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2017 Teaching Proposal Form
Name: Brooke Millecchia
Home Address: 35 Squirrels Heath Rd
Phone number: 585-507-8639
Email Address: brooke@brookemillecchia.com
What medium/media do you work in?
Cone 6 clay
When are you available to teach?
Touchstone’s spring session consists of Symposiums held on May weekends. Summer sessions are three, five or six days, and are late May through early September. Fall Sessions are 2 or 3 day weekend workshops held through early October. Please include specific dates.
9/15-17 2017 9/22-9/24 9/29-10/01 10/6-10/8
What is the title of your proposed workshop?
Mapping and Surface Decoration
What is the description of the class you are proposing?
Touchstone accepts students from all levels including professional artists and craftspeople to beginners. Please write a description and title of the class you propose and the instruction level. Include ideal length of time, ideal skill level of students, techniques you plan to cover, and proposed project(s) to accomplish during the class. You are welcome to propose more than one workshop, or more than one version of a workshop. For example: you can propose a class, but explain how it could be adapted for one week or weekend. Describe any previous experience teaching similar workshops. Additionally, list the facility requirements, such as the kinds of equipment and supplies you would need.
Mapping and Surface Decoration Map out the surface of your pots based on their shape and accentuate it with textures and underglaze application. Intermediate to Advanced Students should be able to make a pot without struggle so they can focus on the surface. This workshop could be for anyone ready to move beyond a basic dunking of glaze as their main decorative resource. Ideal for 2 or 3 day: We will hand build plates, map, and decorate the same way, step by step. While the plates are drying, I will give a demonstration on how I decide to map a pot. This means: where will I choose to add texture and other surface treatments and why. Techniques: types of surface decoration, including color, stamps, textured foam and wallpaper, incising, and simple painting techniques. After demonstration, we will finish the plate. Once finished with clay surface manipulation, we will let dry. Once dry, we can add and take away color as another surface treatment. This would be the end of the two day. For 3 day, we would start another plate, but this time I’ll have them map and decorate on their own with way, with my assistance (3 day). If this workshop were to extend to a week, we would make three pieces, bisque, and glaze. I’ve been teaching these techniques and several others from throwing, altering, and han dbuilding, at a number of continuing education facilities since 2002. In the spring semester of 2015, I was an adjunct professor in the ceramics dept. at Nazareth College and started an ongoing position as an artist-in-residence, for five weeks per year, teaching five classes a day to seniors majoring in art, in college. This workshop can be suitable for any type of clay, but low fire would make the most sense, for time. White stoneware is best for color response. The use of a slab roller, is helpful, as well as basic handbuilding tools. Amaco velvet underglazes are what I use for color and a clear glaze would be needed to finish the pieces. As for texture, found object are fun. We can make our own textures to use, if you have a baby doll kiln. I could bring mine, if you don’t have one. Any type of textured mats are great and I do have some, too. An electric kiln is what I use, but I know any other kiln would also work.
Please include your brief biography?
In 1995, Brooke Millecchia received her B.F.A in ceramics from West Virginia University and began her career as a studio potter. In 2002, she took an interest in teaching intermediate students so that they too could become independent professional potters. Today, she finds balance by growing as an independent ceramic artist and sharing her passion of clay with her students. Brooke lives in Fairport, New York with her husband Matt and their two boys. She is a dedicated full time mother and potter.
Have you ever taught at Touchstone? ☐ YES x NO
Have you been a student or studio assistant at Touchstone? ☐ YES x NO
ATTACHMENTS
1. Current CV or Resume
2. Media
Please submit up to 4 images of current work. (Accepted formats for images: .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif, .tif, .tiff, .bmp, .tga.)
Please return form by e-mail to edennis@touchstonecrafts.org with subject “2017 Teaching Proposal” or by mail to
Touchstone Center for Crafts
1049 Wharton Furnace Rd.
Farmington, PA 15437