Our Main Building and galleries will not be open to the public for Nuit Blanche. Access to “Hopes and Fears Assembly” will be on the northwest side of the Main Building.

Clay – Building Beasts

How can mythical building beasts or creatures from around the world influence the creation of your clay sculpture?

Program Description

Welcome to the exciting world of sculpture. Your students will learn about the historical significance and current practice of using sculptural creatures as a vehicle for storytelling, protection, decoration or to serve a functional purpose on buildings, entranceways and gardens across cultures. These reference images will spark students to create a ceramic sculpture using hand-building techniques.

Program Objectives

By the end of the Clay – Building Beasts program, students will:

  • Use appropriate terminology related to ceramic arts.
  • Assess historical and current examples of building beasts related to their form and function.
  • Demonstrate an ability to construct a clay beast using a pinch pot and additional hand-building techniques.

Support Material

To enhance your pre and post-visit learning, please download the package for this program.

Booking Details

Grades 1–12 (Half-Day)
Grades 4–12 (Full-Day)

Available all year

Regular rates apply

Book a Class

Curriculum Connections

Program Categories

Onsite Program, Visual Arts & Contemporary Craft

A student working with clay listens to their instructor