ABOUT THE WORKSHOP RETREAT
Join us October 1-4 for a creative intensive focused on Figurative Sculpture in Clay with Basil Watson. In this focused, hands-on workshop, participants will explore the human figure through direct observation, moving from drawing into three-dimensional form. Working from a live model, students will develop an understanding of proportion, gesture, and composition as a foundation for sculptural interpretation.
Through guided demonstrations, the workshop will begin with drawing exercises that emphasize structure, balance, and the spatial relationships within the figure. Participants will translate these observations into clay, learning how to build and articulate the form at approximately one-third life size. Emphasis will be placed on seeing and measuring accurately, while also developing a sensitivity to volume, weight, and movement.
Instruction will include techniques for modeling in water-based clay, with the use of simple armature supports such as bamboo skewers to stabilize the figure during the building process. Participants will learn how to construct forms with integrity, refine anatomical relationships, and resolve surfaces through additive and subtractive methods.
This workshop encourages both careful observation and expressive interpretation, allowing participants to deepen their understanding of the figure while strengthening their sculptural skills. By the end of the session, each participant will have completed a small-scale figure study, which will be dried and prepared for kiln firing.
ABOUT BASIL WATSON
Basil Watson is a figurative sculptor with a career spanning nearly five decades. He received his formal training at Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, where he developed a foundation in drawing and working from the live model—an approach that continues to anchor his practice.
Watson is widely recognized for his public monuments, with more than sixty installed around the world. His works include tributes to Usain Bolt and other athletes in Jamaica, as well as monuments to Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis in Atlanta. Internationally, he is the artist behind the National Windrush Monument in London.
Rooted in careful observation and anatomical precision, his work reflects a deep commitment to honoring the human figure and the histories it represents.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
This workshop is intended for Beginner to Intermediate skill levels. No prior dyeing experience necessary.
A $50 model fee has been added to the workshop fee to cover the cost of a live model.
Tools and materials will be provided, though artists are encouraged to bring personal modeling tools if you have favorites.
Fees: $675 (covers workshop fees, materials, and meal plan) + $450-$600 for overnight accommodations in our Antinori Village. Follow this link for info on our accommodation options: hambidge.org/room-board
Check-in: is 1-5pm on the first day of your workshop. If this is an impossibility, please confirm any deviation in advance with staff at workshops@hambidge.org. A mandatory group orientation is held at 5pm on the date of your arrival. Departures are by 2pm on the final day of your workshop.