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TRYON-Potter Samantha Oliver of Tryon will be teaching a 3-day pottery workshop at Tryon Arts and Crafts School starting February 24. Each class will last from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Oliver, who has just completed a residency at the Penland Arts and Crafts School and taught at other prestigious arts and crafts schools such as the Arrowmont School of Crafts in Gatlinburg, will conduct a 3-day course for intermediate and advanced students. After earning a degree in ceramics from Winthrop University and a post-baccalaureate at William and Mary, Oliver participated in several residencies in Va., Penn., and S.C., and her pieces have been displayed in galleries across the US. She currently works out of her home studio near TACS. 

Her upcoming workshop, entitled “On the Surface,” will focus on teaching how to use different surface techniques to brighten up pottery. Students will work on techniques beyond glazing, such as inlay, cutting, and stencil work. One of the other techniques taught will be sgraffito, Italian for scratch, where layers of color are applied before scratching off parts of the layers.

“This class is for adults with a general understanding of how to work with pottery,” says Oliver. “Though some potters worry about learning surface techniques because they don’t feel they are good at drawing, they are usually pleasantly surprised by the results after taking one of my workshops. Students should get ready to have a lot of fun and expand their pottery skills all while making weird and interesting stuff.”

Oliver will teach another 3-day workshop in May, called Coil Building Big and Small. For more information on the classes, contact Tryon Arts and Crafts School or visit their website, tryonartsandcrafts.org, to sign up.