Cyan Clayworks

 Cyan Clayworks was established in 2012 as a Community Interest Company. It's a specialist centre for creative learning and making, and working studio, run by Chris Donnelly and Fiona Thompson. After 11 years at Beaverhall Studios, the studio is now based at 5 Commercial St, Leith.

An important ethos to this artist-run studio is that class sizes are small to allow for enough support for each student, and that everyone has the chance to explore their own creativity. As practising ceramic artists, trained to postgraduate level, they bring a lot of experience in many aspects of studio practice. Fiona specialises in handbuilding and various approaches to the surface, and established her practice in the mid 1990s. Chris focuses on tableware, both wheelthrown and jigger jollied (a specialist industrial technique adapted for studio use), and has been making work since the mid 1990s also after studying in Canada. Both have exhibited widely, taught in numerous locations and taken part in artist residencies. 

Regular courses and bespoke workshops are run at the studio, including taster classes, longer weekly courses, and specialist workshops. Individual tuition for all levels of ability is offered. Many professional artists, designers and students have passed through the doors, learning new skills to diversify their own knowledge. Chris and Fiona enjoy working with others and passing on their knowledge and enthusiasm for ceramics. 

 All the workshops and courses are aimed at adults. It is an open plan work space, and like any ceramic studio, it contains essential machinery, tools/equipment and hazardous raw materials. The studio is therefore not able to accomodate anyone under 17 or adults with complex support needs, for health and safety reasons. 

Booking terms and conditions:

If you are no longer able to attend, our courses will need to be cancelled a week in advance so we can offer the place to someone else, minus your eventbrite fee which they don't refund. As a small non-profit business we need to ensure courses are full, and it can be distruptive if people cancel at the last minute or don't show up. In some circumstances we may be able to transfer you to an alternative course. If we need to cancel a course you will receive a full refund including the eventbrite fee. We will do only do this in the case of illness, other urgent circumstances or if we haven't reached minimum numbers for a course to run.