Lisa + Alex
LaPella
Workshops
Alex and Lisa are available to teach a variety of workshops. Workshops can be hands on, demonstration, lecture, or round table discussion. Their unique tandem teaching style means participants get twice the instruction!
Summaries of some of their workshops are listed below. Submit the contact form at the bottom of this page to request more information or a sample contract. Discounts may be available to schools, not-for-profits, or new venues.
Workshop Summaries
A Unified Voice Through Collaboration
Alex and Lisa will demonstrate throwing pieces, including advanced techniques like “capping”, or throwing larger pieces in multiple parts and then joining them. They will discuss their unique approach to marketing and making a living through pottery.
In addition, they will demonstrate their approach to pattern mapping and underglaze decoration. They will demonstrate multiple hand building techniques, altering thrown pieces, and more. During this workshop, Alex and Lisa demonstrate side by side, illustrating their unique studio practice and packing more information into each hour of demonstration. This demo workshop can last 1 or 2 days.
Business Building Your Way
In this 1-3 hour workshop, Alex and Lisa will guide participants in building a ceramics business that is unique to them. Attendees are encouraged to identify and challenge their strengths, weaknesses, and pre-conceived notions regarding pottery as a livelihood. Handouts direct participants in exploring their uniqueness, then identifying how that affects their business goals. Can be taught as a lecture or as a group exercise. The lecture version of this workshop can be taught as the last hour of A Unified Voice Through Collaboration.
Throwing to Size
Beware! This hands-on workshop will challenge participants to use math in order to jumpstart prototypes when throwing to specific size.
Alex and Lisa will teach different formulas to help potters more accurately predict finished measurements. Then, participants will learn to fashion tools to maintain consistency throughout throwing, from firing to firing. This workshop can vary from 2-5 days. The math portion of this workshop is briefly touched on in our A Unified Voice Through Collaboration workshop.
Extreme Electric Kiln Maintenance
Learn Lisa’s program of rigorous kiln maintenance and record keeping at this 2 hour workshop. Participants leave this workshop with a firm understanding of the modern, computerized electric kiln. They will learn to eliminate many firing mishaps and inconsistencies through careful monitoring and a deeper understanding of how the kiln works.
This workshop can be combined with A Unified Voice Through Collaboration or Business Building Your Way for a unique 1 or 2 day workshop.