Free Workshop, ‘Altars,’ Offered by TAMIU Ceramics Prof
“Altars,” a slab-building workshop by Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) assistant professor of Art Emily Bayless, is set for Saturday, June 14 from 12 – 3 p.m. at the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Ceramics Studio (room 125).
The workshop is free and open to the public, 18+ years of age. Admission is limited and capped at 15 participants. To sign up, visit https://go.tamiu.edu/ce-ceramics25. Materials will be provided thanks to the support of the Daphne Art Foundation. (Update: A limited number of workshop slots will be available online with registration beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 10.)
Workshop participants will receive instruction on designing and constructing slab-built clay works.
Taking inspiration from architectural breeze blocks, tile work, and repetitive patterns, Bayless will teach participants how to create perforated patterns in clay to create a sculpture that utilizes negative and positive space to create a play between light and shadow using candles.
Attendees can also garner inspiration from Bayless’s solo show, “Altars,” which is currently on view at Casa Daphne, located at 1420 Washington St. in Laredo. The exhibit will be on display through Friday, June 27. Gallery hours are by appointment.
Founded in 2019, the Daphne Art Foundation is a 501c (3) nonprofit arts organization located on the U.S. – México border in South Texas. It focuses on improving the quality of life through transformative cultural experiences. To learn more, visit https://www.daphneart.org/
Bayless has served as guest lecturer at several institutions including New Mexico State University, San Francisco Art Institute, Dickinson College, and Adams State University. Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries, such as the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Diego Rivera Gallery of SFAI, Baltimore Clay Works, Susquehanna Art Museum, and the Glave Kocen Gallery.
She earned her MFA in Ceramics from the University of Colorado Boulder and a BFA from Arizona State University.
Bayless works in clay and fiber. Her studio research practice is focused on the history of ceramics, equity, craft, and installation. Her work challenges the technical threshold of clay with pieces that are precarious, fragile, and stretch the stable scale of ceramic objects. She has expertise in hand-building, wheel- throwing, mold-making, sculptural installation, kiln firing techniques, and surface decoration techniques. She is also self-taught in various weaving and sewing techniques.
For more information, contact the University’s Office of Continuing Education by email at ce@tamiu.edu , by phone at 956.326.3068, or visit offices located in the TAMIU Student Center, room 118.
Registration for TAMIU’s Summer and Fall 2025 semesters is online via Uconnect.
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