“Chasing Color”
Cone 6 Glaze Workshop

with John Britt

Friday, November 22nd, 9am-4pm
Saturday, November 23rd, 9am-4pm
Sunday the 24th, 9am-3pm

1/2 Hour Lunches - please pack a lunch
(consider a cooler bag, as our small staff frig cannot fit everyone’s lunches).

Workshop Fee: $445
Refund Policy: Please read this before registering.

The workshop is full. You may add yourself to the waitlist via the button below.

Workshop Description:
This three-day workshop will be a general overview of ceramic glazes, focusing on but not limited to cone 6 glazes. It is designed for the continuing beginner to intermediate ceramic artists. We will discuss cones, kilns, firing dynamics, and principles as well as how to apply those principles to various firing cycles. We are chasing color!

We will discuss how glazes work, how to adjust your glazes, and how to find new ones.

The workshop fee includes three days of instruction, raw materials for glazes, bisque-fired test tiles that you will get to keep, and the firings of these test tiles in the workshop.

A Complete Guide to Mid-Range Glazes, by John Britt, is not included in the class fee. Consider purchasing it ahead of time. It will be an essential resource for long-term glaze knowledge.

Keeping Test Tiles:
The studio will provide the glaze recipes we will be testing. We will be testing different glaze bases than we did in the June 2024 workshop. Everyone will get the recipes for all the glazes we test. All the test tiles will be fired C/6 oxidation.

You will be given test tiles made from three clay bodies - porcelain, white stoneware, and a higher iron clay body. Each participant will be assigned a different glaze base and do tests with 9 color variations. That means each person will have 45 test tiles. If we have a full workshop, we will have 1500+ test tiles to share.

Each participant is requested to leave their test tiles with the studio after the workshop. We will photograph the test tiles and create a Dropbox where each participant may download and save the photos of the test tiles you like. You may come pick up your test tiles after the workshop and keep them if you would like.

Bring these items: Participant Supply List

  • Lunches - We will have 1/2 hour breaks for lunch. Please pack yourself a lunch in a cooler if needed. We do have one microwave and one toaster oven, but there are 40 people in the workshop, so there could be a line to use these appliances. A simple sandwich might be best.

  • Dust Mask - N-95 or N-100 dust mask or OSHA-approved respirator

  • Ziplock bag - quart-size, (with your name on it) to keep dust mask in.

  • Journal & pen, sharpie markers, high-temperature ceramic underglaze pencil (blue or black),

  • Gloves - Two pairs/ latex

  • Immersion Blender - Braun (or some other brand) kitchen hand blender
    Make sure it fits inside of the cups required below. This MUST fit inside the plastic cups.

  • 10 – Solo plastic cups (16 oz. Clear or blue or red party cups), and a couple of glaze brushes. Make sure the hand blender fits into the Solo cup! (There are different sizes some of which are too small and then the blender won’t reach the bottom of the cup.)
    If you want to take the test glazes home bring Tupperware containers with lids to transport otherwise, we throw it out.

  • Light weight Quart Container - A container that sits on the scale to weigh out your full glaze recipe

  • A 1-gallon bucket to mix your glaze in.

  • Scale - Triple beam scale or digital scale
    ALSO TEST YOUR SCALE TO MAKE SURE IT IS ACCURATE TO 0.1 GRAMS!!
    Many cheap digital scales won’t measure that small of an increment. Many like to stop at 2 grams!! We need to weigh 0.2 grams or 0.5 grams. Also, test your scale against another triple beam or digital scale to see if it is actually accurate!!  MANY times, they are not!

  • Small scoop for measuring out materials (needs to fit inside Solo/ Plastic Cups)

  • Curiosity and patience - we will be working in a large group and learning from the efforts of everyone. Please come willing to be part of this awesome group! We are so lucky John is coming to share his knowledge with us!

About John Britt

John Britt is a studio potter in Bakersville, North Carolina who has been a potter and teacher for over 33 years. He lives in mountains of western North Carolina although he grew up in Dayton, Ohio. John is primarily a self-taught potter who has worked and taught extensively, both nationally and internationally, at universities, colleges and craft centers, including the Penland School of Crafts where he served as the Clay Coordinator and then, as the Studio’s Manager.

He is the author of the “The Complete Guide to High-Fire Glaze; Glazing & Firing at Cone 10” which was published by Lark Books in 2004, and his most recent book “The Complete Guide to Midrange Glazes: Glazing and Firing at Cone 6” which will be published October 2014. He also has and two ebooks: “The Quest for the Illusive Leaf Bowl and Other Assorted Articles” and “Aventurine Glazes”. He also has a DVD produced by Ceramics Daily entitled : “Understanding Glazes: How to Test, Tweak and Perfect Your Glazes”.

He was the juror for the book; “500 Bowls”, Technical Editor for “The Art and Craft of Ceramics”, and the “Ceramic Glaze: The Complete Handbook” by Brian Taylor and Kate Doody. He has written numerous articles for ceramics publications including: Ceramic Review, Studio Potter, Clay Times, Ceramic Technical, New Ceramics, The Log Book and is a frequent contributor to Ceramics Monthly.

Wanna see John Britt in action before the workshop?
Here are a couple YouTube Links where he is teaching

Class refund policy:

Cancellations must be made via email to info@raincityclay.com
If you want to cancel your class, you may request a refund based on the bullet points below. Then you may rebook yourself for a class that fits better into your schedule. Last-minute cancellations in classes are difficult to fill - please double-check your schedule before committing to an event. Refunds take several business days to process from the date we receive the email request.

  • 100% of tuition (less a $15 processing fee) will be refunded if a student elects to drop a class no later than ten days (10 days) before the first class meeting.

  • 80% of tuition (less a $15 processing fee) will be refunded if a student drops a class within 7 business days before the first class meeting.

  • 50% of tuition (less a $15 processing fee) will be refunded if a student drops a class within 3 business days before the first class meeting.

  • 0% of tuition is refunded if cancellation is made within two days of class for any reason except for documented medical emergencies. (providing a doctor's note). There are no other exceptions to this policy.

  • No refunds or credit will be given for missed classes. Students currently enrolled in 10-week classes may practice during open studio time to build skills even if a class is missed. One-day clay events and lessons do not come with open studio time.

  • We reserve the right to cancel a class or workshop up to 3 days in advance of the first class due to insufficient enrollment. If a class is canceled, you will be offered the option of another class or a full refund.