Learn techniques or sharpen your skills with classes available for beginning and experienced potters. Classes take place in our robust pottery studio and 577 offers three kilns – wood, raku, and electric. Independent studio time is available for students who have successfully completed the adult six-week pottery course and with permission. Classes are taught by the 577 Pottery Studio Manager/Ceramic Artist and teaching fellows.
Upcoming Classes
Adult Pottery 6-Week Course
Tuesdays, November 7, 14, 21, 28; December 5, 12 ~ 5:30pm to 7:30pm
*New 6-week sessions will begin in 2024
*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.
Join us for this comprehensive adult pottery class. This multiple-week class is for adult beginners through advanced potters – all levels are welcome. This class is the pre-requisite class needed for many of our pottery classes at The 577 Foundation.
Open to students 18 and over, this class offers in-depth demos followed immediately by your own work time to create and have fun. You will be able to try all hand-building methods like pinch, coil, slab, and extruded techniques, plus a chance at the wheel. Finally, we will learn about glazing. Class is built around learning one skill each week.
The class instructors are Julie Beutler, Pottery Studio Manager and Ceramic Artist, and Emily Horst, 577 Pottery Fellow
New! Spooky Gingerbread House
Wednesday, October 4 ~ 4:30pm to 7:30pm
*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.
Try this new twist on one of our most popular classes each year ~ Gingerbread Houses ~ making it SPOOKY! Choose between making a Halloween-inspired house or making a traditional gingerbread house in this fun, hands-on class.
Learn several techniques to create your own gingerbread house decorations, including how to make clay haunted-inspired or Christmas-inspired items like ghosts, bats, skeletons, and candies, plus classic items like shrubs, wreaths, windows, doors, and snowmen. Bonus! Learn how to top it with “snow or spider webs” and how to make it light up!
Once finished, your house will be fired and glazed clear, and fired again by 577 staff. You will receive an email when they are ready for pick up, estimated 14 to 18 days later.
This class is perfect for all levels, no prior clay experience is required. Come play in the clay!
Four Extruded Juice Glasses
Saturday, October 7 ~ 9:30am to 11:30am
*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.
Join us for this fun new class learning to make your own set of four (4) juice classes. Your instructor Emily Horst, 577 Pottery Fellow, will walk you through each step of using the extruder to make the basic shapes, adding slab bottoms, and then how to decorate each one to make it unique.
Depending on how quickly you work, try your hand at using underglazes to decorate. You will also have the option of several glaze choices. Your pieces will be left with your instructors to fire in the kiln. Once bisque fired, they will be glazed in clear or the color glazes you chose, and fired again. You will receive an email when they are ready for pick up, estimated 14 to 18 days later.
This class is perfect for all levels, no prior clay experience is required. Come play in the clay!
Thumbprint Trees
Friday, October 27 ~ 9am to 11am
*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.
Cold weather will be here before we know it. Join us to get a head start on your holiday decorating! Create a beautiful thumbprint tree using easy-to-learn slab and hand-building techniques. No clay experience is needed. Julie will walk you through each of the steps and our staff will glaze your tree green or you can choose another color.
A beloved class, it is fun to make one for your holiday villages and displays, or glaze them in green as cute evergreen-style trees that can be displayed all year long. Our staff will glaze the tree and pick up will be around 14 to 18 days later.
This class is perfect for all levels, no prior clay experience is required. Come play in the clay!
Clay Snowpeople
Thursday, November 2 ~ 5:30pm to 7pm
*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.
Celebrate the winter season by joining us for this hands-on class making adorable pinch pot-style snowpeople. Julie Beutler, 577 Pottery Manager and Ceramic Artist, will walk students through the basics of making the snowpeople’s bodies and demonstrate several different ways to accent them with several styles of scarves, hats, mittens, and other cute ideas. Depending on the size and details of the snowpeople, students should be able to make up to two during class. These snowpeople will be perfect for gifting or adding a touch of charm to your own decor.
Students will have the opportunity to paint their snowpeople and accessories with underglazes. Pieces will be left with your instructors to fire in the kiln. Once bisque fired, they will be glazed in clear which will keep your clay body white like snow, and then they are fired again. Students will receive an email when they are ready for pick up, estimated 14 to 18 days later.
This class is perfect for all levels, no prior clay experience is required. Come play in the clay!
Four Tiles for Four Seasons
Sunday, November 5 ~ 12pm to 3pm
*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.
Join us for this fun new class celebrating the four seasons. Emily Horst, 577 Pottery Fellow, will walk students through each step of making their own set of four slab tiles, one for each season of the year. Students will learn several techniques for construction like relief carving or adding height/depth. Each tile will be around 4 to 5 inches.
Depending on how quickly students work, everyone will have the opportunity to try using underglazes to decorate. Students will also have the option of several glaze choices. Pieces will be left with your instructors to fire in the kiln. Once bisque fired, they will be glazed in clear or the color glazes you chose, and fired again. Students will receive an email when they are ready for pick up, estimated 14 to 18 days later.
This class is perfect for all levels, no prior clay experience is required. Come play in the clay!
Clay Penguins
Monday, November 6 ~ 5:30pm to 7pm
*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.
Join us for this hands-on class making adorable pinch pot-style penguins. Julie Beutler, 577 Pottery Manager and Ceramic Artist, will walk students through the basics of making the penguin bodies and will demonstrate several different ways to accent them with several styles of scarves, hats, mittens, and other cute ideas. Depending on the size and details of the penguin, students should be able to make up to two penguins during class. These penguin(s) will be perfect for gifting or adding a touch of charm to your own decor.
Students will have the opportunity to paint their penguins and accessories with underglazes. Pieces will be left with your instructors to fire in the kiln. Once bisque fired, they will be glazed in clear and then they are fired again. Students will receive an email when they are ready for pick up, estimated 14 to 18 days later.
This class is perfect for all levels, no prior clay experience is required. Come play in the clay!
October Family Pottery: For Ages 6 to 17 w/ Adult
Thursday, October 26 ~ 4pm to 5:30pm
This family pottery class is open to children 6 to 17 with an adult over 18, no prerequisite or experience is required.
Join Emily, our Pottery Fellow, in this family clay class, where both adult and child can enjoy an exploration of hand-built pottery projects. Join us for a fun afternoon making acorn pinch pots with optional lids. These acorns will be the cutest little holders of your special things or will make great decorations for a fall table or bookshelf! Depending on time constraints, each participant will make a large acorn with the possibility of adding smaller ones.
Emily will walk you through each step of the process. The 577’s pottery staff will fire and glaze the pieces in two colors of brown. The lid/top one will be glazed brown with the base of the acorn glazed in a contrasting brown. You will receive a notification via email a couple of weeks later about a pickup date.
No experience is necessary. Come play in the clay!
Class Registration Requirments:
• Each registration is for one (1) youth between the ages of 6 to 17, with an accompanying adult 18 years old and older. Due to the small class size, only one adult may accompany the youth registered.
• If an adult would like to accompany multiple youth participants, please sign up each youth participant individually and list the adult’s name for each registration.
November Family Pottery: For Ages 6 to 17 w/ Adult
Wednesday, November 1 ~ 5:30pm to 7pm
This family pottery class is open to children 6 to 17 with an adult over 18, no prerequisite or experience is required.
Join Emily, our Pottery Fellow, in this family clay class, where both adult and child can enjoy an exploration of hand-built pottery projects. For the November class, each participant will create their very own adorable owl pinch pot, a versatile treasure perfect for storing plants, sweets, tidying up your desk, or even stashing snacks.
Emily will walk you through each step of the process including how to paint some of the details with underglazes. The 577’s pottery staff will fire and glaze each piece. Each pair will receive a notification via email a couple of weeks later about a pickup date.
No experience is necessary. Come play in the clay!
Class Registration Requirments:
• Each registration is for one (1) youth between the ages of 6 to 17, with an accompanying adult 18 years old and older. Due to the small class size, only one adult may accompany the youth registered.
• If an adult would like to accompany multiple youth participants, please sign up each youth participant individually and list the adult’s name for each registration.
Mini Food Magnets ~ Youth Pottery for Ages 8 to 17
Wednesday, October 11 ~ 4pm to 5:30pm
This class is open to children ages 8 to 17. No prerequisite or experience is required.
Join Emily, our Pottery Fellow, in this fun class using clay to express your creativity! Need to spruce up your school locker or fridge? Don’t miss this class as we learn how to make several cute food-themed magnets including little slices of pizza, sushi, lemon slices, and candy.
Emily will begin class with a demonstration of how to use simple slab, coil or pinch techniques and then how you can paint them with underglazes (liquid-colored clay) to bring them to life!
The 577’s pottery staff will fire and glaze the pieces in clear glaze. After firing, staff will attach the magnets to each of your pieces. Pick-up is scheduled for a couple of weeks later. Students will receive notification via email.
Please note: Adults are not required to attend youth pottery classes. Students may be dropped off at the beginning of class and picked up at the scheduled end time. Please remember to be on time.
No experience is necessary. Come play in the clay!
Slab Plates ~ Youth Pottery for Ages 7 to 17
Wednesday, November 15~ 4:30pm to 6pm
This class is open to children ages 7 to 17. No prerequisite or experience is required.
Join Emily, 577’s Pottery Fellow, in this fun class using clay to express your creativity! November’s adventure is November crafting and decorating your very own slab plate. These plates are not just ordinary; they’re versatile treasures that can hold your favorite snacks, make lunchtime more delightful, or add a dash of charm to your room decor.
Emily will begin class with a demonstration of simple slab techniques on rolling clay and putting it in a mold. She will also instruct the best way to decorate using different techniques with underglazes. All slabs will be food-safe and dishwasher-safe.
The 577’s pottery staff will fire and glaze each piece. Pick-up is scheduled for a couple of weeks later. Students will receive notification via email.
Please note: Adults are not required to attend youth pottery classes. Students may be dropped off at the beginning of class and picked up at the scheduled end time. Please remember to be on time.
No experience is necessary. Come play in the clay!
Half Day Throwing
Monday, October 2 ~ 1pm to 4pm
Saturday, October 7 ~ 1:30pm to 4:30pm
Thursday, October 19 ~ 1:30pm to 4:30pm
Monday, October 30 ~ 9am to 12pm
Friday, November 3 ~ 9am to 12pm
Monday, November 20 ~ 5:30pm to 8:30pm
Thursday, November 30 ~ 1:30pm to 4:30pm
Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.
Practice your skills on the wheel in this intensive study class with Julie & Emily. Class is set around your individual goals but the focus is to help you gain confidence on the wheel.
Start the session with a couple of short demonstrations from Julie or Emily, then you will have the rest of the time to work. Don’t worry if you feel a little rusty, your instructor will rotate between students to give advice and help. Prior to class, you will also receive an email with links to throwing videos to help rekindle that memory of throwing on the potter’s wheel.
Waitlists are available if class is listed as full.
Supervised Indie Time
Thursday, October 12 ~ 4:30pm to 6:30pm
Wednesday, October 25 ~ 10am to 12pm
Friday, November 3 ~ 2pm to 4pm
Monday, November 27 ~ 4:30pm to 6:30pm
Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.
Supervised Indie Time sessions are perfect for folks who completed the 6-week adult class in the last year or those just coming back with their new indie time and need additional time with instructors.
Join us for these casual supervised classes perfect for you to work independently on your projects where you can use the table, extruder, slab roller, and even the wheel. If you need some tips on projects or ideas you are working on, Julie and/or Emily will be in the studio to help answer questions, remind you of techniques or where things are, and just be there to help give you inspiration on a project.
Hybrid Pottery to Go – Raku
Sessions Available Each Month
• September/October: Pick-up: Sept. 1; Drop-off: Sept. 29; Raku Fire: Oct. 16
• October/November: Pick-up: Oct. 20; Drop-off: Nov. 6; Raku Fire: Nov. 16
• November/December: Pick-up: Nov. 1; Drop-off: Nov. 20; Raku Fire: Dec. 4
Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.
This class is a hybrid of our popular “work from home” classes where you will make all the pieces at home and then join us for an in-person outdoor firing of the raku kiln. We will supply you with all the tools and resources you need to make for to six pieces: clay, pottery tools, drywall board, plastic bags to make your pieces at home.
You will also have options to receive links to videos on basic constructions to make pots of your choosing using techniques including, pinch, coils, slabs, as well as instructions/ideas for what to make for your raku firing. You can also choose to use your block of clay to create your pieces at home, in your own indie times or other clay classes at 577, or a combo of both.
Pottery to Go – Custom Design by You!
Multiple Dates – See below
Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.
The only (mostly) limits are your imagination in this “work from your home” class. This class is designed to be what you want to make. Experiment with new forms, work out a pattern, or make presents for the upcoming holidays or birthdays. It’s your clay to create what you would like.
Don’t worry if you are stumped for ideas. Julie can provide you with videos from previous Pottery-to-Go classes like pinch pot animals, slab plates, coil pots, and more.
In this “work from your home” class, we will supply you with all the tools and resources you need to make this project: clay, pottery tools, drywall board, plastic bags, a few short videos if you choose, plus email support from Julie. Optional: underglazes are available for an additional fee.
Please Note: This class no longer counts toward the three classes needed to keep indie time privileges.
October ~ Pick-up: October 20; Return: November 3
November ~ Pick-up: November 10; Return: December 1
Independent Studio Time
Access to our pottery studio for independent time is designed to give qualified students equipment andstudio space to create pottery. Students must have completed the 6 week adult pottery course and beapproved by the Pottery Studio Manager.
Class Locations & Parking Map
Signed up for a class and need help finding your classroom location and parking? Each class description lists its location. Click the button below to view a full map of the grounds and buildings with two lots available for easy and convenient parking.
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Because space is limited, we rely on you to register for classes thoughtfully. Please help us continue to offer these wonderful classes as affordably as possible by adhering to the following registration, cancellation, and refund policies.
Photo & Video Release
Photos and videos may be taken during 577 classes and events for use on our website and other relevant media outlets and your attendance constitutes consent. View the full policy below including how you can opt-out of this release.