How to Go Potty

(Look, I'm a dad. These are the jokes.)

If you're interested in joining us for a pottery class, you likely have a lot of questions. Here's a quick overview of how our classes work and what the experience will be like.

First, our classes are organized by month - when you register for a class, the price includes four (sometimes five) 4-hour sessions in the studio, one per week, plus access to the Saturday Open Studio time from 9 AM to 5 PM. For your first month, we include 25 pounds of our House Blend stoneware clay, plus access to the basic tools you need to successfully make pieces at the pottery wheel. You only need to bring your hands and your imagination. (Okay, an apron, if you have one, is a good option.)

The first time you come in to the studio - at the start of your first class, if not before - your instructor (probably me) will ask you a few questions about your experience and expectations. There are no wrong answers here; it's okay to have a very clear picture of what you want to make, it's also okay to have no idea. The more you can tell us about what you're thinking and feeling, the better we can help you achieve your goals.

Class actually begins with a demonstration session on the pottery wheel. About this time, most people start to feel overwhelmed with the amount of information - we try to keep it to the bare minimum, but it's still a lot. Don't worry! We'll repeat it for you as many times as you need, and there won't be a pop quiz.

After the demonstration, you'll move to your own wheel and start trying to throw pots. At this point, you get to control how much help you get; everyone learns differently, tell us what you need. Staff in gray aprons with the Glass & Stone logo on the front are ready to help, either hands-on, answering questions, or demonstrating details - and our friendly community of potters in each class are usually eager to help if they can, too.

Session one ends by learning how to wrap up your pieces to protect them and be ready for the next session, and how to efficiently clean up your work area for the next potter.

Session two begins with another demonstration, this time on trimming your pieces from the first session. Throwing and trimming are two halves of the same coin - we're shaping and creating a piece ready for firing. Then you trim your pieces, ending with putting your signature on the base of the pot and leaving it ready for our staff to load into the first firing, the Bisque firing. That usually only takes about half the session - the rest of the time, you're welcome to practice throwing and making more pieces.

Session three is for glazing; your pieces will be out of the bisque kiln and ready for decorating. We'll talk about the proper application of glaze, safety concerns, and demonstrate the basic techniques for applying the glazes available in our extensive library of options before our staff load your work and prepare it for its second and final trip through the kiln, the Glaze firing.

Whenever pottery comes out of the glaze kiln - it's Kiln Day! Expect to see photos from our staff as your pieces come out of the kiln, ready to show off to your friends, family, pets, frenemies, and foes. This usually happens on Friday, but varies depending on the number of prepared pieces, other commitments, and so on. But your pieces will definitely be fired before the fourth session.

For that session, you spend your time on whatever you most want to do - throwing more pots, trimming pieces you've already thrown, or glazing pieces for the kiln. We also traditionally play Stump the Instructor - this is your chance to ask for demonstrations of different techniques you might want to add to your growing set of skills, from pulling handles or making lids to shaping or decorating techniques. For those lucky classes with five sessions in a month, the fifth session is a repeat of the fourth. And then it all begins again!

If you'd like to know more about our classes, the structure, or anything else about learning to make pottery, please reach out to us. We're excited to hear from you, and to see what you make!