Earth & Fire: A Ceramics and Pit Fire Building Weekend with Lionel Clark

Learn the art of slab building, creating texture with nature, and totem creation all while deep diving into the pit firing process.

Each day will begin with a gentle optional morning yoga session followed by a healthy balanced breakfast. Free time to spend in nature enjoying various walking trails and to rejuvenate in the Tropical Greenhouse Spa (sauna, hot tub, and saltwater pool) will be scattered throughout the weekend. 

The Details: Session Breakdown

Session One: Wildflower Tumblers

• Participants will learn the slab building process through the creations of 2 tumblers. Once the tumblers are built participants will explore the grounds of the Lodge at Sweetwater Studios collecting samples of local and native botanical species they are drawn to. Once specimens have been collected, they will be used as inlaid decoration on the tumblers.

Session Two: My Creature Totem

• These little items have been used for a variety of purposes by many cultures for centuries. In this session participants will create a variety of small animals that have personal meaning to them. Participants are encouraged to bring a variety of images, for visual reference of creatures that are important to them.

Session Three: Building the Pit Fire

• Saturday evening the instructor will demonstrate the pit firing method of firing pottery so that the pieces built during the retreat can be fired and completed at the participants home.

**Participants can bring previous work that has been bisque fired if they would like to actively fire in the Saturday Night Pit Fire.

Materials: All clay will be provided and is included in the retreat pricing. Each participant will need to bring a basic set of pottery tools (or items that can smooth, sponge, and create texture) and a small box (shoe box size) to transport artwork home.

About your instructor: 

Born and raised on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Lionel Clark graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor in Art Education and then continued with a Masters of Art Education in 2001. 

Currently he resides in Diamondhead, MS and has over 20 teaching experiences including Poplarville High School, D'Iberville High School, adjunct professor at Pearl River Community Collage, Hancock Center- art appreciation, drawing, and art for elementary teachers, Hancock County Continuing Education- hand built pottery, wheel thrown pottery, and fine art drawing.

Lionel is currently the head of the arts department at Gautier High School where he teaches art, drawing, and ceramics. He has been chosen to serve on the strategic planning committee for the arts in the Pascagoula Gautier School District.

As an active artist, he is a member of National Art Educators Association, Mississippi Art Educators Association, and the Ocean Springs Art Association. 

Through teaching he hopes to open students' understanding to their creative potential. He was awarded the “Handsboro Dirty Mudders Award” for pottery in 2014 and awarded “Peter Anderson Memorial Potters Award” for excellence in glazing from the Ocean Springs Art Association in 2015. Lionel is happily married and his wife and children are a great source of focus and laughter that keeps him going as an artist.