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, July 19, 26; August 2, 9, 16, 23 ~ 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Thursdays, August 25; September 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 ~ 9:30am to 11:30am
*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 instructor is Julie Beutler, Pottery Studio Manager and Ceramic Artist
*Two options available: Tuesdays or Thursdays. Registration is limited to 8 students, waitlist is available.
Christmas in July ~ Gingerbread House
Thursday, July 21 ~ 5pm to 8pm
*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.
One of our most popular classes is back! In this class, students will make a darling gingerbread house out of clay. 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, snowmen, how to top it with “snow” and even how to make it light up!
This class is perfect for all levels, come play in the clay!
Christmas in July ~ Thumbprint Tree
Monday, July 25 ~ 5pm to 7pm
*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.
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.
This class is perfect for all levels, come play in the clay!
Fall Fun In Clay!
Friday, August 12 ~ 9am to 11am
*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.
Spend a morning in the pottery studio with Julie for one of our favorite classes each year. No experience in clay work is necessary, as we will walk you through each step.
Join Julie in learning how to make an adorable pinch pot pumpkin and a few leaves to decorate your tabletops. The leaves will be about the size of a hydrangea leaf. Paint your pumpkins orange, or you can choose other fun colors, and then dip your leaves in an assortment of gorgeous fall colors.
Pick-up of finished work will occur two to three weeks later with notification by email that they are ready.
This class is perfect for all levels, come play in the clay!
Flower Tiles
Monday, August 22 ~ 5:30pm to 7pm
*This class is open to adults 18 and over, no prior clay experience is needed.
Spend an evening in the pottery studio with Julie making cute flower tiles that look just as nice inside as outside. No experience in clay work is necessary, as we will walk you through each step. We will begin with a few demonstrations on how to make different styles as well as the steps on how to hang them on the wall.
Each student will make six to ten tiles depending on the style and size chosen. The end of the class will be a review of glaze color choices with Julie and each student will pick their favorites. All tiles will be fired in our kilns twice, with pick up of finished work two to three weeks later.
This class is perfect for all levels, come play in the clay!
Historic Pottery Reproduction
Monday, July 18 ~ 10am to 3pm
Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.
NEW! Join Aaron and Julie in this exploration of making your own reproduction of a historic pot. After registration, you will receive an email with a list of potential pots you can make, plus we will have books available in class for ideas. Feeling inspired? Try using the internet to research on your own and bring your ideas.
In class, we will take your inspiration and decide how best to build it using both our creativity and knowledge of pottery. We will start with picking out the pot, discuss techniques and then start building. Slab, coil, and pinch, or maybe the wheel, are all possibilities. We will take an hour lunch break on your own (so pots can dry a bit between building), so either pack a lunch or enjoy a meal off-site. Glazing will be on your own. Depending on style/size, you will be making one to four pots.
New! Coffee Mug with Drip/Pour Over
Friday, July 29 ~ 9am to 12pm
Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.
Love a good cup of coffee? Love using your own pottery daily? Always wanted your very own drip set? Try this new, fun class where we will make one coffee mug with a custom-fit drip to do your own pour-over! Many coffee lovers insist this is the most delicious way to enjoy a cup plus we already know everything tastes better in handmade pottery! Glazing is not included with this class. Sign up for a Supervised Indie Time to complete your piece.
Pottery to Go – Slab Mug & Saucer/Plate
Multiple Dates – See below
Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.
Is coffee or tea a must every day? We think that they taste better in a handmade mug, so why not make it yourself? Customize the size you need, whether large or espresso size, plus add a small plate for a cookie or muffin. You will get a choice of sizes for a mug pattern (or you can make your own) and a small mold for a plate to accompany it. In this “work from your home” class, we will supply you with all the tools and resources you need to make this project
Pick-up Materials: Thursday, July 14 ~ 8:30am to 4:30pm
Return Project: Friday, July 29 ~ 8:30am to 4:30pm
Pottery to Go – Animals
Multiple Dates – See below
Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.
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. You’ll receive enough clay to make 2 to 6 animals, depending on the size/style of animals you choose. Some examples of the videos of animals you will receive: fish, bird/owl, penguin, pig, dog, polar bear, buffalo, cute bear, cat, dragon/reptile, frog, ladybug, and bee. You’re also free to design your own animals using the techniques from these instructions and your imagination!
Pick-up Materials: Thursday, August 4 ~ 8:30am to 4:30pm
Return Project: Thursday, August 18 ~ 8:30am to 4:30pm
Hybrid Raku to Go
Multiple Dates – See below
Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.
This class will be 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.*
In this “work from your home” class, we will supply you with all the tools and resources you need to make this project. You will be limited to 4 to 6 pieces. Underglazes are available for an additional fee, or you may use your own. If you use underglazes, you will be required to glaze those pieces in white cloud/crackle. You will also have horsehair as an option.
*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!
Pick-up Materials: Thursday, August 4 ~ 8:30am to 4:30pm
Return Project: Thursday, August 18 ~ 8:30am to 4:30pm
Raku Firing: Monday, August 29 ~ 2pm to 7pm
Supervised Indie Time
Thursday, July 14 ~ 10am to 12pm
Wednesday, July 20 ~ 2pm to 4pm
Wednesday, July 27 ~ 1pm to 3pm
Wednesday, August 3 ~ 2pm to 4pm
Tuesday, August 9 ~ 1pm to 3pm
Thursday, August 25 ~ 1pm to 3pm
Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.
Join Julie or Aaron for these casual supervised classes perfect for you to work independently on your projects where you can use the table, extruder, slab roller, and practice your skills on the potter’s wheel. We will be in the studio to help answer questions, remind you of techniques or where things are, and help give you inspiration/guidance on a project.
Half Day Throwing
Saturday, July 9 ~ 9am to 12pm
Saturday, July 23 ~ 1:30pm to 4:30pm
Wednesday, July 27 ~ 5:30pm to 8:30pm
Wednesday, August 17 ~ 9am to 12pm
Tuesday, August 30, 9am to 12pm
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 Julie or Aaron, 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.
Classes are full. Waitlists are available.
Fun with the Extruder
Tuesday, July 12 ~ 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.
Let’s explore all the cool things our extruder can do! Vase, Mug, Casserole, and more can be made with our extruder. We will review some of the basics, show you cool examples, and then we will spend the rest of the class making pieces like those just mentioned or you can use your own ideas/inspirations. We will help you extrude many different shapes that night so you can try different things. Glazing is not included with this class.
Large Coil Flower Pot
Tuesday, July 26 ~ 10am to 3pm
Mandatory: MUST have successfully completed the 577 Adult Pottery 6 Week Class to participate.
Spend a Tuesday making a beautiful coil flower pot under the guidance of your instructor, Aaron. This technique – coils – is one of his specialties! Learn what makes a good coil, including how to extrude coils and techniques like paddling and textures. You will spend the first two hours making coils which will include the base and a few inches of your pot. Enjoy an hour break for lunch and strolling the gardens and grounds. After lunch, we will come together to finish our pots in the last two hours. A whole day of clay and fun!
Pots will be bisque fired to help promote a healthy root system for your plant(s). They will be the perfect addition to your patio or home.
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.