Here’a a little choose-your-own-adventure guide to help you decide where to start. If you have more questions, or need a bit more direction, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help!
I’ve never done pottery before & I’m not sure I want a commitment!
Don’t worry! We have 1 time classes so you can just take pottery out for a coffee and not worry about moving in together just yet. On Friday nights from 7-9pm, you can see what it’s like to make something on the pottery wheel and re-enact all those Ghost scenes you pretended to not look up before you came to class. This class is just for the adults. Sorry, little ones.
On Sunday afternoons from 2-4pm, you can test out handbuilding - making things on a table using pinching, coiling, slabs, molds, etc. This one’s less messy and for all ages. If you think you might be a future sculptor, this one’s for you.
The cost for either Try Clay is $35/person and includes your 2-hour class, all materials, glazing & firing. I’d recommend signing up as soon as you know that you’d like to do it, as we fill up fast. You can do that by clicking here.
I signed up for “Try Clay” and I have NO idea what to expect.
First, yay! You’ll love it. Pinky swear. It’s how I got started years ago and I got totally hooked. You’ll be part of a group class, 99.999% of the time everyone is trying this out for the first time, so don’t worry, everyone is exactly where you are. You’ll have instructors there to help, support and cheer you on. They’ll give you all the warm fuzzies. The class is 2 hours long , and you’ll be creating and learning the entire time. Your instructor will demo the fundamentals of making pottery on the wheel or how to coil/pinch/slab/use molds for the handbuilding class, and then help you as you give it a go. After you choose which pieces you’d like to keep (you can choose up to 3), you’ll leave them with us to fully dry out, dip in our glaze combo of the month, and fire in our kilns. You’ll get your pieces back in about 3 weeks, and they’ll be food/dishwasher/microwave safe. We’ll email the address you gave us during registration, so if you signed up with dontspamme@gmail.com, let us know!
I’d recommend clothes that can get dirty (the clay washes out, but still white is a BAD idea); a way to tie your hair back if it’s long (I’ve sported clay highlights on several occasions); leave rings/watches/bracelets at home or just know you’ll need to take them off when working with clay; no skirts or dresses for the wheel class unless you want your new classmates to get to know you REALLY well. And, of course, kindness towards yourself, permission to be a beginner, and a desire to just let go and have fun.
I’ve never done pottery before, BUT…I’m ready to jump into a class!
Love your sense of openness, curiosity and adventure! I’d start with either a “Beginning Wheel” class if you’ve ever had secret dreams of opening your own Etsy shop of custom mugs or a “Handbuilding/Sculpture" class if you’re the type of person who likes to be deliberate and patient and is detail-oriented.
You can find our current classes by clicking here.
I did pottery in high school/college/I’m getting back into it after a minute
Welcome back! Pottery missed you! You’ve got some options. I always recommend to my students to repeat “Beginning Wheel” a few times. It’s never a bad idea to take some extra time on the fundamentals, and it only makes you a better potter in the long run. You’ll learn something new with fresh eyes and ears. And, I feel like that applies when you’re returning. Best case scenario? You get set up with a solid foundation, and some reminders that get you back on track. Worst case scenario? You get set up with a solid foundation and some reminders that get you back on track. See what I did there?
If you know that you’re beyond a beginning level, I’d still recommend taking a class with us before signing up for Independent Studio, especially if you’re new to Good Dirt.
You can find our current classes here and info on Independent Studio here.
Not finding the information that you need? Have a bit of a “snowflake” situation? Just contact us and we’ll get back to you ASAP.