to work as a beginner ceramic/pottery artist. Throughout the course, you will have the opportunity to engage in various tasks and projects that will enhance your skills and knowledge in the field.

THE COURSE COVERS THE FOLLOWING KEY COMPONENTS, WHICH ARE SPREAD OUT OVER THE DURATION OF FIVE WEEKS:

1. Techniques of Forming: You will learn both wheel throwing and hand-building techniques. Wheel throwing involves creating pottery on a spinning wheel, while hand-building focuses on shaping clay manually using different techniques such as coiling, slab building, and pinching.

2. Understanding Glazes, Glazing, and Firing: This component introduces you to the basics of glazes, which are decorative coatings applied to pottery before firing. You will learn about different types of glazes, their application techniques, and the firing process necessary to achieve the desired results.

3. Understanding Design and Self-Expression: The course emphasizes the importance of design in pottery and explores possibilities for self-expression. You will learn about design principles, explore different artistic styles, and be encouraged to express your creativity through your ceramic creations.

pottery course for beginners
COURSE STRUCTURE: In week one, you will be taught the techniques of wheel throwing, surface design and hand-building. Following the instruction, you will have ample practice time to hone your skills in these areas. One significant aspect of the curriculum is the flexibility it offers. After two weeks, you have the freedom to choose whether you want to focus on wheel throwing or hand-building.

COURSE OBJECTIVE: – By providing a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental techniques, production methods, glazing, firing, and design principles, this five-week pottery course aims to equip you with a solid foundation as a beginner ceramic/pottery artist. It allows you to explore different avenues of pottery and encourages your creative expression with clay.

TEACHING-LEARNING METHOD: The curriculum includes basic theory, demonstrations, tasks, and mentor-mentee discussions over 6 working days. Each week, there are teaching sessions, guided practice, and self-practice sessions.
During the course you will use mid-range (cone 5-7) stoneware clay/ glazes in electric and gas-fired kilns.

pottery course in india
Local Potter and Studio Tour: Visit local pottery studios and interact with skilled potters, gaining insights into techniques and practices.

OUTCOME
Student Exhibition: Showcase your creations in a dedicated exhibition at the end of the course, celebrating your progress and creativity.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Ceramics is a vast subject and learning pottery as a skill can be a slow process that requires dedication and single-mindedness.
5 weeks of learning will create a basic understanding and confidence to pursue studio pottery. Do remember that what we do here will be to set you up on a path as a potter. You will further need a lot of practice and individual study to achieve your goal of becoming a professional artist/potter.

The accommodation and studio lie amidst the pine and cedar forest, completely secluded from the hustle-bustle of the town yet easily approachable by road and just a 5-minute walk away from the village. We have single and double-occupancy rooms. We don’t put up strangers together- so you will either have the whole room or share it with someone you bring along.
All the rooms are with attached washrooms, high–speed WiFi, power backup, hot water, electric kettle, heaters/Fan private balcony and modernist aesthetics. You will have a view of the Dhauladhar mountain range from your room!

By Air – Kangra Airport (DHM) is the nearest airport which is around 20 km (50 minutes) from the studio, direct taxi (Rs. 1200/-) to the studio will be available.

By Bus – Overnight journey from Delhi by semi-sleeper bus. The nearest bus station is Dharamshala (8 km), and from the bus station, you can take a taxi (Rs. 600/-) to the studio.

By Train – Pathankot (85km) is the nearest railway station. From Pathankot, you can take public transport to Dharamshala and then a taxi to the Studio. Or you can take a taxi from Pathankot to the studio.

• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.