IN THE STUDIO WITH COCO…

Coco has been teaching ceramic art since 1994. She was the founder and owner of Santa Monica Mudd Ceramics Studio and Malibu Mudd Studio/Gallery located in Southern California.

Aside from teaching group and private lessons in her studio, now located in Bozeman, Montana, Coco has and continues to work in public and private school classrooms in her commuinty.

A good portion of her focus in art was spent teaching clay therapy. For over 8 years, Coco worked with an adolesent rehab center for teens struggling with addiction. She has also spent many  years working with adults living with dissabilities and mental decline.

There is something very special and rewarding about creating a functioning piece of art.

Pottery/Hand-building Lessons

Coco teaches her students basic techniques in clay; slab work, coil, pinch and the use of the potters wheel. She also has a variety of decorative options to choose from; press molds, stamps, lace, wood block imprints,…  just to name a few.

Coco guides each student with a hands on approach, to ensure that each student, regardless of ones skill level, has the ability/guidance to create a functioning and/or decorative piece of art.

Using clay based colorants, called under-glazes, allows my students to create and paint the very same day. The option to use glazes, glass based colorants, requires an additional class.

Every clay piece will undergo two firings. A bisque firing and a glaze firing. Underglaze can be used on both greenware and or bisque ware.  Either way, a clear glaze will need to be applied to the ceramics after it has gone through the bisque (first) firing. A glaze firing allows the piece to become vitreous. In other words – water tight and functional. For those who sign up for a series classes, you’ll have the opportunity to use glazes.

Firings will take place approximately every 3-5 weeks.

Mobile Pottery Parties

Throwing a party but unsure what to do… Coco will bring her portable potters wheel along with a variety of decorating techniques to your home or work space. Each “student” will get the opportunity to create a functional project on the potters wheel.  Stamps, pressmolds and underglazes will be provided for decorating each project. Depending on party size, the time frame is approx 2 hours with a brief intermission between creating and painting. The ceramic projects will be bisque fired, then glaze fired and returned to the host for  distribution. Turn around time for this is approximately 4 weeks after creations are made.   

Baby Hand and Foot Impressions

Coco also captures a moment in time for parents of infants and young children. She offers Hand and Foot Impressions and Convex prints. These make great gifts for the family and are wonderful keepsakes as the years go by. Must be 5 weeks or older – from the due date. 

For more information contact Coco to set up an appt. 

Lessons in Clay…

Group Lesson (3 – 8 students) – One class:

$120.   2.5 hours/per adult  Create 1 wheel or 1 hand built project.  Decorate, using a variety of options; press molds, stamps, texture, etc… along with underglaze (clay based colorant – allowing you to paint the same day you create it). 

Private Lessons (1 – 2 students) One class:

$85.   1 hour/per person Create 1 wheel thrown project and paint the same day.

$135. – 2 hours/per person Create 2 projects with option to decorate using a variety of options along with underglaze to  paint the same day.

Choosing to “Glaze” your piece/s

A student may create and paint during the same lesson, however, if you would prefer to schedule a separate class so that you may use glazes… This option is avaiable after pieces get bisque fired. It usually takes me  2-3 weeks to fill a kiln, so depending on when that happens and once the pieces are fully dry, the next step is glazing.With that said, expect to schedule out the glazing  approximately 2-3 weeks after creating your piece. 

$50.  1 hour/per person. Using glaze on bisque pottery – created during a previous class.

$80.   2 hour/per person. Using glaze on bisque pottery – created during a previous class.

Series of 4 classes (3-6 students)   (one make-up per session – dates of classes to be arranged by group host)  

Learn a variety of techniques used to create a functioning object.  Slab, wheel, pinch pot, coil methods will be introduced during a session (4 classes), create up to 4 projects during the session.

$320.   1 hour & 30 min / 4 classes 

Artists will create and paint a project each class. If you have an interest in glazing your projects, the 4th class can be scheduled out so that the pieces are bisque fired before the glazing process takes place.    

Holiday Work Shops (a minimum of 4 students)

 $75. – 1.5 hour/per artist  Creating a holiday project using either on the wheel or using a slab technique. Students will also learn a variety of decorating techniques using; stamps, press molds, slip design, stencils as well as natural textures.

Mobile Parties… 

$500. For up to 6 participants.       $50. for each additional participant. 

Artists will create, decorate and paint their artwork. Each student will get the opportunity to throw a piece on the potters wheel and decorate their work using press molds and stamps. They will take a short break and tehn return to paint their pieces with underglaze, a clay based colorant. Each participant will be given instruction on how to use the tools and will be guided on the wheel in a hands on approach. Allow approximately 2 hours from start to finish, however, size of the group will determine if more time will be required. 

Coco will provide; All material, supplies and equipment to create with. Canvas and plastic for tables. Along with an additional 2′ x 4′ table for clay, stamps and underglaze colorants.

It is recommended that each person have a table top and chair to work at. We can provide up to three 30″ x 72″ tables at an additional charge of $25. per table. We do not provide chairs.

Pricing is based on a 10 mile radious to down town Bozeman. An additional charge for parties outside of this radious.

A few facts about clay and the application of clay based colorants v glaze.

*Bisque” is a term used for clay that has been fired to a specific temperature in the kiln. In this case, for the type of clay I use, it’s fired to 1945 degrees.  This is considered “low firie” or aka cone 04.                                                                                                                          It then becomes a ceramic object ready for glazing, which is then placed in a “glaze firing”. Again, considered a “low fire” temp, with a temperature reaching 1888 degrees – aka cone 06.

*Under-Glaze” is a clay based material that allows you to paint on the surface of an unfired /newly created project. The term used to describe unfired clay is called greenware. Under-glaze can be applied to bisquesware as well.

*Glaze” is a glass based liquid material that is painted on the surface of a bisqued (fired) piece of ceramic.                                                                                          This creates a water tight surface that can be utilized for food and drink. This process can only be done once the pieces have been bisque fired. If you apply glaze to an unfired piece of clay, the piece will most likely explode due to mosture having been trapped in the clay as teh glass seals onto the surface. You could potentially damage t he elements in the kiln as well, if something blows up in the kiln. That is why we always bisque fire the pieces before glazing them.  

If you would like to schedule a private lesson or would like to put together your own group lesson, please contact Coco for availability. As of right now, Coco does not have any group sessions scheduled during summer months. due to her participation in the Farmer’s Markets.

Additional pieces may be made during a private lesson.

Cost per project is based on weight of clay – currently $18. per pound. 

Hand and Foot Impressions 

Double Impressions  $50.

This includes impression of both hands or both feet or a hand and a foot – name and date optional on front or back.

Single Impression $25. (ornament)

All impressions will include name and date on back.

Names and dates (or age) stamped on the front is an additional charge of $5.to $15. 

Convex Prints:  

Double $40. ea.  or 3 for $110.

Single $18 ea. or 3 for $50. 

You must order impressions to do the convex prints. 

(Date will be on back of each order)

New borns must be at least 5 weeks old – from the original due date.