Building a hollow human figure from clay

Getting intensively involved in creating a figure in clay or porcelain and having the opportunity to fire it later is appealing! A large figure has its own strong presence, is a counterpart, even more so when it is colored. Our own body feeling guides us in finding the form.

Dry, leather-hard, slip - what can clay do in different degrees of hardness? We will start with material studies and try to use the newly discovered aesthetics to build a hollow figure up to one meter high. Perhaps in the end, glimpses of the hollow form will remain visible? The figures can be colored in the course of the construction process. How do color and form interact? Concentrating on the torso or body fragments is conceivable. You can bring along picture templates, but you can also be inspired by the material on site to create a body shape.
We will use coarsely fired red and white clay and porcelain as materials. We will create stamps from plaster to give the clay its own surface structure.
The figures will be taken home in a leather-hard state and can later be fired in your environment once they are completely dry.

Material costs for clay and paint according to consumption, approx. CHF 100 to CHF 200 per person.

Course language is German

Language skills of the course leader: FR / EN

There are various options for organizing accommodation during the courses. You can stay together with the other course participants in one of the Scuola's accommodation buildings, or you can book one of 4 studio apartments directly on the school's premises. You can also book a hotel room with breakfast or rent a rustico in the area.

Costs for accommodation in one of the Scuola di Scultura's course houses:
Double room for 1 week: 200.- CHF
Single room for 1 week: 300.- CHF

Breakfast & lunch will be organized by the participants themselves and can be arranged freely, in the evening there will be a meal together in the Ex-Osteria in Prato Sornico.

Various chefs are happy to cook for our course participants and offer dinner at the Ex-Osteria Mignami during the week (Mon-Fri). Dinner costs CHF 26 including starter/main course/dessert (drinks such as wine, beer etc.) can be purchased from them by the bottle.

Arrival: Sunday meeting point 5.15 pm, organizational matters, setting up the studio, moving into the accommodation and eating together, if desired.
Working hours: Monday to Friday: 8.30 am to 12 noon, 2 pm to 5 pm.
In addition, you can work freely.
Departure after the end of the course, possible until 10 am on Saturday.

Arrival by public transport from Locarno SBB railroad station. Take the "Vallemaggia" bus to Bignasco, then change to the Postbus to the "Peccia Paese" stop.

By car via Gotthard (A2) / San Bernardino (A3/A13) or Chiasso (A2) / exit: "Bellinzona Sud/Locarno" direction Locarno (main road) / Locarno tunnel / exit: "Vallemaggia/ Centovalli / Onsernone" (DO NOT leave Locarno!) continue in the direction of Vallemaggia (from the end of the tunnel another 40 km to Peccia)

Coming from western Switzerland and Valais: Simplon route to Domodossola / Centovalli / Ponte-Brolla, then turn left into Vallemaggia (from here 35 km to Peccia)