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Saturday, December 5, 2009

Do It. Ceramics class.


Coiling. Sculpting. Throwing. Pinching. Firing. Glazing. Shaping. Molding. These words get my heart fluttering like few other things can. I love the prospect of taking a hunk of, well, dirt really, and making it into a glass vase, large mixing bowl, porch-dwelling pumpkin, decorative gnome or, in my case, a very ugly colander.

My weekend escape is my time at a ceramics studio in a tiny room in the middle of Bixby Park, a itty-bitty park nestled between Cherry and Junipero Avenue, Ocean Boulevard, and Broadway with a (interesting?) view of Long Beach’s port.

For $45 every eight week session, students are privy to first-rate lectures on glazing techniques, throwing, sculpting, and a low-fire kiln and both electric and kick wheels (I’m more of a kick-wheel girl, myself). You do have to buy the clay yourself, but that’s no biggie with Lyon’s Supply Company in the East Village of Long Beach.

Most of the folks attending are in the over 50 crowd, and vary in skill level from the beginners to master sculptors
and there's definitely a very supportive atmospher
e. At the beginning of each class everyone gathers around the kiln and comments about how each person's work came out, and what can be done to fix/improve work.

Those interested in signing up for the class, provided through the city of Long Beach can sign up on the city's website.


Bixby Park is located at 130 Cherry Ave. in Long Beach.


-- Lauren Williams

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