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Ceramics

China Painting Today

Taught by Bradley Klem

  • Date Nov 12, 2026
  • Location Sedona Arts Center; Dennis Ott Ceramics Studio
  • Tuition $300.00 Register Now
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About this class

Overview

China Painting Today with Bradley Klem
Image, Ornament, Meaning

Thursday | November 12, 2026 | 8:30 am – 3 pm | Beginner – Advanced Levels | Dennis Ott Ceramic Studio

China painting offers a distinctive approach to image making in ceramics, unfolding on fired surfaces through accumulation, revision, and repeated firing. This workshop frames China painting as both a historical practice and a contemporary mode of image making, emphasizing image, pattern, and ornament as content.

Emphasis will be placed on developing imagery that responds to form, surface, and conceptual intent. This workshop is designed for artists of all levels, whether you are new to ceramics, a painter interested in exploring new media, or a practicing ceramicist looking to expand your skills.

What You’ll Experience:

  • Hands-On Experience: Through demonstrations and guided studio work, students will learn material preparation, brushwork, pigment behavior, and firing considerations specific to China painting.
  • Development: Emphasis will be placed on developing imagery that responds to form, surface, and conceptual intent. This workshop is designed for artists of all levels, whether you are new to ceramics, a painter interested in exploring new media, or a practicing ceramicist looking to expand your skills.

Class Highlights:

  • All Levels Welcomed: This workshop is open to students with some ceramics experience.
  • Limited Enrolment: Class size is limited to ensure students receive personalized guidance.

Materials:

All materials are included. Students will leave with a materials box as part of the workshop. See materials tab for more information.

 

Age Requirement:

Ceramic Workshops are designed for persons aged 18 and over, or with instructor approval.

 

Please bring a lunch.

26 1112w BK

Ready to join?

Register Now

$300.00

Available

Bradley Klem

Bradley Klem

Bradley Klem is a Denver-based ceramic artist whose work explores the intersections of material history, contemporary climate discourse, and aesthetic dissonance. He serves on the board of La Serra Collective and teaches ceramics at the University of Denver. Brad-ley’s work has been exhibited nationally and is included in both private and institutional collections. His recent projects use ceramic vessels as conceptual tools for examining ecological grief, industrial systems, and the contradictions of modern life.

My work draws on the historical and cultural significance of ceramic vessels to address one of the most pressing issues of our time: humanity’s impact on the environment. Ceramic objects, varied in form and origin, have long symbolized sustenance and per-manence. Today, however, they stand in stark contrast to the fleeting, mass-produced products of the petroleum industry, which lack the deep history ceramics embody. These familiar and storied vessels act as Trojan horses in domestic spaces, quietly carrying con-versations about our planetary fate.

The work is graphic and vibrant, luring the viewer in, only to confront them with the jux-taposition of ceramic beauty and petroleum-derived waste. This clash prompts a critical reflection: why find beauty in pollution? I urge viewers to rethink their interactions with petro-objects, pushing for a recognition of how our current practices may be enshrined in history. The question is stark: will we let plastics define our era, or can we rally for change, preserving the natural beauty once celebrated in our art? These are the pots of the An-thropocene.

ALL MATERIALS INCLUDED

Students will use, and leave with a personal box ($100 value), which will include:

  • Maryland China – Beginner Set
  • Crow Quill pen
  • Pen Oil (Outlining Medium)
  • Lavender oil medium
  • Red Resist – This is a water-based resist for China Painting (1 oz jar)
  • Makeup sponges (teardrop shape, 6pack+/–)

Extra Materials if you wish to bring

  • Rubbing Alcohol (91% preferred) – 6-10 bottles
  • Mineral Oil (from grocery store) – 2, 16oz. Bottles
  • N95 masks
  • Rubber/latex gloves
  • Q-tips – a few boxes
  • Porcelain tiles (white glazed) – 2-3 boxes **more is welcome
  • Masking tape
  • Paper Towels – a bunch of them
  • Pencils and sketching paper
  • Saral transfer paper – 2 or 3 boxes

Cancellation Policy

Registration and Cancellation Policies

Registration

  • Each student must enroll individually.
  • Classes must be paid in full upon registration.
  • Students may register online or call Sedona Arts Center Office at 928-282-3809, Ext 1 or toll free at 866-282-3809 Ext 1.
  • Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express are accepted or student may pay with cash or check by registering in person during office hours Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm.

In-Person and Online Classes Cancellation

  • Payment in full is due upon registration, or a payment plan can be put in place by the student upon check-out through Sezzle.
  • There is a $125 Cancellation Fee for any cancellations made before October 12, 2026. Remaining balance will be refunded.
  • There are no refunds after October 12, 2026 .
  • If Sedona Arts Center cancels the workshop for any reason, all payments made will be refunded in full.

Note: If traveling to Sedona, we strongly urge students to purchase refundable airline tickets or travel insurance in case of workshop cancellation due to insufficient enrollment or other unforeseen changes. Sedona Arts Center is not responsible for non-refundable ticket purchases or lodging fees.

Important Message

Sedona Arts Center is not responsible for providing make-up sessions or issuing refunds, credits, or transfers for courses missed as a result of illness, emergencies, or other events beyond our control. There are absolutely no refunds after the cut-off date for any reason, unless Sedona Arts Center has to cancel the workshop, then all fees paid will be refunded in full.