We offer exclusive Atelier sessions for our members.
Both CACM members and non-members are welcome to attend our Workshops and Special Events. Check out our upcoming program.
To purchase our Workshops please go to our STORE Tab.
To purchase an Atelier, you must first become a CACM Associate Member.
Atelier: 4-6 weeks
Workshop: 1-2 days
Year of the Fire Horse
Wednesdays, 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
April 08 - May 13
6-week program
Led by Bree Woodward
Equine Sculpture Workshop
Capture the strength, grace, and motion of the horse in this focused sculpture Atelier. Attendees will explore equine anatomy and proportion, learning how bone structure and muscle groups define realistic form. Through guided use of templates, references, and measured observation, you’ll translate complex anatomy into accurate sculptural shapes. This session also emphasizes smart engineering—teaching techniques to build a balanced, structurally sound horse that can confidently stand on slender legs without sacrificing elegance or realism.
To celebrate the Lunar Year of the Fire Horse, attendees will be encouraged to explore what "fire" means, either through glazing techniques, spirited poses, or flame-like manes...your creativity is limitless!
Students will gain skills in:
Reading and applying equine anatomy
Using templates and visual references for accuracy
Building internal structure and balance
Sculpting realistic proportions and movement
Engineering stability in delicate forms
Mid-Range Firing_ATL-2-26
6-week program
Led by Nadia Tarzi-Saccardi
Monday, 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM
March 9 - April 20**
Take your firing skills to the next level in this focused, six-week, mentor-led Atelier designed for adventurous ceramicists. Participants will dive deeper into construction techniques suited to mid-range firing and refine glaze application while working in the cone 5–6 range.
Throughout the Atelier, specific building demonstrations and guided projects will be used to illustrate how form, material choices, glaze application, and firing decisions interact at mid-range temperatures. These hands-on examples provide practical context for achieving more consistent, intentional results.
Participants will leave with a stronger technical understanding of mid-range firing, along with practical strategies for troubleshooting common firing challenges and developing a more confident, repeatable firing process.
This extended workshop is intensive. Participants are expected to take advantage of their LAB hours to complete work on a weekly basis.
** We do not meet on April 6 - However LABs are available that week
Scales, Skins and Fins: Sculpting Reptiles, Fish, Amphibians_ATL-4-26
6-week program
Led by Bree Woodward
May 27 - July 1
Explore the rich diversity of reptiles and amphibians through the lens of sculpture in this intermediate-level workshop. Scales & Skins focuses on refining sculpting techniques while deepening anatomical understanding of creatures such as frogs, turtles, snakes, geckos, chameleons, and more.
Participants will:
Utilize templates and anatomical references to build dynamic, structurally sound clay forms.
Study skeletal frameworks and musculature to inform realistic anatomy and pose design.
Sculpt expressive gestures and species-specific features with attention to proportion and character.
Learn advanced surface techniques for rendering scales, skin textures, and other fine details.
Designed for students with prior experience in clay work, this Atelier blends artistic practice with biological accuracy to elevate your sculpting skills and bring cold-blooded creatures vividly to life.
Conversation with Richard Shaw
April 4th - 4:00m - 6:00pm
Free Event for Ceramic students ages 16 - 25
(High School, College, University)
Student Reservation required email: info@cacm.studio
Join us to meet Richard Shaw for a casual, in-depth conversation full of stories, led by John Toki
In the world of contemporary ceramics, Richard Shaw is the master of trompe-l’oeil sculpture. He has developed an astonishing array of techniques, including perfectly cast porcelain objects and overglaze transfer decals. By combining the commonplace with the whimsical, the humorous with the mundane, Shaw captures the poetic and the surreal with the sensibility of a comedian.
Shaw is one of the most respected and collected artists in contemporary ceramics. He came out of the San Francisco Bay Area art scene in the late 1960's and he continues to add to his skills and appropriate from mass culture. He has developed a vocabulary of found objects that form intimate still life sculptures, complex figures, and personally referential assemblages. He brings life to the detritus of the studio, as a cartoonist animates the page.
He has received numerous honors and awards for his accomplishments, including: two National Endowment Grants, Honorary fellow of the American Craft Council, Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts Degree, San Francisco Art Institute and Resident Artist at Shigaraki Cultural Ceramic Park, Japan. Shaw was professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and honored to be a part of the Manufacture National Sevres in Paris.
The CACM Clay Talks: Conversations with the Masters is a platform dedicated to bringing top-tier ceramic artists together with our community of makers and enthusiasts. Our goal is to provide you with a rare opportunity to hear directly and learn from experienced ceramic artists.
Go to our STORE Tab to make your purchase.