Pottery & Ceramics
These two terms are often confused with each other. Technically, the term pottery refers to vessels constructed from hard clay, and ceramics refers to vessels cast with liquid clay in a plaster mold. Our industry has contributed greatly to the misuse of these two terms. The confusion arises from the tradition that universities will often refer to pottery instruction as "ceramics" in their course descriptions. Also, with the advent of contemporary studios in the last two decades, the ability to drop in to a studio and paint a piece of ceramic bisque, became popularized with the phrase "Paint-Your-Own-Pottery." Since our studio deals with both areas of fired arts, we emphasize using the terms correctly.
What We Offer
• Paint Your Own Pottery
You can drop-in to paint a piece of ceramic bisque without an appointment during regular hours. You must leave it at the studio to be clear-glazed and fired. It will be ready for pickup in
approximately 4 - 5 days. For more information go to our page on Paint Your Own Pottery.
• Pottery Instruction
We offer classes in wheel throwing, handbuilding and sculpture. Please go to our page on Classes for course descriptions.
Announcing our New Class!
Introduction to the Pottery Wheel
$60 / Includes all materials
Skill Level: Beginner
Description: Remember those carefree days of your childhood making mud pies, squishing mud through your fingers and creating your own wonderful imaginary worlds? Let our master potter take you back to those days in the mudhole the grown-up way, “throwing” vessels on the pottery wheel. This is a special introductory class on the pottery wheel for 2 1/2 hours that gives you the opportunity to decide if a 6-week session is for you. You will learn how to “center” your clay, open and create the initial base and wall, thinning and shaping your wall. And then also, you will learn how to “trim” your vessel for a finished pot. It is possible to be able to complete 2-3 small pots in this class, but that always depends on how well you and the pottery wheel become friends. In approximately 2 weeks, after your pots have dried and been bisque-fired, you can return to paint your creations in our paint your-own-pottery section. Our motto is “if you can drive a car, you can learn how to throw pottery.” So, come on, give it a try! You know you always wanted to.
Sessions to choose from:
Sunday evenings 6:00-8:30pm: •March 24 / •April 14 / •April 28 / •May 12 (Mother's Day!) / •May 26 / •June 9 / •June 23
We offer this every month, so more dates will follow.
Pre-registration is required. Click here to register for Introduction to the Pottery Wheel.
Pottery Wheel 6-week Session
Beginners $200 / Continuing $180
Sessions to choose from:
• Sundays: April 7 - May 12, 12:30-3:00pm (Mixed Levels)
• Thursday Afternoons: April 11 - May 16, 12:30-3:00pm (Mixed Levels)
Skill Level: Beginner & Continuing
Description: This is a six-session course for adults who want to learn how to “throw” ware on a potter’s wheel. Techniques will emphasize centering the clay on the wheel; opening the clay to create the initial wall and base; thinning and shaping the wall; and throwing a complete form. Students will also learn about the various kinds of forms that can be thrown on a wheel; cylinders, open forms, cones, spheres, waisted forms, showing how to raise them and explaining what goes wrong, when and why. You will learn many techniques beyond throwing itself. For Example: how to alter a thrown vessel; how to make edges, ridges, ribs and lids; how to use calipers for measuring; how to produce quantities of identical forms; how to create flat forms; how to throw large scale pieces; and how to throw a series of small forms from a single large lump of clay.
Notes: Class fee includes 25 lbs. of choice of clay, glazing, and firing. Students may want to bring an apron or wear old clothes. Students need to bring a water bucket and a kit of basic pottery tools. A $100.00 non-refundable deposit required at time of registration. The balance will be payable when the class begins.
Handbuilding
• Sundays: April 7 - May 12, 3:00-5:00pm (Mixed Levels)
• Tuesday Evenings: April 9 - May 14, 6:00-8:00pm (Mixed Levels)
Skill Level: Mixed Levels
For Beginners, this is an introductory course to the three handbuilding techniques: pinching, coiling and slab building. This is a great class to help the student decide which type of handbuilding they enjoy most. The student should have at least three finished unglazed pieces by the end of this course and can pick up their fired objects on what would be class 7 day.
- Class 1: Pinching: Making small pots using only your hands, getting used to working clay.
- Class 2: Pinching Continued: Adding pinched forms together and adding pinched sculptural elements (suggested form: small animal).
- Class 3: Coiling: Making pots using rolled out coils of clay.
- Class 4: Slab Building: Various ways of making slabs from clay.
- Class 5&6: Work days
For continuing students, the student has mastered the handbuilding techniques of their choice and has a desire to create projects on their own. Students can pick up their finished and glazed projects on what would be class 7 day.
Notes: Class fee includes all clay, glazes, and firing used in class. A basic kit of pottery tools is required and is available for purchase at the studio. Students may want to
bring an apron or wear old clothes. All supplies are included in cost and students have use of the studio’s equipment during the course.
A $80.00 non-refundable deposit required at time of registration. The balance will be payable when the class begins.
Take a look at some of the pictures from our pottery classes.
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