Portals to a Spiritual Realm: The Role of Art in Indigenous Cultures
In this three-day immersive workshop, you will learn from artist Richard Wehrs about historical sacred objects and make clay faces and figures of your own!
Date & Time
Jul 29, 2024, 12:00 PM – Aug 01, 2024, 1:00 PM
Adamah Art Studios, 4681 Co Rd ZZ, Dodgeville, WI 53533, USA
About the Workshop
Learn about historical sacred objects AND make clay faces and figures of your own! This course will explore the role art and art objects have played in belief systems throughout human history and around the world – while also providing a hands-on experience of creating sculptural ceramic pieces of your own design.
Daily presentations will explore peoples' belief systems in various continents and cultures, discovering remarkable commonalities in beliefs and the art objects created to support and articulate those beliefs. From pre-European Africa to pre-Columbian Central America and from ancient Europe to Oceania, we’ll see how indigenous cultures, completely separated by geography and time, came to remarkably similar conclusions about life, fertility, sickness, death, and other elements of the Common Human Experience. Finally, we’ll overlay what we’ve learned on the role of art in Christianity, particularly in Medieval times. We’ll see hundreds of compelling images of art objects worldwide throughout each presentation.
Of course, learning about fertility figures, spiritual guardians, and ritual masks – and countless other truly intriguing objects – will inspire us as we make our own clay sculptures each day. You’ll have plenty of time to learn new techniques in hand-building, with particular attention to face and figure construction and surface textures and patterns.
Adamah will provide:
- 50lbs of clay. Porcelain and additional stoneware will be available for purchase.
- Bisque firing during workshop
- Underglaze
- Basic carving and hand-building tools
Participants should bring:
- Any personal tools wished to use during workshop
- Boxes and wrapping for any pieces made during the workshop
The instructor, Richard Wehrs, has made sculptural ceramic faces and figures for over forty years. He has an MFA in studio art from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville with a ceramics major and a minor in art history of indigenous cultures. He had previously earned a Master of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN, and has served in various roles in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
To learn more about the artist visit:
Register
Single Occupancy
Private single room with private bathroom, linens included. Meals and #50 DSM clay included.
$560.00Multiple Occupancy
Shared room with private bathroom, linens included. If you do not indicate a roommate or come with a houseguest, you will be assigned a roommate prior to arrival. Meals and #50 DSM clay included.
$445.00Commuter Rate
The rate does not include lodging. Lunch will be provided daily. Additional meals are available for purchase. Please make arrangements in advance if you would like to add meals to your workshop. #50 DSM clay included
$195.00Houseguest
For anyone looking to join a workshop participant during their stay at Adamah without participating in a workshop. Meals and lodging are included. Come experience the beauty of Bethel Horizons property with over 7 miles of hiking and 5 miles of mountain biking trails. Relax and take in the breathtaking views and enjoy exploring Wisconsin's beautiful Driftless Area.
$275.00
Total
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