Raw Colour Workshop (14 February 2026)

Raw Colour Workshop with Jane du Rand
10–4:30pm Saturday 14 February 2026

Dive deep into colour to learn about ceramic underglazes, oxides and stains from an internationally renowned ceramic mosaic artist.

This Raw Colour Workshop is part two in Jane du Rand's deep exploration of ceramic decoration techniques at Plant Empire in 2026. Part one is Jane's Ceramic Surfaces Workshop held on Saturday 31 January: you are welcome to attend either workshop separately, or you can register for both workshops at the same time and receive a 10% discount on both registrations.

Clay is only half the story when it comes to ceramics. The other half is bringing clay objects to life with colour by working with light to influence a work's aesthetic and emotional impact. Jane uses raw colour through underglazes, oxides and stains to great effect in her work, and her skills in this area were showcased in the 2,000 ceramic tiles that made up her immense "Green, Red & Black" exhibition at the Ipswich Art Gallery in 2023. 

Underglazes, oxides and stains are the basic building blocks when it comes to applying and layering colour on ceramics. Underglazes are made from applying a mix of clay, oxides and water as thin slips or engobes (which incorporating silica) onto greenware (unfired ceramics) and bisque ware (bisque-fired ceramics). Because underglazes are true to colour, they can be applied like paint and won't shift when they are fired, so allow us to create detailed "painterly" surface decorations. Oxides use raw materials such as metal to impart colour and movement in finishes by creating flux in order to liquify and vitrify glazes on pottery. Stains use oxides that have already been fired to create consistent colouring effects on pottery.

We will explore underglazes, oxides and stains in detail in this workshop to understand how to create colour and surface effects on ceramics. Jane will explain some of the science behind these materials and demonstrate how to use them on their own and together to mix colours and create different effects. In the second half of the workshop, you will practise using underglazes, oxides and stains to create particular finishes and enhance carved / relief decoration on the bisque-fired vessel (see the "What to Bring" section following). 

Please note that we will be focusing primarily on underglazes, oxides and stains in this workshop: learning about glazes could last a lifetime, so we won't be covering glazes extensively in this workshop, although we will be using clear glaze as well as some translucent coloured glazes to add luminosity, shine and a non-porous seal to our vessels. 

Materials and Collection

Vessels will be provided for students attending both of Jane's ceramic decoration workshops, but you will need to bring your own bisque ware to this workshop if you are just attending the Raw Colour workshop (see below for more information). All other materials and equipment for the workshop, including clay, underglazes, oxides and stains to decorate your vessels will be provided. Please wear closed shoes and an apron if you are worried about staining your clothes. 

• If you are attending Jane's earlier Ceramic Surface Decoration workshop, you will be able to decorate the same vessel across both workshops. Your work will be fired after each workshop (firing costs are included in the workshop fee), and the finished piece will be available for collection from Plant Empire two weeks following the workshop. 
• If you are not attending Jane's earlier Ceramic Surfaces Decoration workshop, you will need to bring your own bisque ware to this Raw Colour workshop. Your piece will ideally have different textures to explore 3-dimensional colour interplays and could be a vessel, but tiles are also a great idea if you would like to use them as future colour reference samples. You will also need to arrange for your work to be fired following the workshop. 

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is targeted to students who have experience working with ceramics, but all levels of experience are welcome. 

About Jane du Rand

South-African born, Ipswich-based Jane du Rand creates three-dimensional ceramic mosaic landscapes inspired by the native flora and fauna she encounters while bushwalking west of Brisbane. Originally trained as an architect, Jane’s intricate designs have been incorporated into the architecture of civic buildings, public spaces and private homes in Europe, the UK, the USA, South Africa and Australia.

Jane's accomplishments include being a finalist in the 2023 Siliceous award for ceramic excellence and she was one of 6 artists showcased in the 2023 Museum of Brisbane exhibition "Clay: Collected Ceramics" with her piece "Brisbane Bush Turkey" now held in the museum's collection. She was awarded "Best of Show" at the 2017 Ipswich Art Award, she was a finalist in the 2020 and 2022 Queensland Regional Art Awards, the 2018 Ipswich Art Award, and the Mercedes Benz Award for South African Art Projects in Public Spaces in 2009. Her solo exhibition "Living in Ipswich" was presented at Ipswich Art Gallery in 2020 followed by a second solo exhibition "Green Red and Black" in 2023. Jane's work features in many public spaces in south-east Queensland, with her most recent large-scale public art installation "All the Birds Singing" being commissioned for the Mental Health Unit at Ipswich Hospital which opened in 2024.

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Cost

$500 / $450 (Frequent workshoppers)

Frequent workshopper discount: Sign up for 2 or more Plant Empire workshops, or register 2 or more people for the same workshop, to receive 10% off the total registration price (discount will appear at checkout).

Location

Plant Empire has moved! This workshop will be held at our new premises in Tennyson, Brisbane: 15/55 Lofter St, Tennyson Q 4105.

Reminders

You have full control over how (and how often) you receive reminders for our events. You will receive one email confirmation from us when you purchase your workshop registration; but we won't send any further email reminders, so please ensure that you have the workshop details in your diary. You can also use the "add to calendar" function in our events calendar to add workshops to your digital calendar and customise your reminder preferences.

Cancellation Policy

Please choose carefully before registering for this workshop as we do not offer refunds on event bookings. If you need to cancel your place up to 24 hours before the workshop, we will provide you with a voucher that you can use to attend a future workshop or any other purchase at Plant Empire. We regret that we are unable to provide vouchers for cancellations made within 24 hours of the workshop.

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