ART FOUNDATIONS: Clay Handbuilding Part 2 with Portia Williams, Nov 21, 2026

Clay Handbuilding Part 2: Glazing Your Bisque Ware with Guest Instructor Portia Williams Same clay. More color! Your clay pieces have survived their first trip through the kiln—now it’s time to bring them to life with color. In Clay Handbuilding Part 2, guest instructor Portia Williams will guide students through the next step in the ceramic process: glazing bisque-fired pottery. We’ll begin by looking at what happens to clay during the bisque firing and why glazing is different from simply painting a surface. You’ll explore glaze colors, finishes, application methods, and effects while learning how the choices you make now can dramatically change the appearance of your finished pottery after firing. Then you’ll glaze the pieces you created in Clay Handbuilding Part 1, experimenting with color and design to make each piece uniquely your own. After class, your glazed work will be fired again in the kiln, transforming the glaze into its final finished surface. In this workshop, you'll: Learn the basics of ceramic glazes and the glazing process Explore different colors, finishes, and decorative possibilities Learn proper glaze application techniques Consider how glaze combinations can affect the finished piece Glaze your own bisque-fired pottery Prepare your work for its final kiln firing Saturday, November 21 | 11:00 AM–1:00 PM $20 | All glazing materials included Guest Instructor: Portia Williams This workshop is designed as the follow-up to Clay Handbuilding Part 1. Students should bring their bisque-fired pieces from the first workshop to glaze during class. After the final firing, we'll let you know when your finished pottery is ready to pick up at Alabama Art Supply. All skill levels are welcome. Alabama Art Academy at Alabama Art Supply 1006 23rd Street South Birmingham, AL 35205 205-322-4741 AlabamaArt.com Portia Williams, Mixed Media Artist Bold. Expressive. Transformational. Art is the process of revelation and it is my wonderful challenge to channel and interpret the unimagined and unspoken into the realm of the perceived – to express beyond what the written or spoken word can convey. With each body of work, my goal is to transport the viewer to a place of imagination and wonder where with each observation, a new revelation is unveiled. Part of the Alabama Art Academy: Art Foundations series — build confidence and essential skills while discovering the materials and techniques artists use.