Participants will be introduced to an experimental approach to ceramics, learning how to transform clay into a workable slurry and apply it through piping techniques to build intricate, decorative surfaces. Through guided exercises, they will create small sculptural elements and explore how to layer and assemble components, gaining an understanding of how to manage drying times when combining wet and semi-dry clay. This hands-on process encourages a playful yet technically informed way of working, expanding traditional approaches to hand-building.

Throughout the session, participants will gain confidence in using clay in expressive and unconventional ways, developing skills to create highly detailed, textural forms. Drawing on historical references to 18th century sugar sculpture and decorative traditions, they will be encouraged to think beyond standard ceramic methods, integrating construction and surface to produce unique, personalised works. By the end of the workshop, each participant will have developed new techniques and a fresh perspective on how to approach sculptural ceramics.