What can I say except the experience of teaching 4 Vessels for 4 Seasons at the Bascom was exceptional in every way! Of course it always starts with a vision of excellence for a program and Frank Vickery, in charge to the clay program, has that and the knowledge, experience and energy to go with it! The workshop was well organized, every imaginable tool was available, there was help that anticipated our every need and the "icing on the cake" was the participants. The were fabulous! Each participant gave something special that added to the class experience.
Corbin Tucker was the "brightly burning candle on the cake". Though her title was assistant, with all her experience and expertise with clay, she could easily teach this workshop. Best of all was the fun we had planning this workshop. Together, I feel we were able to share our excitement not only about the medium of clay but about our mutual love of the environment, especially the lush mountain environment of the Highlands! Of course, having the benefit of her husband Robert's splendid garden at our fingertips and the surrounding forest as a resource for harvesting spectacular leaves, pods, flowers and branches, made it extra special.
Let's not forget the first morning and the mesmerizing performance of Ralph Deville, owner of the Stone Lantern, who shared his knowledge of the art of Ikebana along with the tools and special tricks of arranging plant materials in a variety of containers.
Ralph's demo plus his explanation of the major points of the philosophy and history behind the art of Ikebana proved to be inspirational as we tried our hand with available plant materials...
And of course the splendor of the Botanical Gardens set us on our journey and path for the day...
Sallie, a special thank you for hosting the potluck at your fabulous home. So sorry I didn't have my camera but one thing I remember is all the moss, ferns, and moss gardens for your grandchildren. Looking out over the lake was like dream vision of beauty...
Yeah!!!!! Our 1st bisque firing....
For me, the energy and ambiance of the class allowed me to be both teacher and student... It just does not get any better than that. Thank you to all involved. And thank you for my special Ralph recommended Ikebana scissors and fabulous "frog"! I will remember all of you and our experience together whenever I use them....
Oh yes, the outline for the class - I promised it would be loose but that we would attempt to cover the important points along with special requests. Hope we succeeded! What we didn't cover, we can cover in 2016!