Pottery - An experimental approach to hand-building in stoneware, focusing on pinching and coiling with Rachel Wood.

Sunday 2 August 2026 17:00
Friday 7 August 2026 14:00

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I’m thrilled to announce Rachel Wood is returning to teach at Coombe in 2026 after her sell out course in 2025. This course aims to refresh, revitalise and deepen your connection with the hand building techniques of pinching and coiling. Using an experimental approach, you will be able to gain confidence, develop competent skills and befriend your clay.

You will learn and apply surface decoration and mark making techniques to add vitality and life to your work, so that the natural qualities of the clay, and the experience of being at Coombe come shining through.

The course will begin with the fundamentals of coiling and pinching techniques.

Then, through playful experiments and some group work we will explore the physical qualities of the clay, appreciate it strengths, and exploit its limitations. Using an investigative approach, you will experiment with surface treatment through the application of slips and glaze to build layer and depth to your work.
Rachel Wood studied ceramics at Loughborough College of Art and Design. Rachel was also assistant to the potter Robin Welch, and has completed several residencies including at Rufford Craft Centre, Sturt Craft Centre, Australia, and Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Centre, Denmark. She now teaches and exhibits extensively in the UK, Germany, Netherlands, France and Australia. Her work is found in private and public collections.

Rachel is a highly skilled practitioner after many years of experience on the international and UK ceramic scene.

She has been running workshops with all ages and levels of experience since 2001, including at international ceramic schools in Europe and Australia, one to one sessions, small private groups, and individual mentoring. Each student is treated as an individual so their own needs and ideas come to life, and according to their level of experience, whether a beginner, intermediate or advanced. Guidance is given throughout. As with all courses at Coombe the five days will include frequent demonstrations, some technical talk and an insight into Rachel’s own making and philosophy.

“I am inspired by the world around me…the colours, shapes and the textures of the landscape. I want each pot to convey its own spirit and character…to have a pulse and a heartbeat. I want the marks to reflect the journey of exploration and learning in each pot, just as a wrinkle or dimple depicts expression and character in a human face.”

This course is designed for anyone regardless of experience with clay and therefore open to all abilities.
Sunday
5-7pm - Residents arrive
7pm - Non residents arrive
7pm - Welcome drinks
8.00pm - Dinner
Monday-Thursday
8.30am - Breakfast (for residents)
9.30am - Tuition
1.00pm Lunch
2.00pm Tuition
5pm - Afternoon session ends
7.00pm - Dinner
Friday
8.30am - Breakfast (for residents)
9.30am- Tuition
1.00pm Lunch
2.00pm Course ends
Residential and non-residential spaces available. NB residents are not required to share bedrooms, see accommodation for more info.
Residential
£902 + VAT including all your tuition, accommodation and food from arrival on Sunday through to departure after lunch on Friday.
Non-residential
£652 + VAT includes welcome drinks all tuition and lunch from Mon-Friday.
Our address is TQ6 0JA [What3words: What3words: fulfilled.exploring.branching] and we have plenty of free onsite parking. Trains > nearest station is Totnes then we can arrange lift shares or send taxi details. We are about 20 minutes from the station.
Max 8 to allow Rachel to give everyone enough time and attention.
Whilst the emphasis of this course is practice the single firing and surface decoration techniques are central to the learning so you will fire a test piece during the week. You can then choose either to take your large pieces home to fire yourself or leave them with us to fire.
Taking work home to fire
If you would like to take work home to fire there’s a £2 per kilo charge, please bring suitable wrapping and packing materials with you to transport your greenware.
Leaving work for us to fire
Any work that you’d like fired will be charged at £4 per kilo/clay to include firing and glazing with work posted to you at standard courier rates. please be aware as a busy studio we cannot guarantee work being returned to you by a specific date but we will keep you updated on firings and schedules.