If you’ve been thinking about taking a pottery class but aren’t sure what to expect, you’re not alone. Many people who walk into their first wheel throwing class at House of Clay have never touched a pottery wheel before.
Our Introduction to Wheel Throwing class is designed specifically for beginners, including people who have never touched a pottery wheel before.
You don’t need any pottery experience. You don’t need to consider yourself artistic. You just need to be willing to get your hands a little dirty and learn something new.
What Happens in a Beginner Wheel Throwing Class?
Learning to use a pottery wheel takes practice, so we don’t try to squeeze the experience into a single evening.
Our Introduction to Wheel Throwing class meets once a week for six weeks, with each class lasting 2½ hours. That gives you 15 hours of instructor-led class time to learn the process from beginning to end.
You’ll start with the fundamentals, including preparing your clay and learning how to center it on the wheel. From there, you’ll learn how to open the clay, pull the walls, and begin creating forms such as cylinders and bowls.
As the class progresses, you’ll also learn trimming, finishing, and glazing techniques that turn those first pieces of clay into finished pottery.
And yes, your first few attempts may be a little wonky. That’s part of learning pottery.
You’ll Have Time to Practice
One of the most important things to understand about wheel throwing is that practice matters.
That’s why our six-week classes include 18 hours of additional studio time outside of your regular class meetings.
You can come into the studio between classes and practice what you’ve learned rather than waiting an entire week before sitting down at the wheel again.
Your studio time also remains available for a period after the final class, giving you time to finish projects that are still in progress.
Between your scheduled classes and additional studio time, you have plenty of opportunity to get comfortable working at the wheel.
What’s Included?
We try to make getting started as simple as possible. Your Introduction to Wheel Throwing class includes:
- Six 2½-hour instructor-led classes
- 18 hours of additional studio time
- One 25 lb bag of clay
- Firing for the clay included with your class
- Access to our collection of brush-on glazes and underglazes
- Use of studio pottery tools
You don’t need to go shopping for pottery tools or supplies before your first class.
Do I Need to Be Artistic?
No.
Pottery is a skill that you learn through instruction and repetition. Your first goal isn’t to make a perfect bowl. It’s to learn how the clay responds to your hands and begin developing control of the material.
Some students pick up certain techniques quickly. Others need more practice. Both are completely normal.
The additional studio time included with the class gives you the opportunity to work at your own pace.
What Should I Wear?
Pottery can get messy, especially when you’re learning to use the wheel.
Wear comfortable clothes that you don’t mind getting clay on. Closed-toe shoes are recommended, and long fingernails can make wheel throwing more difficult.
You don’t need to bring tools or clay. We provide what you need for class.
What Will I Actually Make?
Every beginner progresses differently, so we don’t promise that everyone will leave class with exactly the same number or type of pieces.
You’ll learn the basic techniques used to create functional pottery on the wheel and work toward making forms such as cups, bowls, and cylinders.
More importantly, you’ll learn the skills you need to continue making pottery after the class is over.
What If I Decide I Really Like Pottery?
This happens a lot.
Introduction to Wheel Throwing is meant to give you a solid foundation. After completing the beginner class, you can continue developing your skills in our Beyond the Basics wheel throwing class or consider a House of Clay studio membership.
Membership gives experienced potters a place to continue creating independently, with access to studio equipment, tools, glazes, firing services, and a community of other potters.
Prefer Building by Hand?
The pottery wheel isn’t the only way to work with clay.
Our Hand Building: All Levels class teaches pinch, coil, and slab building techniques. You’ll create functional and decorative pottery while exploring texture, surface decoration, glazing, and other techniques.
It’s a great option if you’re more interested in building and shaping clay directly with your hands than working on the pottery wheel.
Ready to Give Pottery a Try?
If you’ve been thinking about learning pottery, our Introduction to Wheel Throwing class is a great place to start. It’s designed specifically for beginners, so no previous pottery experience is required.
Prefer working directly with your hands instead of using the wheel? Our Hand Building: All Levels class is another beginner-friendly way to get started with clay.
Both are six-week classes at House of Clay in Downtown Overland Park and are open to adults 18 and older.