"Consider the Teapot" Yoko Sekino-Bové 2-Day Hands-On Workshop July 25 & 26, 2026
Workshop Details
Time & Location
10am-5pm each day
Artspiration Frederick, Ceramics Lab
915 Tollhouse Ave.
Frederick, MD 21701
Age & Skill Level
Ages 15+ (Intermediate & Advanced)
First-time teapot makers are especially welcome; some prior clay experience is helpful.
Yoko Sekino-Bové
Born in Osaka, Japan, Yoko Sekino-Bové is a ceramic artist and educator based in Pennsylvania. After earning her MFA in Ceramics, she began creating porcelain work that blends function with storytelling. Her pieces are featured in galleries, museums, and homes worldwide. Yoko teaches at Carnegie Mellon University and shares her passion for ceramics through exhibitions, workshops, and residencies.
In this workshop, we’ll explore this classic form in fresh and creative ways. Whether you love handbuilding, wheel-throwing, or a bit of both, you’ll learn how to craft each part—spout, handle, lid, and body—and bring them together into a teapot that truly works and tells a story.
Through demonstrations and hands-on experience, we will examine the history, function, and aesthetics of the teapot, and explore ways to express your artistic voice through this fascinating form. After constructing a teapot, we will spend half a day focusing on surface decoration techniques for greenware, including carving, underglaze painting, and sgraffito.
This workshop welcomes both hand-builders and wheel-throwers.
Statement from the Artist
The creation of a teapot is often considered a rite of passage for ceramic artists.
In making a teapot, we learn to create separate parts that function well together, and to assemble them into an object that feels complete and meaningful. As a result, teapots often reflect an artist’s skill, aesthetics, and personality more than other forms. This makes them both a rewarding challenge for artists and a fascinating subject for collectors.
Think of the teapot not just as a vessel, but as a reflection of yourself—your quirks, contradictions, and craftsmanship. Like identity, it is made of parts: spout, handle, lid, and body. Each must relate to the others yet stand on its own. This is your chance to sculpt a portrait that pours, holds, and perhaps even spills who you are.
Workshop Rules
Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Upon registration you will receive
confirmation and correspondence regarding workshop details.
To cancel your reservation and receive a refund (minus a $25.00 cancellation fee) please notify us at least 30 days prior to the start of the workshop. No refunds will be made within the 30 day period before the workshop begins.
We cannot be responsible for nonrefundable airline tickets, hotel reservations, or other associated costs.
Please contact [email protected] or call 301-524-9510 with questions, or to join the waitlist.