Summers are always muggy, so why not come learn how to make a beautiful hand-built mug? This adult camp will spend the first part of the week focusing on what it takes to construct a functional hand-built mug. The ins and outs of weight, drinking lips, handle placement and more and how that can affect your finished pieces. The second half of the camp will turn to surface decoration and ways to decorate beyond just glazing. Students will have the opportunity to make 2 or 3 mugs a piece to explore their different ideas and try out the different techniques. Pieces will be fired by the studio and ready for pick up a few weeks after the camp ends. 

This class will take place in the hand-building classroom upstairs at Groundworks Hill, 1010 Aurora Ave. Boulder, CO

Ages 16+

Availble for registration Tuesday, May 27th at 8:00am.

Hump day lasts all week in this low-attachment, high-impact camp focusing on taking your “off the hump” skills to the next level. In this week-long adult summer camp, students will learn how to improve their method and understanding of throwing pieces “off the hump” - a pottery technique where a large mound of clay is centered on a potter's wheel, and multiple small pots or bowls are thrown from the top of the mound. Whether you’re a seasoned pro looking for more practice, or fairly new to the studio and looking to learn a new technique, this camp is for you! 

This camp is all about practice and repetition without the stress of needing pieces to be perfect. Students will spend the week honing their throwing skills. Please note, this camp will only focus on throwing “off the hump”. At the end of each class, the pieces will be recycled so students can start fresh the next day. No pieces will be kept, taking the pressure off and leaving students free to experiment. 

This class will take place at Groundworks Main, 3750 Canfield St. Boulder, CO

Ages: 16+

Available for registration Tuesday, May 27th at 8:00am

This week-long, beginner-friendly Adult Summer Camp is an introduction to the wide variety of printmaking styles--all using materials found in the kitchen that would normally go to waste. In this class, you'll learn how to reuse Tetrapak boxes, plastic containers, and other found materials to create beautiful prints using DIY and accessible methods. We will cover basic techniques for several major printmaking methods: relief, intaglio, and lithography, as well as how to handle ink, operate the press, and compose compelling pieces of art. 

Ages: 16+ 

All supplies and materials will be provided. 

Will be available to register on Tuesday, May 27 at 8:00 am.

Come make a wall piece to cherish for years to come! In this adult cross-studio camp we will spend the first part of our week bringing our tiles to life in the ceramic studio. For these terracotta tiles we will use a variety of decorative techniques including slip, inlay, wax resist, underglaze, and additive and subtractive techniques. In the second half of the week, students will move into the metal studio learning how to forge and weld their tile’s custom frame! We’ll have two set sizes (one square, one rectangular) to make the time in the metal studio a little easier given the short time constraints. By the end of the week, you’ll have a beautiful wall hanging to show off to all your friends!

This class will take place at Groundworks Main, 3750 Canfield St. Boulder, CO

Ages: 16+

Available for registration Tuesday, May 27th at 8:00am

This book combines the soft opening of a leather spine with the sturdy firmness of board covers. The completed book opens nearly perfectly flat making it an ideal book for your journal writing or drawing. Creating your book involves sewing folded signatures through a leather spine with the long stitch. We will begin by getting acquainted with paper grain and its importance for the finished book. We will cover the boards of the book with decorative paper and once dry we'll drill holes in the covers to prepare for sewing. The leather spine will also need holes for sewing which we will pierce with an awl or drill. Paper signatures will be folded and pierced and then we'll take a short break for lunch. After lunch we will learn to sew the long stitch to bind the book. Covers will then be sewn onto the leather spine piece. By the end of the workshop, you will have completed your book, and have the skill to make more on your own. Class fee includes all materials we use to make a book: leather for the spine, a sheet of decorative paper to cover boards, paper for your signatures, a pair of pre-cut cover boards, glue, and waxed-linen thread. Students can borrow tools from the BAL or you can bring your own bookbinder's toolkit. Students will need: bonefolder, medium-weight awl, Xacto knife, scissors, ruler, and a bookbinder's needle. Optional: Students may elect to bring their own sheet of decorative paper for covering the boards. *

* Optional bookplate printing for Leather spine book

• Thursday July 31st
• 5pm-7pm
• $10

The evening before the longstitch journal class, students registered for the bookbinding class are invited to the letterpress shop to print a custom bookplate. This page will serve as the first page of the book that we'll bind on Friday. The book plate page will read, "This book belongs to ______" with the student's name. Students will choose a small cut from the Book Arts League collection and learn to set letterpress letters to print their names.

Register here

Ever throw something on the wheel and want to repeat it, but you’re not sure where to start? Come figure out the form in this week long adult clay camp! In this camp, students will pick a shape and work on repeating it to learn consistency in throwing and how to make a uniform set. In ceramics repetition is key to getting the form just right. Come learn some techniques and tricks to making this happen along with plenty of wheel time to practice! This camp is all about the process and not about the product. Students won’t keep anything which leaves room to let go and explore without the pressure of completion. By the end of camp, students will have a much better understanding of what goes into making a repetitive shape that will greatly improve their throwing skills for sets in future classes. 

This class will take place at Groundworks Hill, 1010 Aurora Ave. Boulder, CO

Ages 16+

Available for registration Tuesday, May 27th at 8:00am

Making Momigami Papertaught by Julia Seko and Greg Robl

Momigami is a Japanese craft used to strengthen paper-- it has traditionally been used for making clothing and other sturdy items.  Konnyaku, a starch from an edible tuber, is applied to the long-fibered paper, which is then crumpled into a ball and worked until the paper is flexible, then is smoothed out to dry.  In addition to durability, the paper acquires a lovely, faceted surface from which the colors of the paper shine through. When dry, students can create a simple business card wallet with finished momigami paper.

Join us for a day of playing with paper fiber and creative folding.  

We’re so excited to offer summer camps this year in our new Glass Studio! Students will be introduced to the foundations of working with hot and cold glass processes. Techniques will include fusing, kiln work, printing with imagery and coldwork. Our final project will be a culmination of what we’ve learned throughout the week. In the Glass Studio, we encourage students to bring their full attention, awareness, focus and creativity! 

What to Wear in the Glass Studio? Arrive for class in all-natural fiber clothing including long pants, and closed-toe, closed-heel shoes. Please avoid wearing nylon, polyester, spandex, or other synthetic fabrics. Any loose hair or clothing must be tied back completely. All safety equipment will be provided for use during class. 

Ages: 16+ 

All supplies and materials will be provided. 

Will be available to register on Tuesday, May 27 at 8:00 am.