Tuesday & Wednesday
November 17 & 18 · 10am–5pm
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November 17 & 18 · 10am–5pm
Visiting Artists
Rare intensives with the world's best.
Several times a year we bring world-renowned ceramic artists to Pasadena for hands-on, multi-day workshops — small groups, deep focus, and techniques you'll carry for the rest of your making life.
Join us for a three-day hand-building workshop exploring coiling as both a meditative practice and a precise construction method. Visiting artist Joanne Seongweon Lee guides participants through rolling thin, consistent coils and building refined, structurally sound forms.
Beginning with foundational vessels like cups and cylinders, students gradually expand into bowls, domed forms, and ultimately a Moon Jar. Through live demonstrations and focused hands-on practice, you'll deepen your understanding of structure, proportion, and surface while strengthening control and intention in your making.
Best suited for students with some hand-building experience, ready to refine their skills and explore coil construction at a higher level.
What's included
- One 25 lb bag of B-Mix clay
- Bisque firing for all participants
- Glaze firing for Clayhouse members & currently enrolled students (using member/student inches)
- Shared studio tools, work boards, and materials
- Demonstrations and personalized instruction throughout
Additional clay available for purchase if needed.
What's not included
- Lunch — please bring your own food, snacks, and water (a fridge is available; each day has a 30-minute break)
- Glaze firing for non-members (optional $20 flat fee, payable on the final day)
- Personal specialty tools (see the recommended supply list)
Recommended supply list
Bring these if you can — the studio has some shared supplies, but quantities may be limited:
- Shimpo Banding Wheel BW-18LC (7") — highly recommended if you own one (Laguna banding wheels available for shared use)
- Two 1/8" thickness sticks · wooden modeling tool · rolling pin
- Blue/painter's tape · a few sheets of print paper · sharp clay knife
- Mudtools polymer ribs: Shape 1 Red, Shape 1 Blue, Small Bowl Rib (Green, Medium)
- Mudtools Long Scraper Stainless Rib SSL18 · one thin paintbrush
FAQ & cancellation
Can beginners take this? It's intended for intermediate hand-builders and may not suit beginners. Finishing pieces: all work must be completed within 30 days. Lunch: not provided — bring your own; a fridge is available.
All refunds incur a $20 processing fee. Cancel before Sun Aug 30 for a full refund (less fee); after Aug 30, 50%; after Sun Sep 13, no refund. No refunds once the workshop begins.
About the Artist
Joanne Seongweon Lee
Originally from South Korea, Joanne received her BFA in Ceramics from Alfred University in 2015, then joined the Artist-in-Residence program at the Korea Ceramics Foundation: Icheon Cerapia. She completed her MFA at Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2019, where she earned the Franz Rising Star Project Scholarship for outstanding work in porcelain design.
After a residency at Sonoma Ceramics, she taught at James Madison University (2021–2022) and currently serves as Ceramics Coordinator at Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village, Colorado.
Registration Open · November 2026
Tortus Week 2026.
with Eric Landon · Tortus Copenhagen
Thursday & Friday
November 19 & 20 · 10am–5pm
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November 19 & 20 · 10am–5pm
Saturday & Sunday
November 21 & 22 · 10am–5pm
Register →
November 21 & 22 · 10am–5pm
Over two days, students receive instruction in clay preparation, centering, throwing a range of forms, and trimming. Each morning opens with a thorough introduction to the techniques Eric uses to get the most out of the clay — with a focus on efficiency and precision at the wheel. It's hands-on throughout, with multiple demonstrations and insights from his approach.
Keep what you make: there's a flat $75 fee to process your work — studio access to finish trimming, bisque firing, glazing (with 50 cone-10 glazes), and glaze firing. Members and enrolled students may fire by deducting from their monthly allotment.
What's included
- Snacks and refreshments throughout the two-day workshop
- One complimentary bag of cone-10 B-Mix clay
- Access to basic communal tools (bring your own or buy from our store)
A refrigerator is available; you're welcome to bring meals and drinks.
FAQ
Can you fire my work? Yes — a flat $75 fee covers studio access, bisque, glazing (45+ cone-10 glazes), and glaze firing. Members and enrolled students fire from their allotment. How long to finish? 30 days. Shipping? Not available. Beginner? Yes — Eric accommodates all skill levels. Bring: your own tools if you have them, plus an apron and towel. Lunch isn't provided; a fridge is available.
Cancellation policy
Due to high demand, cancel by Monday, October 5 for a full refund. Cancellations Oct 6–17 are eligible for 50%. After Oct 17, no refund unless we can fill your spot. Thank you for understanding.
About the Artist
Eric Landon
Eric Landon founded Tortus Copenhagen in 2012. Born in Milwaukee in 1976, he has worked with ceramics since he was 16, studied economics in Cincinnati, then moved to Denmark in 1999 and graduated from the Danish School of Design in 2007. In 2015 he won the Danish Design Award for Craftsman of the Year.
His @tortus account has grown to nearly a million followers, with a viewership in the millions — making Tortus a cultural phenomenon well beyond those who've ever touched a lump of clay. His finished vessels represent a seamless dialogue between design and process.
A Robust Program
A few years of visiting artists.
We've hosted intensives across wheel-throwing, hand-building, surface, and sculpture — drawing makers from all over the world.
Send me the roster of past workshops (artist, title, year, a photo each) and I'll turn these tiles into a real archive — the more we show, the more robust the program looks.
Never Miss One
Workshops sell out fast.
Our visiting-artist workshops open a few times a year and fill quickly. Join the list for first word when the next one is announced.
Stay in the Loop
Be the first to know.
New workshops, visiting artists, and studio news — once in a while, never too often.