Nerikomi – Designs in Colored Clay with Gretchen Grawunder

ThePottery at Borrego Springs High School
2281 Diegueno Rd, Borrego Springs, CA 92004
Park on Cahuilla Road, next to the gate to the school’s athletic field.
ThePottery is located under the big blue canopy,across the street from the Day Care Center.
The gate is locked so please contact the instructor to be let in.

9 a.m. – 12 p.m. 

Member: $75
Non-member $90

Marbled clay techniques date back to the 16 century. Artisans used local clay for kneading and to create effects. The term Nerikomi is a more contemporary term and refers to a design that is created in such a way that it extends through a block, imilar to millefiori glasswork from Italy.

This three-hour workshop wil be a demonstration of the Nerikomi process I use in my work. I wil show how to color clay, how to make a colored clay blend, how to make simple “canes” for designs, and how to assemble the canes into a block. If time permits, I wil show how to cut a slice from the block and laminate to a base clay and how to form a simple dish.

Each participant will receive:

• a finished piece of Nerikomi
• an outline
• notebook to jot down thoughts and ideas

Gretchen Grawunder started her clay journey in Borrego Springs at The Pottery in 2017 under the tutelage of Ginger Dunlap-Deitz. Working with stoneware clay, she made functional as well as sculptural pieces which she sells on ETSY, at local street fairs, and at BAI. In 2021, she enrolled in a week-long online ceramics course in colored clay taught by Dean McRaine, which inspired her to explore that medium. She continues using Dean’s process and inspiration and is now excited to share it with others.

Min: 5, Max: 15