Development - Illuminated Vessels

Develop your handbuilding skills by designing and creating a ceramic lamp, from planning the form and fitting hardware to surface decoration, glazing, and wiring. A hands-on introduction to making larger, more complex work, with smaller luminaries or candle holders to explore ideas and test glazes.

Dates: Nov 18 – Dec 16
Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Instructor: Emma Lu
Experience: Basic understanding of foundational hand-building skills, including pinching, coiling, and slab-building.
What's Included: Hands-on class instruction Demonstrations in lamp design, construction, surface decoration, hardware fitting, and wiring Guided projects: one medium lamp, no larger than 14 inches in each dimension, and one or two small luminaries or candle holders

$250

01 / Outcome

About the Class

Develop handbuilding skills through a larger, more complex project. Walk away with one functional lamp and up to two small luminaries or candlestick holders.

02 / Scheduled Classes

01 - Nov 18, 2026

Lamp Design & Small Forms

Introduce yourself and an object from home that you’re drawn to. Select between two cone 10 clay bodies. We will discuss the anatomy of a lamp and different types of lamp fixtures. Students will begin with making a simple luminary or candlestick holder as glaze test pieces. Open studio begins after the first class.

02 - Nov 25, 2026

Molds, Templates & Planning

Learn how to improve your handbuilding workflow by incorporating molds and templates. Students will begin planning and prototyping their lamps with small scale models.

03 - Dec 2, 2026

Surface Decoration & Construction

Learn new surface decoration techniques. Demos will include newsprint slip monoprinting, making bisque stamps and rollers, and combining different clay bodies. Continue constructing a medium sized lamp, taking into account hardware specifications.

04 - Dec 9, 2026

Final Making & Bisque Prep

Refine and finish all greenware projects before the bisque firing. We will introduce the concept of a firing atmosphere and discuss the differences between an oxidation and reduction firing. We will also cover best practices for drying and firing large and complex work. This is the last making class: all work must be finished and set out to dry for bisque submission.

05 - Dec 16, 2026

Hardware, Wiring & Glazing

Test bisque pieces with provided lighting hardware and learn how to safely wire your lamps. We’ll cover glaze application, including applying glazes with the atomizer and using wadding and firing furniture. Glaze your pieces, wipe the feet clean, and submit them for the final firing. Your wares will be ready to pick up 1-2 weeks later.

Your Instructor

Emma Lu

Studio Manager at Shared Floor, having a background in computer science and graphic design. Emma focus their practice with hand building techniques and illustrative/narrative work. Surfaces, intentional marks, complex layering of glaze and slips with a deep understanding of how work fires in both oxidation and reduction kilns