‘Masterclass: Smoke Firing with Mary Branson’ - Wednesday 17th June 2026
‘Masterclass: Smoke Firing with Mary Branson’ - Wednesday 17th June 2026
Join us for a truly inspirational creative workshop with renowned installation artist and ceramicist Mary Branson. At the end of the three days, you will have a completely unique ceramic vessel that you have built, fired and polished. No two are ever the same - and it is the incredible alchemy of smoke-firing that takes them to another level. All abilities are welcome; whether you haven’t touched clay since your school days, or you are a passionate maker - this workshop will be accessible for everyone. This intimate workshop wll allow you to slow down and explore the world of coil-built clay.
We are truly honoured to be hosting this intimate workshop in the heart of the Sculpture Garden.
The Process
Learn how to build vessels robust enough to go through the alchemy of smoke firing.
Learn how to burnish pots to enhance the surface detail.
Instructions on what to put on the surface of your pots to get marks and colour.
How to pack and build the fire for smoking.
How to clean up and polish pots.
Day one: Wednesday 17th June
All day workshop 10 – 5pm
Under Mary’s expert guidance, you will learn how to hand-coil a vessel. In a small group, Mary will lead you on a journey with clay - explaining every aspect as you go along.
Refreshments will be provided* but please bring your own lunch
Day two: Saturday 27th June
Afternoon workshop 3pm - 5.30pm
Learn how to wrap your pot with oxides and organic materials.
How to pack the incinerator – hands on.
Firing the incinerator!
Day three: Sunday 28th June
Afternoon workshop 3pm - 5.30pm
Opening the incinerator.
Cleaning up the pots.
Wax and polishing pots.
Timings are subject to slight change
If you are unable to make either or both afternoons, Mary will finish the process for you - so you will still have a completed vessel at the end of your experience.
*Teas, French-press coffee and scrumptious homemade cakes (vegan option available, please select dietary requirements at check-out).
Mary Branson is best known for her large-scale light works and installations, particularly the iconic ‘New Dawn’ sculpture in the Houses of Parliament, which celebrates the centenary of the Suffrage movement. It is the first permanent piece of contemporary art in the Palace of Westminster. She has created light and sound works for the London 2012 Olympics, Royal Holloway University, Salisbury Cathedral and ‘Harvest’ a huge site specific installation at Box Hill, Surrey, highlighting the plight of farmers facing climate change.
Mary is an award winning print maker, a choreographer for performance and dance events, a mentor and public speaker. She has held a number of artistic residencies, including for Parliament, the British Council, Crisis, RHS Wisley and Watts Gallery, where she led an art group for women prisoners at HMP Send.
She enjoys the challenge of using landscape and architecture as a backdrop to site determined pieces. She often works with large teams of volunteers to help her realise her ambitious use of scale and finds the shared ownership of the community an important part of her artistic process.
As many of her installations are temporary, Mary’s projects encompass elements of performance, photography, film and sound as forms of documentation. She also produces smaller scale works in glass and ceramics.
Her work is rooted in a sensitivity to landscape, politics, and the passage of time —often transforming architectural and natural settings into spaces of collective reflection.
She is a member of the historic London Group and the Royal Society of Sculptors
Find out more about Mary and her projects here