Handbuilt Ceramic Memory Houses with Lydia Thompson

June 11-14, 2026

In this hands-on workshop, participants will create a free-standing clay structure inspired by memory, place, and personal narrative. Using handbuilding techniques such as slab, coil, and pinch construction, students will design and build an imagined house or abode that tells a story.

Through guided demonstrations and group discussion, participants will explore how architecture can serve as metaphor. The structure may reflect lived experiences, places visited, or spaces observed in rural or urban landscapes. Students are encouraged to bring photographs or sketches of structures that inspire them, as well as a small ready-made ceramic object to help inform their narrative.

Surface design will be integrated into the building process. Demonstrations will include carving, texturing, and the application of slips, underglazes, and glazes at the leather-hard stage. Participants will learn how clay walls can suggest a range of materials and architectural details, from shingles and brick to softer, more flexible surfaces.

By the end of the workshop, participants will have completed a personalized sculptural structure and developed strategies for translating memory and story into three-dimensional form. Finished pieces will be dried, glaze-fired to cone 5/6 and available for pickup once firing is complete.

Workshop Spot includes three night Lodge accommodations, all meals, and workshop fee (Thursday Dinner through Sunday Brunch). This is for one participant.