A Polymer Claycation Education!

Level Up Learning on Your Polymer Claycation

One thing we learned at last year’s Polymer Claycation is that we have a very talented group of artists in attendance. The newly instituted Lunch and Learn program proved that learning from each other was incredibly valuable.

With that information in mind, and the experience level of the attendees registered, we came up with an innovative educational program for your Polymer Claycation. We are taking a step back from the traditional retreat demo/class model in favor of an approach suited to our needs that leverages our talents, and promotes community through learning from one another.

With this clear focus, we plan to have the program schedule published in advance (October). Limited attendance events will have advanced sign ups and have a protocol for fair distribution. We also plan to have plenty of unscheduled time for impromptu demos and workroom time so you can try out new techniques and make them your own.

What you can expect

Featured Artist of the Day

The Education Committee has chosen 3 artists from among our attendees to be Featured Artist of the Day. The Artist of the Day (AOD) will teach an adaptable project that uses only materials likely to be found in the workroom. Each morning, there will be a lecture in the terrace room where the AOD starts you rolling on your project. Interested folks can then collaborate and work on this through the day and come together again for an afternoon demo to further advance their piece. The AOD will be available in the workroom for troubleshooting and advice. When you are finished, there will be a little competition you can enter your creation in for bragging rights and a prize.

Small Group Learning

This is the Lunch and Learn Model. These will be held in individual rooms with a limited attendance. The table leader will lead the discussion, but all are invited to share their own experiences on the topic. Table Leaders should have some personal expertise in the area and can share examples or very brief handouts. These are discussion groups for pearls of wisdom, not a demo per se. Advanced preparation requirements should be minimal. Some examples would be: Unusual tools, Extruder Tips, Selling Your Work, etc. You cannot attend every one of these! You should choose what sounds interesting to you and share your new knowledge with your friends. Have an idea? Propose a topic here.

Related Topics

These will be in lecture format like a traditional demo and will include subjects like 3D Printing and AI and Art.

Today I Learned

We will have a mural sheet on the wall where you can write down things you learned each day. It will be a great “diary” of the event we can capture as an image for the Polymer Claycation 2025 “Yearbook”.