Tag: fun

Make a Garden Fish or Bird

As the weather warms and our attention moves to our gardens, wouldn’t it be fun to have a sparkly bird or fish to add some fun to our gardens? Here is a class where you can make your own garden ornament. Make a fish or bird or flower, or your own creation! The one sided form is created then filled with glass and refired. As the piece cools in the kiln, the glass cracks, creating a beautiful sparkly surface. It is not recommended that these stay out during the winter, but they are fine to stay out during the non-freezing days.

You will be given enough clay to make 2 fish or birds, about 10 inches each, or one extra large item.

This class will take place Wednesday, May 18 and 25 from 6 – 8 pm. No experience needed.

To reserve your seat, click here

Student Made

Student Made

Intro to Throwing – May 15

Have you wanted to learn to throw on the potter’s wheel, but you are not sure you want to commit to a longer class? This is for you! This is a two day workshop, one day you will play on the wheel, and the next class, a week later, you will come back and glaze your pot. 

In this workshop, you will have unlimited amount of clay to try your hand on the wheel. From all the pots you make in this 2 hour class, you can choose one to keep, that you will glaze the following week. If you want to keep all the pots you make, or some of them, I charge an additional $4 per pot which covers the cost of my trimming your bowls, glaze, electricity, and overhead… The first class will take 2 hours, the second class will take about an hour (depending on how many pots you keep).

Grab your family or friends, and make an afternoon of it! The class is limited to just 4 students.

Pots made in previous “One Day Intro to Throwing” classes:

This workshop will take place on Sunday May 15 and 22 from 2 – 4 pm. After class, you can enjoy any of the really nice restaurants Groton has to offer.

To reserve a seat, click here

Please see my mask and studio rules.

Make a Spaghetti Bowl – May

Join us on May 15 and 22 from 5 – 7 pm to make the plate shown, or one very similar, that reflects your very own creativity!  This plate, which is about 9 inches wide, and is oven and dishwasher safe, microwavable and food safe. It is deep, bowl like, making it a good spaghetti bowl.

During this 2 day workshop you will be led through the steps to make your very own plate.  The first day, which will take about 2 hours, we will make the plate, and cover different ways to decorate it. The plate is made from a slab of clay, molded, and then finished on the wheel. Once the plate is made, you can finish it any way you want. A number of different methods of decorating  will be covered, including use of texture, use of underglazes and stencils, and sgraffito, a popular Italian method of decorating pottery (as shown on the plate pictured).  The focus will be on using the sgraffito method,  you can finish it as you like, but the class focus will be on creating a  concentric sgraffito design of black, white, and a minimal amount of red as accent. The second scheduled day, we will finish the plate. Depending on how much is done the first class, the second class could take an hour to 2 hours. Your plate will be ready for you to take home within 3 weeks of you finishing it. 

The workshop will take place May 15 and 22 from 5 – 7   pm. The first class will be very short – probably an hour at most.  The second class will likely take the full 2 hours. 

The class is limited to 6 people. Grab a friend and make an evening of it. 

Previous student work:

I have been teaching pottery and ceramics in a variety of situations, for all age groups, for more than 30 years. I absolutely love teaching and sharing my love of clay with others.

To reserve a seat in this workshop, click here.

Please review my studio rules before committing to this class.

Make a Tray – May

Beautiful and functional…what could be better? Using a mold and a slab of clay, you will make a tray that reflects your own creativity. This is a two day event. The first day we will make the tray, and decorate with stamps to provide texture, or you can use one of the many rolling pins I have with beautiful unique textures. You can add handles…or not. The second day, the following week, you will glaze your tray. The first day will likely take the full two hours as contemplating the many ways to decorate takes time. The second week, when you will glaze your tray, will take around an hour. The tray is dishwasher safe, microwavable, and ovenproof, if protected from thermal shock. The tray is about 12 x 8 by about 1 inch deep.

The class will take place May 1 and 8 from 5 – 7   pm. The class will be limited to 8 people.

Please review my studio rules before committing to this class. 

To reserve a seat, click here

One Day Intro to Throwing

Have you wanted to learn to throw on the potter’s wheel, but you are not sure you want to commit to a longer class? This is for you! This is a two day workshop, one day you will play on the wheel, and the next class, a week later, you will come back and glaze your pot. 

In this workshop, you will have unlimited amount of clay to try your hand on the wheel. From all the pots you make in this 2 hour class, you can choose one to keep, that you will glaze the following week. If you want to keep all the pots you make, or some of them, I charge an additional $4 per pot which covers the cost of my trimming your bowls, glaze, electricity, and overhead… The first class will take 2 hours, the second class will take about an hour (depending on how many pots you keep).

Grab your family or friends, and make an afternoon of it! The class is limited to just 4 students.

Pots made in previous “One Day Intro to Throwing” classes:

This workshop will take place on Sunday May 1 and 8  from 2 – 4 pm. After class, you can enjoy any of the really nice restaurants Groton has to offer. 

Please see my mask and studio rules.

To reserve your seat, click here

Intro to Pottery – Evenings in May

This is a 4 week class, specifically for adults,  in which you will be introduced to the basics of throwing and pottery. The class will meet Friday evenings,  7 – 9  pm, May 6, 13, 20, and 27. The class is limited to 4 people.  The outline of the class is as follows:

  • Week 1:

      • You will be throw 5 balls of clay, of which you will keep 3 that you like. Focus is on centering
      • We will make a slab bowl and use texture to decorate
      • Review of different ways to finish or decorate your pots.
  • Week 2:
      • You will trim the pots you made from the previous week. How to trim a pot
      • You will make 1 slab plate 
      • You will throw 4 balls of clay, time permitting, of which you can keep 2 of your finished pots. Focus is on shaping.
      • Review pots that you have made. Discuss ways that they could be finished /decorated/glazed.
  • Week 3:
      • You will learn about different techniques to finish your pots. The plate you made in the previous week will be finished with a  method called sgraffito.
      • You will throw 3 balls of clay, time permitting, of which you can keep 1.
  • Week 4: 
      • You will glaze all your pots made previously. You should potentially have as many as 8 pots that will need glazing – pending no disasters along the way. 
      • You will trim your pot from the previous week. Underglazes will be used to decorate your pot.

Your pots will be available for pick up within 3 weeks of your last class.

To reserve your seat, click here

Please review my studio rules prior to signing up for a class or workshop.

Intro to Pottery – Afternoons in May

This is a 4 week class, specifically for adults,  in which you will be introduced to the basics of throwing and pottery. The class will meet Friday afternoons ,  4 – 6  pm, May 6, 13, 20, 28. The class is limited to 4 people.  The outline of the class is as follows:

  • Week 1:

      • You will be throw 5 balls of clay, of which you will keep 3 that you like. Focus is on centering
      • We will make a slab bowl and use texture to decorate
      • Review of different ways to finish or decorate your pots.
  • Week 2:
      • You will trim the pots you made from the previous week. How to trim a pot
      • You will make 1 slab plate 
      • You will throw 4 balls of clay, time permitting, of which you can keep 2 of your finished pots. Focus is on shaping.
      • Review pots that you have made. Discuss ways that they could be finished /decorated/glazed.
  • Week 3:
      • You will learn about different techniques to finish your pots. The plate you made in the previous week will be finished with a  method called sgraffito.
      • You will throw 3 balls of clay, time permitting, of which you can keep 1.
  • Week 4: 
      • You will glaze all your pots made previously. You should potentially have as many as 8 pots that will need glazing – pending no disasters along the way. 
      • You will trim your pot from the previous week. Underglazes will be used to decorate your pot.

Your pots will be available for pick up within 3 weeks of your last class.

Please review my studio rules prior to signing up for a class or workshop.

To reserve your seat, click here

One Day Intro to Throwing – March 20 and 27

Have you wanted to learn to throw on the potter’s wheel, but you are not sure you want to commit to a longer class? This is for you! This is a two day workshop, one day you will play on the wheel, and the next class, a week later, you will come back and glaze your pot. 

In this workshop, you will have unlimited amount of clay to try your hand on the wheel. From all the pots you make in this 2 hour class, you can choose one to keep, that you will glaze the following week. If you want to keep all the pots you make, or some of them, I charge an additional $4 per pot which covers the cost of my trimming your bowls, glaze, electricity, and overhead… The first class will take 2 hours, the second class will take about an hour (depending on how many pots you keep).

Grab your family or friends, and make an afternoon of it! The class is limited to just 4 students.

Pots made in previous “One Day Intro to Throwing” classes:

This workshop will take place on Sunday March 20 and 27  from 1 – 3 pm. After class, you can enjoy any of the really nice restaurants Groton has to offer.

To reserve your seat, click here – March 20 and 27 

Please see my mask and studio rules.

One Day Intro to Throwing March 6 and 13

Have you wanted to learn to throw on the potter’s wheel, but you are not sure you want to commit to a longer class? This is for you! This is a two day workshop, one day you will play on the wheel, and the next class, a week later, you will come back and glaze your pot. 

In this workshop, you will have unlimited amount of clay to try your hand on the wheel. From all the pots you make in this 2 hour class, you can choose one to keep, that you will glaze the following week. If you want to keep all the pots you make, or some of them, I charge an additional $4 per pot which covers the cost of my trimming your bowls, glaze, electricity, and overhead… The first class will take 2 hours, the second class will take about an hour (depending on how many pots you keep).

Grab your family or friends, and make an afternoon of it! The class is limited to just 4 students.

Pots made in previous “One Day Intro to Throwing” classes:

This workshop will take place on Sunday March 6  and 13  from 1 – 3 pm. After class, you can enjoy any of the really nice restaurants Groton has to offer. 

To reserve your seats, click here – March 6 and 13 

Please see my mask and studio rules.

Intro to Ceramics

This will be a combination class, in that we will do hand building and throwing. The first 4 classes you will make a new slab item, or item that is extruded, as well as have time to try your hand at throwing.  The class will meet Wednesday evenings April 6, 13, 20, 27 and May 4 and 10 from 7 – 9.  

Week One  – make a vase . We will cover basic ways to decorate a handmade ceramic pot. Topics include applique, sgraffito, underglaze design, slip trailing, among others…Students will make a vase using an extruded tube. Decoration will focus on clay applique, but students are encouraged to explore their own designs. Students will throw 2 balls of clay, of which they can keep one. 

Week Two – make a leaf platter – students will make a slab serving platter, using flora to decorate. The method is much like creating a fossil of leaves and flowers that may be out at the time. Students will throw 2 balls of clay, of which they can keep one, as well as trim pots made from the previous week. 

An example of sgraffito

week three – make a bowl – Students will make a bowl that uses texture as the decoration. The bowl is made on a mold that is finished on the wheel, giving it a wheel thrown appearance.  They will trim their pots from the previous week.  If there is time, half the class will throw on the wheel.

week four – make a plate – students will make a plate that uses sgraffito to decorate the plate. Sgraffito is Italian for “scratch” and the technique involves scratching a design on the surface of the plate. Trim pots made from previous week. The half of the class that did not get a chance to throw the previous week will throw on the wheel. 

week five – get all pots ready for glazing – finish sgraffito plates. 

week 6 – glaze your pots – finish all pots in process

Assuming all pots survive the firing process, which is not always a given, students should have 7 pots to glaze, and potentially take home. The objective of the class is to introduce students to several aspects of pottery and give students an appreciation for the art form.

Adults only please. Please also familiarize yourself with my studio rules. 

To reserve a seat, click here