Professor Colby Parsons along with Ms. Knox in the Art House back yard.

Art students look on as Professor Parsons throws with 25 lbs of clay.

View inside the 25 lb. vessel in progress.

Throwing with 50 lbs of clay was the next demonstration.

Coaxing the clay into the cone shape.

Opening the clay.

He slowly works on pulling the walls.

Keeping the rim compressed is a very important element to the large scale projects.

The inside is shaped to a gentle curved surface.

The walls are pulled higher...

and higher...

Explaining how compressing the base next to the bat will make the form 'rise' in height.

Compressing the base.

Recentering the top that wandered out of form with the compression.

Smoothing the walls.

Flaring the rim.

Trimming the top to make it level.

Shaping the vessel.

And more width.

Forming the slanted edge rim.

Cleaning the base.

The 25 lb bowl on the right - 50 lb on the left.

Anna HS learning about raku

Students listening to Professor Parsons.

Texas Women's University Ceramics Professor Parsons visited the Art House for a workshop with Anna High School art students on April 2nd. Parsons demonstrates here throwing a vessel with 25 lbs of clay.

Ms. Laura's Friday adult class also watched Parson's demos.

Professor Parsons starts throwing the large amounts of clay in the standing position to get more body leverage against the clay.

Ms. Knox assists steadying the wheel with her foot as the weight makes the wheel want to wobble.

They moved to the outside firing area and Professor Parsons gives a brief history on raku.

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Professor Colby Parsons along with Ms. Knox in the Art House back yard.

Texas Women's University Ceramics Professor Parsons visited the Art House for a workshop with Anna High School art students on April 2nd. Parsons demonstrates here throwing a vessel with 25 lbs of clay.

Original Poem
By Catherine Stepniak

Come down to the art house!
You can meet all of the people and
        you will not even see a mouse.
Daisy and Rocket two loveable dogs
They will bark at you, woof, until
       you throw them a ball
       in the morning fog.

The old house has handprints all over the wall.
Handprints big or small.
Saturday here are full of fun.
Like a bucket full of water spilling as you run.

Spinning wheel with wet clay
Or sculpting whatever you can think
Maybe you will create a kid at play
Or a vase that is pink

It may be an old place
It may be crowded at some times of the day
It may be hot because of the sunrays
And maybe your pot has a bad base
But here at the art house we are all a big tack
We all hold each other up and watch their backs.

Come down to the art house
We know you will agree
This is the place to be
It will put a smile on your face
Come down to the art house
It is a special place

MORE summer camps........ADDED!

Baubles and Brainstorms

is going strong and will meet again on Thursday July 2nd
from 7-9PM  in Lynne Hubner's Studio upstairs
at the Art House.

Reserve your space for July!

 See more at http://www.meetup.com/Baubles-and-Brainstorms/
 

***Marie Blocker has her studio Wild at heART Studio downstairs at the Art House.

What is the ART HOUSE?

 The Art House is  a 100 year old house on the edge of the historic district in McKinney.  An intuitive thought told me "to look for your building", the day I discovered the house on Kentucky. 

 So, it was kind of like: "if you build it, they will come" and they did come!

 Last summer we had over 150 children and adults take classes from 8 wonderful teachers!  It is a dream come true!  This summer will be even better!

I wanted a place in  McKinney where I could teach, create, and take art classes-but I did not want to run it.  So, that is the unique and wonderful thing about the Art House, it is more like a Community Art House because certified/degreed teachers and gallery/nationally recognized artists run their own classes and rent space.

 The other amazing gift has been the support from the community-we have received furniture, plants, art supplies and even snack food ...  Trinity Ceramics donated $200 in glazes, and an Artist from Nine Fish Restaurant, James Everton, donated $335 to our scholarship and free Saturday art camps! 

 We are here for you...let us know what classes interest you. I want this place to serve the community. 

Sona Knox and Rocket

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