Pottery

Adult Pottery 6-Week Course

Fridays, June 30; July 7, 14, 21, 28; August 4 ~ 9:30am to 11:30am

Tuesdays, July 18, 25; August 8, 15, 22, 29 *no class 8/1 ~ 5:30pm to 7:30pm

*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

Garden Art ~ Fish or Owl Wall Hanger

Friday, June 2 ~ 9am to 11am *Reschedule Date

*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.

Back by popular demand! May is the perfect time for garden art projects. Join us to learn how to make a fish or owl wall/fence hanger perfect for your home.

Your pottery instructor will walk you through the simple steps of slab, coils, and thumbprint additions that will look so cute hanging on a fence, side of your house, on a garden shed, or even inside your home.

You will have a chance to personalize your creation by painting part of your new hangers or the whole thing with underglaze – which is liquid-colored clay. Then, you will leave your creation with us to fire and clear glaze (or a colored glaze, depending on your underglaze usage) for pickup a couple of weeks later.

This class is perfect for all levels, no prior clay experience is required. Come play in the clay!

Garden Art ~ Pinch Pot Bird

Thursday, June 8 ~ 5:30pm to 7:30pm

*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.

Join us for a fun-filled evening getting your hands in the clay to make a sweet little bird. Place it on your deck, add a hole to put it on a stick in your garden, or add it as a friend on your desk ~ the limit is your imagination.

Using simple pinch pot techniques, we will walk you through each step including using underglazes (liquid color clay) to paint beaks and add highlights. Depending on the style your bird evolves into, you may paint the whole bird, or you can choose a glaze for our staff to dip into once it’s been fired in the 577 kilns. Your bird will be ready for pick up between 12 to 15 days later.

This class is perfect for all levels, no prior clay experience is required. Come play in the clay!

Christmas in July ~ Thumbprint Trees

Thursday, July 6 ~ 5:30pm to 7:30pm

*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.

Whether you like to prepare ahead of time or are longing for cold winter nights, this class is a fun break from the summer! 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!

Christmas in July ~ Polar Bears

Monday, July 24 ~ 9am to 11am

*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.

One of our most popular classes is back for some summertime fun! In this class, students will make a darling gingerbread house out of clay and think about the colder weather in the warm days of July.

Explore simple slab-building techniques in this fun class making polar bears. Using a white clay body, students will make a small and large polar bear During class, Julie will show you different ways of choosing the perfect eye style and colors that can make your polar bears unique to you. The bears will be left with your instructors to fire in the kiln. Once bisque fired, they will be glazed in clear and fired again. You will receive an email when they are ready for pick up which is estimated for 14 to 18 days later.

This class is perfect for all levels, no prior clay experience is required. Come play in the clay!

Christmas in July ~ Gingerbread House

Wednesday, July 26 ~ 4:30pm to 7:30pm

*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.

One of our most popular classes is back for some summertime fun! In this class, students will make a darling gingerbread house out of clay and think about the colder weather in the warm days of July.

No experience in clay work is necessary, as we will walk you through each step. Students will be shown several techniques to create their own gingerbread house decorations, including how to make clay candies, shrubs, wreaths, windows, doors, and snowmen. We will show you how to top it with “snow” and even how to make it light up. Our staff will clear glaze the house 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!

Butterfly Feeder ~ Youth Pottery for Ages 7 to 17 

Friday, June 16 ~ 10am to 12pm

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! Each participant will make their own slab butterfly feeder, which is a shallow bowl for water. You will also receive instructions on how to use your new creation.

Emily will start with ways to be inspired by helping each student open up about what they want as their inspiration. Depending on the weather, we might even tour the gardens for a bit of inspiration. Emily will demonstrate the basics of slab construction and how to decorate using underglazes.

After the demo, students will have the opportunity to play in the clay creating their piece and then choosing their glaze color. The 577’s pottery staff will fire and glaze the pieces with pick-up scheduled a couple of weeks later.

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!

June Family Pottery: For Ages 6 to 17 w/ Adult

Friday, June 16 ~ 2pm to 4pm

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. Learn how to make one small fish and one small owl using slabs and our “thumbprint” method for the feathers and the scales. 

Emily will walk you through the simple steps of slab, coils, and thumbprint additions. Your creations will look so cute hanging on a fence, side of your house, on a garden shed, or even inside your home.

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.

July Family Pottery: For Ages 6 to 17 w/ Adult

Wednesday, July 5 ~ 9:30am to 11:30am

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 morning making an extruded animal bell. Each participant will choose from 4 to 5 different styles of animals to make the outside of the bell. Each creation will also include a flapper and will be able to be hung inside or outside.

Emily will walk you through the simple steps of an extruded main body, and then how to use coils or slabs to decorate and make your animal come alive. You will then paint some or all of your creation with underglazes which is liquid-colored clay. The style and amount of painting will depend on your choice of animals and colors

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.

Cacti & Succulents ~ Youth Pottery for Ages 10 to 17 

Friday, July 7 ~ 2pm to 3:30pm

This class is open to children ages 10 to 17. No prerequisite or experience is required.

Join Emily, 577’s Pottery Fellow, in this cool class using clay to express your creativity! Each participant will make a clay cactus and succulents. Each student will be provided with an already handmade pot to take home for future display of their new “plants”.

Using pinch pot, slab, and coil techniques, and being inspired by Emily’s demonstrations/example, each student will make 1 to 3 plants, depending on what style they choose and how intricate they work. Students will complete their projects by painting them with multicolored underglazes, also known as liquid-colored clay.

The 577’s pottery staff will high-fire them with pickup later in July. You 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!

Monster Candy Pots ~ Youth Pottery for Ages 6 to 12 

Monday, July 31 ~ 10am to 11:30am

This class is open to children ages 6 to 12. No prerequisite or experience is required.

Join Emily, 577’s Pottery Fellow, in this fun class using clay to express your creativity! Each participant will make their own monster candy pot that can also be a cute vessel for things like paper clips, little trinkets, and snacks.

Using pinch pot techniques, students will make fun wide-mouth creatures from their imaginations. Emily will also demonstrate some examples for inspiration. Students will complete their projects by painting them with multicolored underglazes, also known as liquid-colored clay.

The 577’s pottery staff will glaze them clear and high-fire them to make them food safe. Pickup will be scheduled for a couple of weeks later with 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!

Trimming on the Wheel

Wednesday, May 31 ~ 9am to 10:30am

Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.

A perfect class to extend your skills on the potter’s wheel! Trimming has so many possibilities to change your pot not only for function but also decoration. In this class, Emily will give a couple of demonstrations on trimming a few different style pieces including a bowl, plate, and/or bottle. We will also discuss using a chuck and what tools are best to use.

You will have time to practice your skills on a piece already made for you and you are highly encouraged to prepare for this class by throwing a few of your own pieces prior to the class. This will ensure your pots are leather hard giving you the opportunity to trim more than one piece during class.

Clay Spoons and Ladles

Friday, June 2 ~ 1:30pm to 3:30pm

Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.

This is the perfect class for intermediate and advanced students who have completed the 6-week course to further their pottery skills. Students will receive instructions on how to make fun clay spoons and ladles as well as suggestions on how to decorate and glaze them.

Julie will demonstrate how to use simple hand building techniques such as slab, coil, and pinch pots. Ideas for using underglazes and other fun decorating techniques will shared. There will also be plenty of time to work and ask questions after the demos are finished.

Please note: You will need to use your indie time post-bisque firing to glaze your piece.

Beautiful Pottery Handles

Monday, June 12 ~ 5:30pm to 7:30pm

Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.

This is the perfect class for Intermediate and advanced students who have completed the 6-week course to further their pottery skills. Students will receive instructions on how to make fabulous handles for both wheel and hand-built projects like mugs, baking dishes, casseroles, teapots, and pitchers!

Julie will demonstrate how to make them using slab, coil, and pulled techniques. She will also discuss attaching, waxing, and how to make them functional and beautiful. There will also be plenty of time to work and ask questions after the demos are finished.

Please note: It is highly recommended you bring a pot or pots that are leather hard for attaching the handles you create, but it’s not required. You will need to use your indie time post-bisque firing to glaze your piece.

Handbuilt & Thrown Lids

Saturday, July 8 ~ 9am to 11:30am

Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.

This is the perfect class for intermediate and advanced students who have completed the 6-week course to further their pottery skills. This class will focus on how to make lids for both wheel-thrown and hand-built pieces.

Learn several simple and a few complex techniques to make several different styles of lids. Plus, learn how to measure at the proper times. This class will cover a wide range of skill levels from very beginner (more of a focus on hand built) to advance (more of a focus on throwing) resulting in a fun-filled educational class. All students will have an opportunity to receive individual attention with one-on-one time with Julie.

Stamps and Textures

Saturday, July 8 ~ 1:30pm to 3:30pm

Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.

This is the perfect class for intermediate and advanced students who have completed the 6-week course to further their pottery skills. This class will focus on how to use textures to advance your design styles.

Students will also have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of not only using but also making their own stamps for textures. Each student will create one-of-a-kind pieces with their new stamps. All students will have an opportunity to receive individual attention with one-on-one time with Julie.

Clay Cacti and Succulents

Saturday, July 15 ~ 8:30am to 11am

Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.

This is the perfect class for intermediate and advanced students who have completed the 6-week course to further their pottery skills. In this fun new class, Emily will walk you through the basics of making several clay cacti and succulents using simple hand-building techniques including pinch, slab, and coils.

Emily will demonstrate ways to make cute pots for them and a few ideas on how to display them. Ideas for using underglazes and other fun decorating techniques will be shared. Please note: If you choose to glaze them, you will need to use your indie time post-bisque firing to finish your work.

Pottery to Go ~ Pinch Pot Animals

Multiple Dates – See below

Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.

Your imagination is your only limitation. In this “work from your home” class, we will supply you with all the tools and resources you need to make a few pinch pot animals: clay, pottery tools, drywall board, plastic bags, and “how to” videos on making pinch pot animals and decorating suggestions.

Your supplies will include enough clay to make 2 to 4 pinch pot animals, depending on the size animal you create. Examples of the animal video tutorials you will receive include: fish, bird/owl, penguin, pig, dog, bear, cat, dragon/reptile, frog, ladybug, and bee. You are also welcome to design your own animals using the techniques from these instructions and your imagination.

Please Note: This class no longer counts toward the three classes needed to keep indie time privileges.

Pick-up Materials: Thursday, June 1, 8:30am to 4:30pm
Return Project: Friday, June 23, 8:30am to 4:30pm

Pottery to Go – Mugs and Cups

Multiple Dates – See below

Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.

Everything tastes better from a handmade mug or cup! A custom mug made by you makes a great gift but don’t forget to keep one for yourself. In this “work from your home” class, we will supply you with all the tools and resources you need to make a few pinch pot animals: clay (red or white, you choose at sign up), pottery tools, drywall board, plastic bags, and “how to” videos on making handbuilt mugs/cups.

Your supplies will include enough clay to make smaller style teacups to a 12-13 oz tumbler/handle mug great for coffee. You will receive video instructions, as well as paper patterns, as an aid to make your design or you can create your own. If you enjoy painting or are looking for a more colorful style, you can also opt to purchase underglazes for an additional fee. If you do not own your own underglazes, it is highly recommended to add this option to your class at checkout. All pieces will be finished in clear glaze unless you opt to glaze yourself.

Please Note: This class no longer counts toward the three classes needed to keep indie time privileges.

Pick-up Materials: Wednesday, July 12, 8:30am to 4pm
Return Project: Thursday, August 3, 8:30am to 4pm

Hybrid Pottery to Go – Raku

Sessions Available Each Month

• June/July: Pick Up: June 1; Drop Off: June 23; Raku Firing: July 10

• July/August: Pick Up: July 12; Drop Off: August 3; Raku Firing: August 21

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.

Half Day Throwing

Monday, June 5 ~ 5:30pm to 8:30pm

Sunday, June 18 ~ 8:30am to 11:30am

Sunday, June 18~ 1pm to 4pm

Tuesday, July 11 ~ 9am to 12pm

Monday, July 17 ~ 5:30pm to 8:30pm

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.

Half Day Throwing – Just Bowls!

Saturday, July 15 ~ 1pm to 4pm

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. 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 Emily on how to make great bowls for things like soup, salads, and berry bowls. 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.

Supervised Indie Time ~ Q&A Time

Monday, June 5 ~ 1pm to 3pm

Friday, June 9 ~ 9am to 11am

Wednesday, June 28 ~ 5pm to 7pm

Wednesday, July 5 ~ 2pm to 4pm

Tuesday, July 18 ~ 8:30am to 10:30am

Friday, July 21 ~ 1:30pm to 3:30pm

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 2022 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.