Building Bigger: Intermediate hand building with francisco zhan
Learn how to hand build ceramics on a larger scale, beyond that of standard tableware.
Explore slab construction, block carving and large-scale coiling and learn how to approach large scale construction with structural integrity. Work can be functional, decorative, or both, and can be an extension of your current practice or a new exploration for your work.
Learners will be encouraged to pick and mix techniques that best suit their work, and will be given individual guidance on how to develop their project.
What you make:
Each learner will take home a finished, glazed ceramic piece (up to 35x40x40 cm), plus a small glaze test.
What to bring:
Please bring preparatory sketches and/or source images.
Who this is for:
This course is not suitable for beginners, and learners will need to have basic experience working consistently in hand building with clay.
Learners should have previously completed some form of multi-week ceramics course, or have an equivalent level of experience. If in doubt, please get in touch at ceramics@setspace.uk and we can advise you.
Course Dates:
Week 1: Friday 23 October 2026
Week 2: Friday 30 October 2026
Week 3: Friday 6 November 2026
Week 4: Friday 13 November 2026
*2 week break for work to dry and be bisque fired*
Week 5: Friday 4 December 2026
Please note: missed sessions cannot be rescheduled.
Class Times:
Friday Mornings
10:30-13:00
Please note: the final 30 minutes are dedicated to cleaning and organising work.
Please arrive no earlier than 5 minutes before the session begins, as there is no waiting area and the studio will be in preparation.
Tutor Statement:
Francisco Zhan (he/him) is a visual artist working with ceramic sculpture, writing and performance. He is interested in skeletons in closets, as much as closeted skeletons.
Francisco’s work takes shape through questions of queer practice, auto-ethnography and transhumanism. He borrows the language of ceramic relics, fashion phenomena and pop symbols to investigate history as a material – one that’s not inert, but alive, persistent and embodied in our everyday lives.
He has taught ceramics at Camden Art Centre, Maison S. Sommet, and Mudgang Pottery CIC, and brings a thoughtful, open approach to teaching that supports a wide range of ideas and ways of making.
Francisco currently studies Sculpture at the Royal College of Art, where he was awarded the RCA President and Vice-Chancellor Scholarship, following his BA at Goldsmiths University (2016). His love for making has taken him to residencies at Sanbao Ceramics Institute in Jingdezhen and Casapiena in Sicily, and his work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. In 2024, he was awarded a Grand Plan Fund project grant.
www.franciscozhan.com
@francisco.zhan - instagram.com/francisco.zhan
About SET Ceramics:
SET Ceramics is a contemporary pottery studio tucked away inside a beautifully converted former cobbler’s shop on Crutched Friars, less than a minute from Fenchurch Street Station and a short walk from Tower Gateway.
Part of the arts organisation and registered charity SET, the space functions as both a working hub for members and an artist-led learning environment for the public. Alongside affordable studio memberships, we offer public courses, workshops, and kiln hire led entirely by practising ceramic artists.
With four pottery wheels, a 220-litre kiln, hand-building stations, glazing and finishing facilities, and dedicated studio spaces, SET Ceramics is set up for people who want to spend real time making and building skills. Course discounts apply for SET Studio Members and residents of the City of London.
Instagram account: @setceramicset