DANBURY, CONN. — The Western Connecticut State University Department of Art will offer a public workshop on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016, that invites participants from beginning to advanced levels of experience to learn how to use pigmented colored clays in the production of functional ceramic pieces for everyday use.

WCSU Adjunct Professor of Art Jurg Lanzrein will be the instructor for the one-day workshop from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Room 012 of White Hall on the university’s Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. Enrollment is limited to a maximum of eight participants.

Registration at a fee of $150, which includes all materials, may be confirmed online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ceramic-workshop-tickets-27908354640. Registrations will be accepted until the workshop capacity is reached, and will close no later than Oct. 12. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the ceramics instruction program in the WCSU Department of Art.

Lanzrein will teach participants in the use of colored clays to inlay a design on a white background, employing this technique to complete artwork on functional ceramic pieces. Each participant will have the opportunity to create three original pieces including plates, platters and bowls for their personal use or as gifts during the holiday season. Following the workshop, the instructor and his assistant will apply a clear glaze and fire each ceramic work. The completed pieces will be available for participants to take home approximately three weeks after the workshop.

A native of Switzerland and former professional dancer who performed with many of the leading ballet companies in Europe, Lanzrein has turned the focus of his creative work to ceramic art since the mid-1970s, producing commissioned pieces for individual clients as well as Tiffany & Company. He joined the WCSU art faculty in 1992 and currently serves as an instructor of ceramics and three-dimensional artistic design. His ceramic works have been shown widely in exhibitions in the United States and Europe and have been featured in Architectural Digest. His recent work also has specialized in the creation of murals and dimensional abstractions.

For more information, contact the WCSU Department of Art at (203) 837-8403 or the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.

Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.