Pottery

Location:

The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (Wrth) - Riyadh

Workshop Duration:

10 days / 80 training hours

Date & Time:

13th Sep to 22nd Sep (9am - 5pm)

Workshop Language:

Arabic/English

Number of Seats:

Workshop Overview

This workshop presents advanced pottery techniques, including large-scale pottery wheel throwing, coil building, glazing, inlaying, and mosaic integration. Instructor Saleh focuses on connecting these methods with the aesthetics of traditional Arabian vessels and adapting them for exhibition-scale artworks.

Workshop Pillars

1. Core Technical Pillars

Shaping & Forming Techniques: Includes large-scale pottery wheel throwing, slab construction for angular shapes, and executing complex structural forms.
Advanced Glazing Techniques: Encompasses various application methods (dipping, spraying, brushing), controlling multi-layered glazing, and low-temperature Raku firing techniques.
Inlay & Interlocking Execution: Covers design drafting and converting into an execution grid, forming precision elements with controlled dimensions, and assembling and bonding interlocking units onto surfaces.
Ceramic Mosaic Integration: Focuses on initial design planning, high-precision tile cutting for repeating geometric patterns, and integrating heritage origins with contemporary technical application in ceramic wall murals.

2. Methodological & Theoretical Pillars

Development: Blending authenticity and local practices with global techniques to elevate the craft and reach the pinnacle of technical mastery.
Training of Trainers (ToT): Developing participants' competencies to enable them to teach the four techniques (both verbally and practically) to colleagues and future cohorts.
Documentation & Sample Library Building: Creating physical samples and documenting procedural steps, materials used, and technical challenges encountered, establishing a sustainable educational reference for the Institute.

Instructors

Salah Al-Baloush

Salah Yassin Sorour Al-Baloush is a dedicated ceramics artisan and technician based in Amman, Jordan. A graduate of the Jordanian Corporation for Handicrafts, he has developed a comprehensive and specialized skill set in the ceramic arts. His technical expertise encompasses intricate ceramic painting, wheel-thrown pottery, hand-building, sculpture, and professional mold making.

With a diverse career that spans across multiple educational and cultural institutions, Salah has contributed his skills to organizations such as the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development, the Young Women's Muslim Association Center for Special Education, and Our Lady of Peace Center. His professional journey also includes working experiences in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including a position at Kan Ya Ma Kan restaurant. A highly active member of the local craft community, Salah has showcased his work in numerous exhibitions—including events organized by the Kempinski Hotel, Dunes Hotel, and CMS schools and has regularly participated in summer camps and sports festivals. In August 2011, culminating years of practical experience and artistic development, Salah established his own independent ceramics workshop. He continues to operate and create within this personal studio today, dedicating his career to the preservation and continued practice of ceramic craftsmanship.