We are running two courses here in Tackley this year.

I think the 10th year we have been running the making and decorating slipware course.

The dates are: 17 – 20th of July and 24th – 27th of July. A brief outline is below. Please get in touch for more information.

Jane and Dylan Bowen Slipware Course 2025

Thursday 17 July – Sunday 20th of July 

and 

Thursday 24th of July – Sunday 27th of July 

Now in its eleventh year, Jane and Dylan will be holding a four day course in their Studio in Tackley, Oxfordshire.  Over 4 days we will be teaching and demonstrating our approach to Slipware, emphasising dynamism, freedom and following new directions.

The 4-day course will be divided very roughly into 2 days making and 2 days decorating. There will be demonstrations by Jane or Dylan at the beginning and during each day. These will be simple techniques which we will use as the starting point for each session. Students will then be able to take these methods and adapt and develop them individually. It is a great opportunity to really immerse yourself and hopefully stretch and develop your relationship with clay and slip . We usually have a mix of new and returning students, experience is helpful but not vital. 

The course is loosely about the making process itself, about creating and developing work through critical examination and through focusing on the making rather than the results. Making in the moment and moving on, learning to leave things alone and looking beyond a single finished piece towards a flexible and exciting way of working with clay. We will also be teaching in a practical way, the use of slip trailers, techniques with slip old and new, our methods of hand building, there are a few wheels available for throwers. 

We will have a lot of clay, slips, trailers, brushes, all manner of tools. There is no limit on the amount of work that can be made but we will only be able to fire and glaze a couple of pieces per student. We have some big recycling bins! 

A typical day would be: 

9:30:  start, first demonstration, making or slip decorating. Commence first working session 

11.00:  tea/coffee
1.00:   Break for Lunch 2.00 Talk/lecture
2:00:    Second Demonstration & Second working session

5:00 :   Finish 

The Course costs £450 including all materials,  lunch, tea, coffee ,cake etc. 

Tackley is 8 miles or so from Oxford with regular bus and train service. We can help coordinate transport. There is some accommodation in Tackley and lots in Woodstock (3 miles away) and Oxford.