Structure & Surface
Slab Building, Monoprinting, & Glaze Process
Two-Day Intensive with Lauren Mabry
Saturday, June 27th - Sunday, June 28th
📍Location: Philadelphia, PA, in Lauren Mabry’s Studio
9:00 AM–5:00 PM each day, with a one-hour lunch break.
All levels welcome, but foundational clay knowledge is helpful.
Capacity: 10 Students
Over a weekend in Lauren Mabry’s Philadelphia studio, she will share the techniques and surface strategies that shape her ceramic practice. Not only how she builds and glazes, but how she approaches experimentation, problem-solving, and material science. Collective discussion will act as a catalyst, pushing ideas further and igniting curiosity across skill levels, approaches, and individual practices.
Day One begins with Lauren’s artist slide talk, offering insight into the evolution of her work, personal inspirations, and studio methodologies. From there, she will demonstrate slab construction techniques, discussing approaches to shape and structure that support experimental surface and glazing processes.
Day Two focuses on surface development. We will delve deeper into how surfaces evolve through glazing — including layering, color relationships, and decision-making in the kiln. Lauren will demonstrate her glazing process step-by-step and lead discussions about testing, research, and development.
This workshop is primarily demonstration-based, allowing for in-depth explanation, close viewing, and extended conversation. Questions are encouraged throughout, and there will be time to discuss how these processes might translate into your own work.
For short portions of each day, participants will have time to experiment with small slab constructions, applying the monoprinting techniques introduced during the demonstrations. Any small test pieces you make can be optionally bisque fired and picked up at a later date, or shipped to you for an additional cost.
Students will also receive resource guides.
Space is limited to 10 students to maintain an intimate, focused studio environment.
Cost per student: $660
Includes the following:
Tuition
Lunches, coffee, and light refreshments
Materials for in-class experimentation
Payment is due in full at the time of registration.
All registrations are non-refundable.
If you are unable to attend and your space can be filled from the waitlist, you will receive a 90% refund of your tuition. The remaining 10% is retained to cover administrative and processing fees.
“…She truly teaches to every level and it’s a rare opportunity to work with one of the field’s best and most innovative minds.” - Sarah B.
About The Studio
Lauren Mabry’s newly constructed studio is located in the East Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, just a 30-second walk from the York-Dauphin stop on the Market-Frankford Line. A variety of restaurants and coffee shops are within easy walking distance. The studio is ADA accessible, and street parking is available nearby. Information about nearby overnight accommodations and other helpful information about Philadelphia will be added soon.
Have Questions?
Please do not hesitate to reach out! Send Lauren an email: lauren.mabry@gmail.com
Artist & Instructor
Lauren Mabry has taught workshops and led visiting artist demonstrations at craft centers and universities across the country, including Red Lodge Clay Center, Belger Crane Yard Studios, Harvard Ceramics, The Clay Studio of Philadelphia, and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. She has also taught in academic settings at The Ohio State University, Tyler School of Art and Architecture, and the Community College of Philadelphia.
In addition to her studio practice, Lauren currently serves as Head of Glaze Development at Felt+Fat, where technical research and creative exploration inform the development of functional ceramic ware. She sees teaching as a space for genuine exchange, where curiosity, experimentation, and thoughtful risk-taking support students’ growth while continually energizing her own studio practice.
Read more about her background and complete list of experience on her About Page
Testimonials
“Getting to learn from Lauren at Red Lodge was a transformative experience. As the leading mind in glaze formulation today, she is not only extremely knowledgable but also kind, but down to earth and shares her wisdom from years of experience in an easy to grasp way. I learned so much from my few days learning alongside her. It was a priceless experience and I would encourage all levels of potters to explore her workshops. She truly teaches to every level and it’s a rare opportunity to work with one of the field’s best and most innovative minds.”
-Sarah B., Founder of Ritual Glaze
Workshop Student
Stay Connected
“Lauren came to my college to do a multi-day workshop where she broke down her construction process and invited our group to test out slip-transfers for ourselves on sample slabs. Throughout the workshop she was approachable and knowledgeable, it was easy to ask her questions and I learned a lot from her demonstrations. Lauren even brought in one of her finished works for us to check out, which was so sick! Her work in special effect glazes is a huge inspiration to me. Lauren is super nice and took the time to chat about my upcoming BFA work with me, even sharing her own resources on glaze chemistry to help me develop my body of work. Post graduation the resources and demonstrations Lauren gave continue to inspire and help me expand my ceramic practice, she’s great and I couldn’t be more grateful for the experience!”
-Ang, Workshop Student