Cultural Exploration w/ Zahra [6 weeks]

Cultural Exploration is a unique 6-week class series that encompasses our mission to preserve and celebrate culture through clay. This series is taught by a new teaching artist each session with their own cultural practice.

With the instructor's guidance and unique background students will learn surface decoration techniques and incorporate them into one larger piece that explores a personal or cultural narrative. 

Zahra Hooshyar is teaching the September-October 2024 session

Zahra is an interdisciplinary, first-generation Iranian-American artist with a dual Bachelors in Studio Art and Persian studies. Her body of work ranges from sculptural installations and ephemeral moments to collisions of found materials, focusing on the idea of belonging and what it means to exist somewhere, false memories, and our interconnectedness through our human existence with the planet. Hooshyar finds herself uncovering stories of her ancestors, her current community, and the ecological spaces around her. Hooshyar finds great importance in preserving her Iranian-American culture through storytelling, investigation, and imagination. 

Zahra has exhibited works across the country at galleries and museum spaces, is featured on podcasts telling her story, and was also a guest speaker for a storytelling segment at NCECA 2022: Fertile Ground.   

This is a level 2 series. For ages 16+. This series is for anyone with basic handbuilding experience, or who has at least taken Intro to Handbuilding with us. You will learn new surface decor techniques. 

Payment plans available

Hosted at POT Gardens: 3228 W. Jefferson Blvd, 90018