Pottery 101

Welcome to Pottery 101 — a hands-on, beginner-friendly exploration of clay where you’ll learn the foundational techniques of both hand-building and wheel-throwing. Whether you’ve never touched clay before or have dabbled and want to deepen your understanding, this course is the perfect place to begin. Over the course of seven weekends, you’ll immerse yourself in the meditative world of ceramics — learning how to shape, form, trim, and glaze your own creations. From pinch pots and slab-built trays to wheel-thrown cups and bud vases, you’ll walk away with a small collection of pottery made entirely by your own hands. What You'll Learn • Understanding the nature of clay: its types, properties, and possibilities • Preparing clay for use through wedging techniques like Slap & Slice and Bull’s Head • Pinching, coiling, and slab-building hand techniques • Throwing a cylinder on the wheel • Collaring and shaping cylinders into bottles, bud vases, and various cup forms (conical, bellied, etc.) • Throwing flat-bottomed bowls • Trimming and finishing your wheel-thrown pieces • Pulling and attaching handles; combining clay forms • Drying and preparing pieces for firing • Decorative techniques: carving, fluting, stamping, and underglazing (based on student interest) • Basic glaze chemistry, food safety, and identifying glaze errors • Mixing store-bought glaze powder and applying glazes through dipping, pouring, and layering By the end of this course, you’ll have: • A solid grounding in both hand-building and wheel-throwing techniques • A personal mini collection of finished ceramic pieces (up to 15 glazed items) • Hands-on experience with shaping, trimming, glazing, and decorating • A deeper understanding of the properties of clay and glaze • Confidence in creating with clay independently Eligibility This is a course for absolute beginners. No prior experience required — just a curious mind and a love for making. Inclusions • A basic pottery starter kit and apron — yours to keep • Studio clay for the duration of the course • Use of electric wheels, hand-building and sculpting tools, and all necessary equipment • Firing and glazing of up to 15 pieces made during class • Unlimited open studio hours for practice (to be scheduled with A Ware Studio team)