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:

$70.   2 hours/per adult  Create 1 wheel or hand built project and paint using underglaze that same day.  

Private lessons (1 – 2 students) – One class:

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

$125. – 2 hours/per person Create up to 2 projects with the option to paint.

Weekly Classes (3-6 students) – Series of 4 classes.  

(one make-up per session)  

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), making up to 4 projects during the session.

$260.   1.5 hour / 4 classes 

Artists create a project during each lesson with the option to paint with underglazes. If you have an interest in glazing your projects, a class can be scheduled to glaze all pieces.  

See “Glaze Options” below.                                                                           

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, material, stencils as well as natural textures.

Mobile Parties… 

$350. For 5 or fewer participants. (Party must be within a 10 mile radious to downtown Bozeman).

Prices increase for parties outside of the area. 

$50.  for each additional participant. 

Artists will create, decorate and paint a piece of artwork they create with their own hands in an approximate 2 hour time frame.  A brief intermission between creating and painting takes place for set up.

Required: access to water, tables 

Need Tables… Coco will bring up to three 30″ x 72″ tables at an additional charge of $25. per table.  

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

Choosing to “Glaze” your piece/s

A student may create and paint during the same lesson, however, if you would prefer to schedule a seperate class so that you may use glazes…

Depending on when the next Bisque firing occurs, one might be a couple weeks away. WIth that said, allow approximately 3 weeks before comeing back in to glaze work created from a previous class.

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

$90.   2 hour/per person. Using glaze on bisque pottery – that was made during a  previous class.

*Bisque is a term used for clay that has been kiln fired in the kiln. It is then a  ceramic object ready for glazing and then a glaze firing.

*Glaze is a glass based liquid material that is painted on the surface of a bisqued (fired) ceramic piece. This creates a water tight surface that can be utilized. This process can only be done when the pieces have been bisque fired. 

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.

Additional pieces may be made during a private lesson.

Cost per project is based on weight of clay – currently $5. per pound. 

Hand and Foot Impressions 

Double Impressions  $45.

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 $22. (ornament)

An impression of one hand or one foot. with optional name on front or both name and date on back. 

Convex Prints:  

Double $35. ea.

Single $15 ea.

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.