Potterville Pottery offers pottery-wheel lessons, commonly called throwing lessons, for both children and adults. We teach at the beginning and intermediate level. Aspiring potters may work in either earthenware or stoneware. Classes are held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for adults. Wednesdays are reserved for children’s lessons, along with late afternoon hours on Tuesday and Thursday. Our lesson rates include the materials for one finished piece. Practicing is encouraged by the significantly reduced rates we offer to students for wheel time.
Adults may join a small class of peers, working at their level, either on Tuesday or Thursday evenings, or they can sign up for a lesson at their convenience.
No experience with clay is required at the beginners’ level. We teach centering, basic throwing techniques, and trimming to the beginner. Students often work with earthenware until some skill is acquired and then move into stoneware. We recommend eight to twelve weeks of lessons for the beginner to learn the basics.
Intermediate students are perfecting the basics and learning more complicated skills, such as two-part projects. Covered pots and goblets are examples of such projects. Larger items are also the domain of intermediate throwers: tea pots, pasta bowls, cake stands, and the like.
Students secure their place in class by paying for lesson fees at the beginning of each month, $96.00 on a four-week month. Each lesson is $24.00, with 75 minutes dedicated to wheel time and materials included. Potterville provides a pound of clay for practice and a pound of clay, the glazes and firing for one finished piece for each lesson. Additional clay may be purchased for $2.90 per pound including glazes and firing.
Students may glaze their pieces at their own convenience during any of our business hours. We are always available to advise a student on how to go about glazing their pieces. Potterville charges no sitting fees. A missed lesson can be made-up by attending another class at the same level or by making an appointment for a lesson with any one of our potters.
Students may come in to practice on the wheel for $14.00/hr., including 1 pound of clay, glaze and firing. This price is an over 30% discount to encourage practicing. Practice time is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Wednesday night is kids’ night at Potterville Pottery. We schedule one-on-one lessons during the after-school and evening hours on Wednesdays for children 8 years and up. After-school hours are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well. Children have their own dedicated teacher and time for their weekly 45-minute lessons.
We have a tried-and-true method for teaching young people. We dedicate the first 15 minutes of the lesson to teaching the child to center clay on the wheel. During the next half hour, the child learns the basics through making an item on the wheel. Our goal is to build skill each week, while the child develops a love for the clay and joy and pride at seeing their finished pieces. After 16 weeks of lessons, children often have built enough skill to center their clay on the wheel at most lessons and make simple forms independently, such as cups, bowls, and small vases. Because we focus on one child at a time, children progress and are challenged at their own rate.
Children’s lessons are paid for at the beginning of each month, $72.00 on a four-week month. The lesson rate is $18.00 per lesson, including a pound of clay for practice and a pound of clay, the glazes and firing to make one finished piece. Additional clay may be purchased for $2.90 per pound including glazes and firing.
Children may glaze their pieces during any of our convenient hours. We are always available to advise a student on how to go about glazing their pieces. Potterville charges no sitting fees. A missed lesson can be made-up by making an appointment for a lesson with the child’s teacher.