Skill Level: One (Beginner)

Requirements: None - No experience required

Perfect for those with no (or little) experience.

Come learn a new skill or revisit an old hobby in this fun introductory class. You will learn the basics of creating functional and sculptural ceramics by hand by pinching, coiling, and using molds. We will cover basic studio use, preparing clay, basic construction techniques, decorating, firing, and glazing.

Week 1:

Brief tour and orientation

Demonstrations: Preparing clay (wedging) and constructing using pinching and coil building, slab rolling

Projects: Closed pinched form, Coil built vessel

Week 2:

Demonstration: Making slabs and using molds, attachments, and sculpture techniques

Discussion on the stages of clay, drying, and firing

Projects: Large footed bowl and adding handles to vessel

Week 3:

Demonstration: Using slip, underglaze, washes and glaze

Focus: Decoration 

Week 4:

Demonstration: Cold finishing

Focus: Finishing up

Included with class:

-15 lbs cone 6 clay

-firings of all work made during the course

-outside of class studio access within the following hours:

Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday 8:30 a.m.-5p.m., Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m.-4p.m.

You will need to bring:

Clay tools. If you don’t already have some, here are the tools we recommend purchasing:

Serrated Rib/Scraper

Flexible Rib (yellow recommended)

Needle tool

Fettling Knife