Class Overview

Learn sgraffito with Stewart Jacobs, a Squamish Nation ceramic artist whose work has been exhibited across Canada and internationally. With a career spanning decades, Stewart is known for his hand-thrown and intricately carved pieces, often featuring freehand Coast Salish–inspired designs and bold, vibrant colour work.

In this two-part workshop, you’ll work directly with Stewart as he shares his approach to carving clay—demonstrating how he builds lines, patterns, and movement into his surfaces.

You’ll create your own carved pieces while developing control, confidence, and a stronger understanding of surface design. Participants are provided with two leather hard bowls to carve.

What You’ll Learn

• Core sgraffito techniques and process

• How to carve clean, intentional lines in leather hard clay

• Design approaches for curved ceramic surfaces

• Tool use and handling for surface carving

What’s Included

• Two leather hard bowls for carving

• Access to carving tools and studio equipment

• Instruction and demonstrations from Stewart Jacobs

• Glazing and firing of finished pieces

What to Bring

• Clothes you don’t mind getting a bit messy

• Sketches or design ideas (optional)

Who This Is For

Open to all skill levels. No prior ceramics experience is required.

Personal Safety

Please wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. For your own personal safety during this class, please:

• Wear closed-toe shoes

• Ensure long hair is securely tied up and out of the way

• Remove any dangling jewelry

• Do not wear loose clothing

Prerequisites

This workshop is open to anyone curious about decorative pottery. Participants who have some experience working with clay will get the most from the techniques covered, but all are welcome to explore, experiment, and create.