Guest Workshop: Polo Ramirez

Pre-Columbian Peruvian Hand Building

August 19-20, 2023 10:00a-5:00p

Includes: Instruction, materials, firing

Join Polo Ramirez, a Peruvian master potter living in Miami, FL, for an unforgettable weekend working with our hands and feet at East Creek!

Polo will demonstrate and teach his pre-Columbian paddling technique, explained in his own words below. The workshop will take place on the banks of East Creek, where participants will be invited to work as Polo does, sitting directly on the ground at our beautiful creekside lounge area. The East Creek studio and its resources will also be available for the workshop. And yes, chairs are available!

On Saturday night, we'll enjoy a shared meal of Pollo a la Brava (Roast Chicken Peruvian style) with some fresh local sides. 

Camping is free at East Creek, as is use of our shared kitchen and prep area. Other accommodations are available to book on this page. Local accommodations are available in Willamina. Vans/campers welcome. Saturday night meal is provided, everything else is bring your own like camping!

Includes:

-2 days instruction

-25lbs clay

-Bisque firing if desired

-Satruday night meal

-Camping at East Creek

(tiny cabins available)

From Polo:

The paddle technique dates back to Pre-Inca times. As in the traditional way, I use my hands and feet to create my ceramic pieces. The materials and tools are simple. ​I use clay and rustic tools such as rounded rocks and wooden paddles. As I begin work on a piece the shape emerges. I do not start my work with an image in my mind. Instead, I allow the clay, the earth, speak to me. There are many stages to the creation of each piece and attention to detail is my objective.

The vases are formed in the shape of a nest of a Peruvian bird called “Chilalo”.  According to tradition, this bird is a Master Potter who builds his nest from clay using his beak and feet.  It is this bird who taught my ancestors how to work with clay. I include bird figurines in my work to honor them. The pieces are pit-fired using wood. I incorporate color by using clay engobes (earth oxides and minerals) and various smoking processes to obtain different hues and rich black finish my work is known for. The form and style of my work reflect the duality of our lives. The smooth side represents the beauty in life, the rough textured side represents the difficult times we all face. My designs and colors are inspired by events in my life, my ancestors, the world around me, and the universe as a whole. Each piece is unique and never repeated.