Blog

An Eco-Conscious Approach to Hand Building Clay: Paper Clay + Wild Clay

February 09, 2025

Learn to create small, sculptural hand-built objects with a focus on form, process and sustainability. We will work with paperclay and wild clay. Explore and investigate basic coil, pinch and slab making techniques with these two different clay bodies. Learn where clay comes from, and how to use it sustainably and economically.

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Introduction to the Wheel (A)

February 04, 2025

Learn to throw clay on a potter’s wheel. We’ll cover the foundations of wheel work, including wedging and centering clay and forming cylinders, cups and bowls. Basic glazing information will help you finish your final forms.

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Wheel Throwing for Everyone (A)

February 04, 2025

Have you always wanted to try wheel throwing? Come throw a pot using white stoneware, then fire and finish your pieces using food-safe glazes.

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Clay + Botanicals

February 04, 2025

Use stamping, stencil, inlay, screen printing on gelli plates, and transfer techniques to add botanical inspiration to your ceramic work! Practice drawing skills and experiment with underglazes to take your ceramic decoration to the next level. This will be mostly tiles and handbuilt work, but students are encouraged to bring their own wheelthrown pieces for […]

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Ceramic Jewelry Design

February 04, 2025

Explore a variety of hand building and jewelry making techniques to create unique and stunning pieces of ceramic jewelry. You'll learn how to plan and execute your own designs, from sketching initial ideas to firing the finished pieces. We will use clay and wire to create our final designs.

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Hand Building with Clay (Ages 9-11)

February 04, 2025

Learn the basics of hand building with clay and to create both functional and non-functional wares. We will discuss generating creative ideas, cover a variety of techniques, and explore the world of clay! From learning how to make your first pot to creating a more intricate work of art, students will leave class with a […]

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Intermediate Wheel Throwing + Hand Building

February 04, 2025

This class is designed for those interested in expanding their skills, techniques, and concepts in clay. Weekly demonstrations will be individualized to cater to each student's skill level and interest.

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Raku Firing

February 04, 2025

The focus of each session is the raku process. Participants will need to have 6 bisque fire pieces ready to raku for this class. We will raku 1 piece/week. Please have your first bisque piece ready to fire for the first class. There will be time to work on pieces independently during class time as […]

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Introduction to the Wheel (B)

February 04, 2025

Learn to throw clay on a potter’s wheel. We’ll cover the foundations of wheel work, including wedging and centering clay and forming cylinders, cups and bowls. Basic glazing information will help you finish your final forms.

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Intermediate Wheel Throwing (B)

February 04, 2025

Expand your skills by learning additional throwing techniques and working on complex projects. We'll explore larger-scale pieces, make sets, and add hand-built elements to our pieces. This class caters to individual interests, so we'll address specific techniques for your projects. Discussion on reduction firing in the gas kiln and glaze firing to cone 10 for […]

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Guided Studio: Intermediate + Advanced Ceramics

February 04, 2025

Join this class to continue wheel and hand building with plenty of feedback and guidance from the instructor as you explore independent projects. This class is best for intermediate and advanced students who are interested in furthering their ideas and have a solid foundation of the basics of ceramics .

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Put a Lid On It: Wheel Throwing Jars

February 04, 2025

Take your wheel throwing skills to the next level in this six-session class dedicated to creating beautiful and functional lidded jars. Designed for intermediate potters, this class covers the technical challenges of throwing cylindrical forms and crafting well-fitted lids. At the end of class, you'll leave with at least one fully designed, decorated, and glazed […]

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Pouring Vessels

February 04, 2025

Pitchers, cruets, teapots, ewers, decanters, bottles, and more! This class is for folks trying to pour from their pottery. Learn the many ways to make a pot pour, using slab spouts and wheel-thrown spouts.

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Wheel Throwing Refresher

February 04, 2025

Brush up on the basics! We'll review wheel throwing techniques and skills. Create and complete work during class, with enough time to fire and glaze. This class is open to students who have previously taken wheel throwing classes. We will review and refresh our knowledge of wedging, centering, throwing, trimming and glazing. We will take […]

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Hand-Built Ceramics

February 04, 2025

Work on functional or sculptural forms using slabs and hand-bulding techniques with guidance and demonstrations from the instructor. Demonstrations could include: making textural tools to personalize work, how to use the spray booth and how to use the sand blaster. Students will have ample time to practice their craft with the benefit of having a […]

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Handles, Handles, Handles!

February 04, 2025

Learn everything there is to know about making handles for your clay mugs, trays, containers and jugs! We will cover at least 5 different methods of making handles so bring some leather hard greenware and get ready to make handles, handles, handles!

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Raku Firing Workshop (A)

February 04, 2025

Head over to VisArts' courtyard and join us for some raku pottery firing—an exciting approach to pottery surface design! Participants will glaze their pieces, help load them into the kiln, grab a beer or snack across the street at Goatocado, then return to enjoy the campfire-like atmosphere with friends on our back patio.

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Hand Building with Clay (Ages 12-14)

February 04, 2025

Learn the basics of hand building with clay and to create both functional and non-functional wares. We will discuss generating creative ideas, cover a variety of techniques, and explore the world of clay! From learning how to make your first pot to creating a more intricate work of art, students will leave class with a […]

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Polymer Clay Jewelry

February 04, 2025

Learn how to mix, sculpt, and cure polymer clay into one-of-a-kind jewelry. We’ll learn to use oven bake clay with cookie cutters, in pasta rollers, mixed with acrylic paint and gold leaf and more to create beautiful effects and textures. In addition to using polymer clay, students will learn the basics of jewelry making to […]

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Guided Studio: Alternative Firings + Surface Design

February 04, 2025

Learn new techniques to improve your functional and non-functional ceramic forms. Try cone 10 reduction glazes and soda firing. Learn new surface design processes using slips, underglazes, terra sigillata and the spray booth application of both underglazes and overglazes. This class is best for intermediate and advanced students with a solid foundation of the basics […]

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