Steven Hill Journey Workshop

You are inspired,

You are motivated,

Begin your journey… now!

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What inspires you? Art? Music? Nature? Technology? Architecture?

Each of us is capable of expressing unique individuality in our ceramic work. Is your work as personal as you would like it to be or does it seem more like a collection of techniques learned from others? 

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Your journey begins with 6 ½ days exploring your relationship with clay at Scarab Creative Arts. Through a combination of individual critique, group discussion and hands-on experimentation, you will set in motion the search for personal expression. You will leave The Journey Workshop with a plan for the upcoming year and return to your studio with focus, renewed motivation, a group of peers and a mentor to help keep you on track.  

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Who is a Prime Candidate for the Journey Workshop?

This workshop is perfect for the professional who feels stale, for the amateur who wants to develop their body of work, or anyone who wants to take their pottery or sculptural work to a deeper, more personal level. It is helpful to be comfortable with your basic techniques, as this workshop is not technically oriented. In the past, however, people at all levels of expertise have benefited greatly from taking the Journey Workshop. 

 

Workshop Structure:

There has been an explosion of books on creativity! I have read these 4, and think all of them can be beneficial.

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• Big Magic – Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert. 

• The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin

• Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

• Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking, By David Bayles and Ted Orland

 

I’m not expecting anyone to read 4 books… If I was given that assignment I would rebel! I encourage you to look at all of them and pick one or two to add to your library. 

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A private Facebook page will be set up in advance for students to communicate with each other before and during their journey, posting images, thoughts, questions, and inspiration. The Facebook page is critical to group camaraderie and motivation. For the first weeklong session, bring as much information about yourself as possible… images or examples of recent pottery or other artwork, a journal or sketchbook, music, or anything relevant to your individuality. Each day during the initial week we will spend about half of our time in class discussions. The rest of your time will be spent working in clay, drawing, journaling, or other individualized creative activities, applying insights gained in the class. Towards the end of the initial week, you will write a personal contract to help formulate your plan for the upcoming year. As your journey progresses throughout the year, you will have the option to schedule FaceTime critiques with Steven for $90 an hour. We will meet for a mid-year critique at Scarab Creative Arts in May 2026. In late September 2026 we will reconvene for final critiques and to share and celebrate our individual journeys. The workshop will culminate with a show and opening.

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You will NOT be learning Steven Hill’s techniques in The Journey Workshop. Instead, this workshop is designed to help you find YOUR voice in clay. Steven will push you to go deeper and discover personal ways of expressing yourself. Yes, it is true there is nothing “new” in art, but that doesn’t prevent you from bringing your own authentic spirit as a potter, sculptor, artist and human being to your personal work.

 

The Journey Workshop DOES NOT INCLUDE firing at Scarab Creative Arts, unless you would like your work to be bisque fired to take with you. The work made for the show at the end of the Journey Workshop will be made and fired in your studio throughout the upcoming year.

 

Workshop Schedule:

• October 12-17, 2025– Initial weeklong workshop at Scarab Creative Arts.

  • October 2025 – May 2026 – Studio work and preparation for mid-year critique.

• May 1-4, 2026 – Mid-year critique at Scarab Creative Arts.

  • May 2026 – September 2026 – Studio work and preparation for show.

• September 28 – October 1, 2026 – Journey final critique, show, and celebration at Scarab Creative Arts

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Additional Reading

To find out more about Steven’s philosophy on these workshops, read the May 2007 Comment in Ceramics Monthly, Rethinking Ceramics Workshops. The Eight-Month Workshop: A Journey of Discovery, Steven’s article about the first Journey workshop that began at the Metchosin’ International Summer School of the Arts in Victoria, BC in July of 2007 and ended at Center Street Clay in March of 2008, is in the June 2008 issue of Ceramics Monthly. PDF’s of these articles can be downloaded at . These two articles are feeling somewhat dated, as the process has evolved over 12 earlier Journey Workshops, but they are worthwhile reading nonetheless. 

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Steven’s most recent article, Finding Your Voice – Influences and Guidelines, October 2023 Ceramics Monthly, is essentially a blueprint for my Journey Workshops. Steven highly recommends you read it if you are interested in taking the Journey Workshop. 

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Additional Information

If you have additional questions about the Journey Workshop you may contact Steven Hill directly: sahill@me.com or Maggie Courtis at: ScarabCreativeArts@gmail.com

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