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Ceramic Workshops for Meaningful, Creative Gathering.
I’m Aeryn — ceramic artist, instructor, and founder of Medicine & The Muse. My hand-building workshops are community- and wellness-centered, thoughtfully designed to be welcoming and accessible. I collaborate with museums, schools, retreat spaces, and private venues to create engaging, well-considered programs.My beginner-friendly workshops invite people to slow down, work with their hands, and experience clay as both an artistic medium and a naturally therapeutic practice. Each session is thoughtfully structured to be accessible and engaging—whether hosted in a museum, gallery, retreat space, school, or private setting.
❋ Seasonal or thematic piecesWorkshops can be designed around a season, exhibition, or shared theme. Projects are thoughtfully chosen to feel meaningful while remaining approachable for beginners.
❋ Single-session experiencesDesigned to be complete within one session, these workshops offer a focused, satisfying making experience without requiring follow-up classes. All firing and glazing are completed off-site, with finished work returned to the host.
❋ Retreat or residency-style programmingFor retreats or longer programs, workshops are paced to support both creativity and restoration. These experiences invite spaciousness, reflection, and sustained engagement with clay.
❋ Tailored to your space and audience.Each workshop is adapted to the venue, group size, and intention of the event. Whether hosted in a museum, gallery, wellness space, or private setting, the experience is shaped to fit naturally.
Upcoming Workshops
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Timken Museum of Art, Summer 2026
Clay has a unique way of bringing people back into their bodies and into the present moment.
Custom & Collaborative Workshops—
How it Works:
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Setup and breakdown are collaborative. I oversee materials and instruction, while the host or venue team assists with room setup, breakdown, and resetting the space.
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Workshops include guided, beginner-friendly instruction followed by 1.5 hours of hands-on creation time. Instruction is clear and paced, allowing participants to work at their own rhythm while receiving support as needed.
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Whenever possible, finished work remains on-site overnight to reach a leather-hard stage before transport for firing. Hosts are asked to provide a secure space for drying. The following day, I arrive to pick up and transport pieces for firing and glazing.
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Finished work is dependent on kiln schedules and workshop volume. 4-6 weeks is standard, but timing is confirmed in advance.
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Once firing and glazing are complete, finished pieces are picked up from me by the host or venue team. The host then coordinates distribution and pickup times directly with participants.
Approach & Teaching Philosophy
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My workshops are designed to support well-being through pace, environment, and process. Clay naturally invites slowing down, focus, and engagement through the senses.
I design workshops that feel calming and supportive while remaining rooted in creative practice and skill-building.
The emphasis is on creating conditions that help people feel at ease in their bodies and confident in the making process, regardless of prior experience.
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Working with clay provides steady tactile and proprioceptive input through touch, pressure, and repetitive movement. These forms of sensory input are known to support regulation in the nervous system by helping the body orient, settle, and focus.
In simple terms: when the hands are engaged in rhythmic, purposeful work, the body often follows. Clay offers a physical anchor that can reduce stress and anxiety, support attention, and create a sense of emotional and physiological stability, making it an especially effective material for wellness-centered creative experiences.
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My teaching style is observant and responsive. I pay close attention to body language, pacing, and group energy, adjusting instruction as needed to support comfort and confidence. This might mean slowing the pace, offering alternative demonstrations, or providing reassurance when someone feels uncertain.
The goal is not perfection, but participation. Participants are encouraged to work within their own capacity, knowing the environment is supportive and adaptable.
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Workshops are structured to foster connection through shared experience rather than forced interaction. Working alongside others, focused on a common task, naturally builds a sense of belonging.
Conversation and connection emerge organically through the making process, creating a welcoming atmosphere that feels inclusive and respectful of different personalities, energy levels, and comfort zones.
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The focus of each workshop is the experience of making, not producing a “perfect” finished object. Emphasis is placed on exploration, learning, and engagement with the material rather than outcome-driven results.
By removing pressure to perform or achieve a specific aesthetic, participants are able to relax into the process, take creative risks, and build confidence through doing.
This approach supports both creative growth and well-being.
To ensure quality and care, I take on a limited number of workshops each year.
FAQs
For hosts
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No. All workshops are designed to be accessible to complete beginners.
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Workshops are best suited for 10-15 participants. This range allows for attention, a supportive group environment, and a wellness-focused event.
In some cases, additional participants may be accommodated, but maintaining the integrity and quality of the experience is always top priority.
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Yes, unless otherwise arranged. Details are confirmed during booking.
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Yes. Travel-based workshops are available by request. Travel fees may apply depending on location.
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Workshops are priced using a hybrid model: a base facilitation fee or a percentage of ticket revenue, whichever is greater. Materials are quoted separately based on scope and participant capacity.