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FACE AND CHARACTER VESSELS

Save $85.00 with a Spruill Center for the Arts Membership - New and Renewal or Spruill Center for the Arts Membership - New and Renewal


Course Number: 261CEHB265

Dates: Thursday, January 15 - March 19, 2026
Check for other dates or times

Meets: Thu 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM , 10 sessions

Fee: $370.00

More Course Info: Supply List

From the Teste de Moro of Sicily, to West African pottery, to the face jugs of the American south, decorating vessels with faces has a long, colorful history. In this  handbuilding class we will explore that art as we learn to create various vessels such as jugs, mugs, pots, etc., and bring them to life with expressive faces. This class is great for exploring handbuilt vessels, how to portray expressions, and enhancing our work with underglazes and glaze.

See spruillarts.org for a list of supplies needed for this class.

Fee: $370.00

Save $85.00 with a Spruill Center for the Arts Membership - New and Renewal or Spruill Center for the Arts Membership - New and Renewal

Fee Breakdown

CategoryDescriptionAmount
Course Fee (Basic)Non-member$ 305.00
Optional FeeDonation$ 1.00
Mandatory FeeCeramics Lab Fee$ 65.00

Karen Portaleo

Photo of Karen Portaleo

karen@karenportaleo.com
Karen Marie Portaleo is an Atlanta based artist and instructor. Her work is sculptural, and her preferred mediums are clay, cake and chocolate.

Her clay work has been featured in various publications, such as 500 Teapots and 500 figures, and she has two pieces in permanent museum collections in the Racine Art Museum in Racine Wisconsin, and the Taipei County Yingge Ceramics Museum in Taiwan, as well as works in various American collections. She was previously with Ferrin Gallery, where she was able to show amongst her idols in the ceramic world in Massachusetts, Chicago and New York.

She has appeared on Food Network with her cake and chocolate art on shows such as Halloween Wars, Cake Challenge and Cake wars, as well as Andrew Zimmerman's Bizarre Foods and a few others. Her work has been featured in publications such as National Geographic's Strange But True, Wild Art by Phaedon Press, A Feast For The Eyes by Carolyn Tillie, as well as various magazines and websites worldwide. Karen also created and sells a line of Edible Oil Paints which she designed to paint on all edible surfaces.

She has taught sculpture using various mediums in 25 countries and deeply enjoys travel. She has a home studio for her clay work as well as her cake and chocolate work. Currently she's working on balancing her cake work, with clients as far apart as New York and Palm Beach, with teaching closer to home and keeping up with her own clay practice. Website

karenportaleo.com

Instagram

@karenportaleo

@portaleocly

TikTok

@portaleoclay

Photo of Karen's work

Date Day Time Location
01/15/2026Thursday7 PM to 9:30 PM RM 212
01/22/2026Thursday7 PM to 9:30 PM RM 212
01/29/2026Thursday7 PM to 9:30 PM RM 212
02/05/2026Thursday7 PM to 9:30 PM RM 212
02/12/2026Thursday7 PM to 9:30 PM RM 212
02/19/2026Thursday7 PM to 9:30 PM RM 212
02/26/2026Thursday7 PM to 9:30 PM RM 212
03/05/2026Thursday7 PM to 9:30 PM RM 212
03/12/2026Thursday7 PM to 9:30 PM RM 212
03/19/2026Thursday7 PM to 9:30 PM RM 212

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