Shape & Fire Clay Camp

JULY 6-10th, 2026

Get your hands dirty and your imagination moving! In this week-long clay camp, young artists will explore the art of handbuilding. Using techniques like pinching, coiling, and slab building, students will create one-of-a-kind ceramic pieces inspired by American landscapes, architecture, and everyday life, from rustic farm vessels of the Midwest to industrial textures of the Northeast and desert forms of the Southwest. Campers will learn how to shape, join, and decorate clay while experimenting with texture, pattern, and storytelling. Along the way, they’ll discover how artists use clay to reflect culture, environment, and history.

Projects may include:

• Textured clay tiles inspired by cityscapes and industry

• Handbuilt vessels influenced by regional forms