Slab built and Slip-painted Ceramics – Responding to Place - a hand building pottery course led by master potter Anna Lambert.
Following Anna’s sold out courses over the past few years we are delighted to be inviting her back to Coombe in 2026. Anna has been a firm favourite potter of ours for many many years and her work is treasured by many.
Working from the gardens and landscape surrounding Coombe Farm, learn how to gather visual information and use drawing to develop designs for simple slab built ceramic platters, bowls, and cylinders. During this course you will practice techniques for use with tonal and coloured slips: layering and brushwork with slips, hand cut paper stencils, developing complex surfaces and sgraffitto drawing. Each participant will be encouraged to find a combination of techniques that appeals to them.
You will build a series of small hand-built forms, followed by a longer study to develop ideas, using drawn and relief designs.
There will be practical demonstrations for each technique and group discussion to encourage the generation of ideas and problem solving. Individual practical instruction will be tailored to each student’s needs as the project develops.
Techniques covered will include working with soft and leatherhard slabs; painting with multiple layers of slips; making hand cut stencils,; use of textural brushwork; producing a good finish on rims and feet.
Anna has been a full-time maker of handbuilt earthenware ceramics since 1980. In 1989 she moved with her husband, painter David AP Thomas, to North Yorkshire. They now share a studio, Junction Workshop, in an old shop next to the Burberry Mill in Airedale. Her many solo exhibitions include Contemporary Ceramics, London, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh and Galerie Terra Viva, France and she has exhibited extensively throughout Europe and the USA.
Anna builds her work from a white earthenware mixed clay, using a variety of techniques including slab-building, using both soft and firm slabs, and painting with slips.
Her ideas reflect an interest in place, exploring narratives relating to changes in farmland in her locality and the regeneration of orchards. Inspired by new nature writing, she engages with a common language beyond pastoral sentimentality, combining drawing with abstract qualities of pots, their spaces, edges, and surfaces.
Anna studied at Bath Academy of Art (BA Hons 3D design) and University of Central Lancashire (MA Ceramics) and is a Fellow of the Craft Potters Association.
As well as working in clay, Anna loves to cook, garden, walk, and draw in the landscape.
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RESIDENTIAL
£903 + VAT which covers all your tuition, accommodation and food from arrival on Sunday through to departure after lunch on Friday.
NON RESIDENTIAL
£650 + VAT include all tuition, welcome drinks on Sunday and lunch from Mon-Friday.
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This course is designed for anyone with some experience of working in clay.
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Sunday
5-7.00pm Residents arrive
7.00pm Non residents arrive followed by welcome drinks 8pm dinner
Monday-Thursday
8.30am Breakfast for residents
9.30am tuition starts
1.00pm Lunch
2-5.00pm Tuition resumes
Friday
8.30am Breakfast for residents
9.30am-1pm Final tuition session runs
1-2.00pm Final Lunch
2pm onwards - departure
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Residential and non-residential spaces available.
RESIDENTIAL
Includes all your food, accommodation and tuition from arrival on Thursday evening through to departure after lunch on Sunday.
All rooms are for single occupancy unless coming with someone you would like to share a bed with. All rooms are shared bathrooms - there are no en-suites.
See HERE for more info
NON-RESIDENTIAL
Includes tuition, welcome drinks on Sunday night and all lunches.
NB Residents are not required to share bedrooms, but bathrooms are shared [we do not have any en suite rooms on site]. See HERE for more info
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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.
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All the decorating of your work is completed during the course.
TAKING WORK HOME TO FIRE
If you have your own kiln you can then take the work home to be fired. If you’re taking your work home there’s a £2 per kilo charge for the clay and slips.
LEAVING WORK HERE FOR US TO FIRE FOR YOU.
If you would like us to fire it for you we will allow the work to dry, bisque fire, apply the glaze and fire again. This process takes time, how long will depend on the other work going through the studio at the time and we will keep you informed of the process and timeline.
There is a charge of £5 per kilo for any work you’d like fired and glazed in this way (NB as a rule of thumb something the size of a mug costs around £1.40).
Once completed you can collect your work or it can be couriered to you. Courier costs dependant on how much work and your location. scription
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The pottery is equipped with essential tools and clay, glazes and slips for the course. In addition please bring the following with you.
Warm clothing and shoes suitable for a short walk
An apron
The following pottery tools if you have them and wish to use them (NB optional we will have enough for everyone but if you have items you want to bring feel free - small pointed vegetable knife, small boxwood tools, especially rounded, hooked or 45º pointed ones, old credit cards or silicone scrapers, loop tools, small sponge, a plant sprayer or similar)
1” Hake brushes, soft mopbrushes and soft (cheap is ok: real hair not acrylic) small watercolur brushes for painting slips.
Drawing materials and A4 sketchbook . A variety of items for making bold marks are good: graphite sticks, felt pens, neocolour crayons, woodies and ink.
Watercolour or coloured crayons or gouache – useful for developing designs.
A stencil knife if you have one (retractable ones are good)
Plastic bags – Large size freezer bags are good, or 5l or 10l bin bags or eco food caddy bags.
A box, and paper for transporting pieces home if you are not leaving them for firing at Coombe
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Maximim 8 people.
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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.
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BOOK IN BELOW OR CALL 01803 722352
RESIDENTIAL Total course price is £995 + VAT = £1,194 - 1st payment on booking is £239.00
NON-RESIDENTIAL Total course price is £680 + VAT = £816- 1st payment on booking is £163.00
Course takes place from 5-10th September 2027
Your 1st payment/deposit is non refundable and not transferrable to any other courses*
The balance of fees are due six weeks before the course starts and you will be invoiced for that payment.
*You have a 14 day cooling off period, if you pay the first payment and cancel within 14 days you will receive a full refund for that payment. Thereafter it is non refundable.
We strongly advise you to take out adequate travel insurance in the event that you are unable to attend.
