$400 Per Person / Ages 16 and up
No experience needed. Six weeks of gloriously dirty hands.
Ready to actually learn ceramics — not just dip a toe in, but really get into it? This is the class for you.
Over six weeks at Hearthfire Clay, you'll move through the full beginner's journey: handbuilding, the pottery wheel, and surface decoration. By the time you're done, you'll have a working understanding of how clay behaves, a small collection of pieces you made yourself, and the skills to keep going. This isn't a one-time drop-in — it's a real foundation.
Classes meet once a week for 3 hours. That's enough time to get into a rhythm, make real progress, and still leave with clay under your fingernails.
What you'll learn: Across six sessions, you'll cover the full beginner range — wedging and prepping clay, pinch pot fundamentals, coil building for height and texture, slab rolling and construction for clean geometric forms, and scoring and slipping for strong joins. On the wheel, you'll work through centering, pulling cylinders, and shaping into bowls and cups, plus trimming your finished forms. In the final stretch, you'll explore surface decoration techniques including carving, stamping, slip trailing, and underglazes, then finish with a hands-on glazing session to bring your pieces to life.
Throughout the series, your instructor will demo each technique for the group and then work with you individually as you practice. The pace is structured but not rigid — you're here to learn, not to rush.
Open studio access: Enrolled students get access to open studio time at 6th Street Studios & Art Center outside of class to practice, experiment, and keep the momentum going. Open studio hours are 9am–2pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Who's it for?: Adults and older teens (16+) who can work independently and respectfully in a shared studio space. Absolute beginners are not just welcome — they're who this class is designed for. If you've touched clay before but never had real instruction, you'll fit right in too.
This is a great next step after a one-time workshop, a solid creative outlet for the chronically busy, or just a very satisfying reason to leave your phone in your bag for three hours a week.
What's included: One 25 lb bag of clay, all tools and materials, bisque firing, a glazing session, and glaze firing. Your finished pieces will be ready for pickup 4–6 weeks after the final class.
A note on our wheels: The majority of our pottery wheels are kick wheels. If you need a wheelchair-accessible setup or an electric wheel for accessibility reasons, just reach out before registering and we'll make sure you're set up comfortably.
Class size: Small by design. You'll get real attention, not a crowd.
What to wear: Shoes you don't love, and clothes that have accepted their fate. Clay is optimistic about staining.
