Sgraffito on Porcelain Vases: Harmony and Nature Workshop

Sgraffito on Porcelain Vases: Harmony and Nature Workshop with Karla Camacho

Saturday, May 23, 2026

10:30 AM to 2:00 PM (includes a half-hour lunch break in the courtyard with live music)

$250 Members, $270 Non-Members

Includes all materials including a wheel-thrown porcelain vase from the artist and firing costs

No experience necessary

Join artist Karla Camacho for an immersive, hands-on workshop exploring the art of sgraffito, an ancient technique of carving imagery into clay to reveal layers beneath.

Karla will begin with a detailed demonstration on porcelain vases, guiding you through the technical process of applying and carving terra sigillata, an ultra-refined black slip, onto bone-dry clay. You will learn how to create contrast, line, and depth through careful carving and surface design.

Each participant will select a wheel-thrown vase made by Karla to serve as their canvas. Drawing inspiration from themes of nature and harmony, you will have access to a variety of reference images to help guide your design while still allowing space for your own creative voice.

After the workshop, Karla will transport, fire, and glaze each piece. Your finished sgraffito vase, fully functional and one of a kind, will be ready for pick-up in approximately two weeks.

Please bring a sack lunch.

Instructors Bio

Karla Camacho is a first generation, multidisciplinary artist, educator, and storyteller whose work ranges from illustration, painting, installation, sculpture, and functional pottery. Her work explores many themes and narratives around cultural heritage, migration, changing landscapes, and memory that transcends vessels.

Karla received her BA in Studio Art from California State University, Long Beach in 2016.  She completed a postbacc and a 2-year residency with the Center for Contemporary Ceramics, under the mentorship of Tony Marsh. These 3 years served as a crucial time of experimentation that helped to evolve her practice, learning and collaborating with a diverse international community of grad students and resident artists.

Shortly after completing her time at the CCC, Karla opened her art studio near Downtown Los Angeles, intentionally building a business of growing collectors from around the country.  She worked as a Senior Educator at the Museum of Contemporary Art from 2023-2025, coaching cohorts of 150+ teachers from the Los Angeles Unified School District, and leading many wonderful, inquiry-based tours with students. Karla has been teaching ceramic classes at the Armstrong Community Center in Ontario, CA since the Summer of 2024.