The Tallahassee Chan Center plans to host a series of classes in February 2023 on how Chan (Zen) principles apply to spiritually nourishing self-expression. People often resolve, at the start of a new year, to pay greater attention to their spiritual health and this series of presentations is intended to support sharing our experiences and knowledge with others.

Our first presentation is by Tea Master Mrs. Junko Nishida of Gyokusen-en. She will perform the Japanese tea ceremony for the Chan center. Our second presentation is by Pottery Teacher Sally Crayton. She will teach us how to make and glaze our own tea pot.

Please read more about each class, and register for the sessions you’re interested in below.

 

Update February 25, 2023: Tickets to the two-part pottery class are now sold out.

Tea Ceremony Class on Friday Feb 17 (New Time)

Ms. Nishida Umejo is a Japanese tea master with over 30 years of experience, and belongs to the Urasenke Chado lineage of tea ceremony practice.  Gyokusen-en in Kanazawa, Japan, is her tea garden (http://www.gyokusen-en.net/). It is a historic tea garden dating to the Edo period (1600-1868). The construction of Gyokusen-en began in the early Edo (approx. 1620s) by Naokata Wakita, a chamberlain to the Kaga Clan, and was completed towards the middle of the Edo (approx. 1840s) by Kuhei Wakita, the fourth generation descendant. At Gyokusen-en, Ms. Nishida regularly holds tea ceremonies and classes for both Japanese and Western students.

This tea ceremony is free and donation-based. Due to the limited space, the first to arrive can participate in the tea ceremony, and others are welcome to observe.

Class Time:
Friday, February 17 *New Time*
6:30pm-8:30pm

Pottery Class on Saturday Feb 25 and Saturday Mar 4

Sally Crayton is a local Tallahassee pottery teacher. Pottery has been her hobby for more than 20 years. Her initiation into pottery began with throwing lessons using an old style kick wheel. She was fortunate to be the only student of a woman who was deeply rooted in the traditional Japanese ceramic traditions. Through her, Sally learned to admire the “wabi sabi” or “impermanent, and incomplete” nature of Japanese ceramics. Sally says… “I was not a fan of wheel throwing so I began using only my hands and a few simple tools to make my pieces. I use a variety of hand building techniques like pinching, coiling, slab building and a Japanese technique called kurinuki.” For more information about the format of the pottery class, please click here. We ask for a $25 donation for this class to cover the cost of materials. There is a class limit to 15 adults (no children, please).

 

Class Time:

Saturday, February 25 (Making the Pottery)
1:00pm-3:00pm

Saturday, March 04 (Glazing the Pottery)
1:00pm-2:00pm

Registration

The tea ceremony has now passed, and the tickets to the pottery class are sold out. Please stay tuned for our next offering by joining our mailing list.