Characters in Clay Workshop by Lee Nelms

Join ceramic artist Lee Nelms for a playful pinch pot workshop. In this relaxed and welcoming session, you will start by forming a simple pinch pot from air-dry clay before shaping and adding facial features to create a unique character.

Guided by Lee’s character-driven approach, you will experiment with form and texture as your clay face takes shape. Drawing on her fascination with the human face and sculptural expression, Lee will demonstrate how subtle gestures in clay can bring a character to life.

Perfect for beginners, this workshop offers a supportive environment where curiosity and experimentation are encouraged.

All materials are provided.

About the artist: Lee Nelms creates ceramic works that are quirky, character-driven and often subtly distorted, sitting at the intersection of past and present. Each form emerges from personal experiences and the emotions attached to them, allowing her hands to speak where words cannot. Fascinated by the human face and sculptural expression, she continues to refine a practice that blends emotional resonance with playful physicality. Lee works across hand-building and altered wheel-throwing techniques, using a range of clays in electric, oil and wood kilns. Her work has been exhibited in a group exhibition and recognised through an Emerging Makers Award and exhibition. She has been stocked at Feldmark Winter Gallery in Cooma, contributing to the growing public presence of her work.

About Craft + Design Canberra: Craft + Design Canberra is a not-for-profit membership-based organisation supporting artists, craft practitioners, designers and makers at every stage of their careers.  Craft + Design Canberra workshops are designed to create opportunities for our members to showcase their skills, engage with community and earn incomes.

Accessibility at the Venue: This workshop is hosted at Craft + Design Canberra. The space is accessible via one flight of stairs, with lift access available from the ground-floor foyer for those who cannot use stairs. Craft + Design Canberra is a LGBTIQA+ friendly venue. We welcome access requests and aim to make our programs as inclusive as possible. If you have any access requirements or questions, please email programs@craftanddesigncanberra.org so that we can support your participation.