Our newest 6 week wheel throwing course is now available for registration! @GreggWillman brings years of ceramics experience to the table and is a fantastic teacher. Read below to see what each week will offer students.
This beginner-friendly course meets once a week for six weeks and is designed to give new ceramicists a strong foundation while offering returning potters a chance to deepen their skills with hands-on support. Through structured lessons and guided studio time, students will learn the full workflow of wheel-thrown pottery, from shaping wet clay to finishing glazed pieces.
Each session follows a consistent format to support skill-building:
- Teacher Demonstration
- Discussion & Best Practice Tips
- Student Work Time with One-on-One Support
- Studio Cleanup (last 30 minutes of class)
Week 1: Getting Started at the Wheel (7/12/25 9am - 12pm)
- Intro: Understanding clay properties, kneading, centering, and throwing a straight-sided cylinder
- Studio Overview: Wheel setup, tool introduction, and safety best practices
- Demo: Throwing a 1lb cup
- Techniques Covered: Centering, pulling walls, and removing the piece from the wheel
- Discussion:
- Wedging, cutting and measuring clay
- Proper body positioning for efficient throwing
- Importance of moisture control
- Student Work:
- Throwing practice with individualized teacher support
Week 2: Trimming & Bowl Throwing (7/19/25 9am - 12pm)
- Demo: Trimming techniques
- Topics: Timing, centering, trimming methods, tool handling
- Discussion:
- Foot styles and trimming best practices
- Drying stages and timing considerations
- Student Work:
- Trim pieces from Week 1
- Additional throwing time to refine basic forms
- New Project:
- Throwing a 2lb bowl
- Exploring curved forms and wall thickness
Week 3: Lidded Pots & Handles (7/26/25 9am - 12pm)
- Project: Throwing a pot with a lid
- Demo: Creating well-fitting lids
- Techniques: Measuring, shaping, trimming for a snug fit
- Optional: Attaching handles
- Demo: Pulling and attaching handles using the score-and-slip method
- Discussion:
- Handle shapes and creative attachments
- Structural integrity and aesthetic choices
- Student Work:
- Throwing, trimming, or attaching handles to previous pieces
Week 4: Large-Scale Throwing & Advanced Techniques (8/2/25 9am - 12pm)
- Project: Throwing a 4-5lb pot of their choice
- Demo: Techniques for handling larger clay amounts
- Coning & Collaring: Methods for centering and shaping heavy clay
- Managing Weight & Thickness: Balancing structure and aesthetics
- Drying Considerations: Preventing cracking and warping in larger pieces
- Student Work
- Individual throwing time with instructor guidance
- Opportunity to refine throwing techniques from previous weeks
- Optional Exploration:
- Experimenting with altered forms—stretching, texturing, faceting, etc.
Week 5: Personal Design & Concept Development (8/9/25 9am - 12pm)
- Exercise: Students bring a drawing of a pot they want to create
- Discussion: Understanding form, function, and translating ideas into clay
- Guidance:
- One-on-one help with executing student designs
- Problem-solving structural challenges
- Refining aesthetic choices (balance, proportion, surface texture)
- Student Work
- Throwing and assembling their envisioned piece
- Additional trimming and finishing as needed
- Reflection & Critique:
- Group discussion on artistic choices, difficulties, and breakthroughs
Skip a Week: This time is for bisque firing before glazing.
Week 6: Glazing & Alternative Firing Techniques (8/23/25 9am - 12pm)
- Glazing Techniques:
- Applying traditional glazes—dipping, brushing, spraying**
- Layering, resist methods, and experimental applications**
- Surface decoration techniques—wax resist, slips, stains, carving
- Discussion:
- Alternative firing techniques beyond standard studio methods
- Pit Firing: Effects of combustible materials on clay surfaces
- Saggar Firing: Creating atmospheric effects within a contained chamber
- Terra Sigillata & Burnishing: Achieving high-gloss surfaces without glaze
- Raku Firing: Quick cooling methods for crackled and smoky finishes
- Alternative firing techniques beyond standard studio methods
- Student Work:
- Glazing all finished pots
- Optional experimentation with alternative surface treatments
Students will leave with multiple completed pieces and a foundational understanding of the wheel-throwing process, supported each step of the way by their instructor. (The class has a minimum requirement of 2 students to run. If less than two students sign up, we will reschedule.)
Register Here: Asmbly Makerspace
