Pottery - An experimental approach to hand-building in stoneware, focusing on pinching and coiling with Rachel Wood.

Sunday 3 August 2025 17:00
Friday 8 August 2025 14:00

Coombe Farm Studios (map)

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I’m thrilled to announce Rachel Wood as a new tutor for 2025. This course aims to refresh, revitalise and deepen your connection with the hand building techniques of pinching and coiling. Using an experimental approach, you will be able to gain confidence, develop competent skills and befriend your clay.

You will learn and apply surface decoration and mark making techniques to add vitality and life to your work, so that the natural qualities of the clay, and the experience of being at Coombe come shining through.

The course will begin with the fundamentals of coiling and pinching techniques. Then, through playful experiments and some group work we will explore the physical qualities of the clay, appreciate it strengths, and exploit its limitations. Using an investigative approach, you will experiment with surface treatment through the application of slips and glaze to build layer and depth to your work.

Rachel Wood studied ceramics at Loughborough College of Art and Design. Rachel was also assistant to the potter Robin Welch, and has completed several residencies including at Rufford Craft Centre, Sturt Craft Centre, Australia, and Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Centre, Denmark. She now teaches and exhibits extensively in the UK, Germany, Netherlands, France and Australia. Her work is found in private and public collections.

“I am inspired by the world around me…the colours, shapes and the textures of the landscape. I want each pot to convey its own spirit and character…to have a pulse and a heartbeat. I want the marks to reflect the journey of exploration and learning in each pot, just as a wrinkle or dimple depicts expression and character in a human face.”

**EXPERIENCE LEVEL**: This course is designed for anyone regardless of experience with clay and therefore open to all abilities.

**OUTLINE SCHEDULE:** Sunday // 5-7pm Residents arrive // 7pm non-residents arrival and welcome drinks followed by dinner. Monday-Thursday // Residents breakfast 8.30am //Tuition begins 9.30am // Lunch 1.00pm //Tuition resumes 2-5pm. Friday // Residents breakfast 8.30am // Final tuition session 9.30am-1.00pm // Closing lunch 1.00-2.00pm
**ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS:** Residential and non-residential spaces available. NB residents are not required to share bedrooms, see accommodation for more info.

**COST**: £821 + VAT for residential which covers all your tuition, accommodation and food from arrival on Sunday through to departure after lunch on Friday. Non-residential fees are £593 + VAT include all tuition, welcome drinks on Sunday and lunch from Mon-Friday.

**MATERIALS LIST:** There’s a full materials list for this course listed below, which you need to organise, buy and bring with you.
**HOW TO GET HERE:** Our address is TQ6 0JA [What3words: What3words: fulfilled.exploring.branching] and we have plenty of free onsite parking. Trains > nearest station is Totnes then we can arrange lift shares or send taxi details. We are about 20 minutes from the station.
**HOW MANY PEOPLE ON THE COURSE?** Max 8 to allow the tutor to give everyone enough attention and time.

FOOD & DRINK: Food is a key part of an immersive course at Coombe. Meals are taken at a long shared table with the other participants either inside in the cooler months or outside in our courtyard when the weather is warmer. Our onsite chef caters for you including all/any dietary requirements. We grow our own vegetables and keep chickens for fresh eggs daily. For those that enjoy wine, we have a fantastic wine merchant who supply us with a small range available to buy onsite.

SEASON: Summer at Coombe is a glorious time, the veg patch is producing lots of fresh herbs and vegetables, with the warmer weather we can have lunches outside in the courtyard and dry our pots in the sun.

Rachel is a highly skilled practitioner after many years of experience on the international and UK ceramic scene, she has been running workshops with all ages and levels of experience since 2001, including at international ceramic schools in Europe and Australia, one to one sessions, small private groups, and individual mentoring. Each student is treated as an individual so their own needs and ideas come to life, and according to their level of experience, whether a beginner, intermediate or advanced. Guidance is given throughout. As with all courses at Coombe the five days will include frequent demonstrations, some technical talk and an insight into Rachel’s own making and philosophy.