Pottery

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
Thursdays, April 18, 25; May 2, 9, 16, 23 ~ 9am to 11am
Tuesdays, May 28; June 4, 11, 18, 25; July 2 ~ 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

Clay Night Lights
Tuesday, April 16 ~ 9am to 11am

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

Join us for a fun morning creating two plug-in night lights. Your instructor, Julie Beutler, 577’s pottery manager and ceramic artist, will walk the class through each step of using simple hand-built slabs and fun textures to make these one-of-a-kind night lights for your home.

The class will view several examples of styles and glaze choices to get the creative juices flowing. Choices for how to finish the pieces will be discussed in class and you will choose a glaze color for each.

You will leave your night lights with us to fire with pick up a couple of weeks later. No prior clay experience is required.

This class is perfect for all levels, come play in the clay!

Celebrate Clay: The NCECA Conference
Tuesday, April 16 ~ 5:30pm to 7pm

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

Enjoy an evening with Emily, 577’s pottery coordinator, as she shares her experience attending the annual NCECA conference with a slide presentation and a Q&A. Emily will share photos, tidbits from lectures, and new technologies. Light refreshments will be served, and each participant will leave with a surprise gift!

What is NCECA? The National Council on the Education of the Ceramic Arts, or NCECA, holds a national annual conference every year that is a dream for any ceramic enthusiast. The four-day weekend includes a resource hall with a huge open space filled with many clay/tool/glaze vendors, daily lectures from incredible speakers from around the world, gallery expos featuring student and professional work, and so much more.

This year the conference is being held in Richmond, Virginia, where the conference and its attendees will take over the Greater Richmond Conference Center and the surrounding city. Galleries and businesses alike participate by having exhibitions and pop-ups throughout the week. Want to learn more? Join us in Virginia’s House for an evening of inspiration from a potter’s favorite event of the year!

Clay Cookie Cutter Bowls
Wednesday, May 15 ~ 5:30pm to 7:30pm

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

Join us for an evening playing in clay. Learn how to create a unique clay bowl using cookie cutters to create the shape. Led by Emily Horst, 577’s Pottery Coordinator and Ceramic Artist, she will guide you step-by-step on the bowl construction, textures available, and color options.

Choose to use one or multiple cookie cutter designs to create a theme throughout – think flowers and leaves, stars and moons, or whatever great idea your imagination explores. Explore textures, adding before or after attachment, to add another dimension to your bowl.  The final piece to the puzzle is color. Do you love bright and vibrant colors? Use our underglazes, otherwise known as liquid-colored clay, to paint your bowl. Or if you prefer a surprise, pick a color combo from our class glazes.

Pickup will be scheduled for two to three weeks later after Emily has applied the final glaze and fired each piece. Participants will receive a notification via email. No experience is necessary. Come play in the clay!

Clay Faux Food Fun: Cookies, Pies, & Cakes
Saturday, May 18 ~ 9:30am to 12pm

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

Enjoy a morning creating “faux sweets” in this whimsical class that includes a real sweet treat! Join Julie Beutler, 577 Pottery Manager and Ceramic Artist, as she demonstrates several clay building techniques, including pinch, slabs, and coils, to create several “faux sweets” of your choice. She will guide you through all the steps of creating your “sweets” and how to paint with underglazes, otherwise known as liquid colored clay, or find a glaze perfect for you.

Depending on the detail level, most class participants will make between two to four pieces. Will you choose pies, cookies, cupcakes, all three, or something different? Pickup will be scheduled for two to three weeks later after Julie has glazed and fired sweet. Participants will receive a notification via email.

No experience is necessary. Come play in the clay!

Clay Pinch Pot Birds
Wednesday, May 29 ~ 5:30pm to 7pm

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

Celebrate May, the annual migratory bird month for NW Ohio, by making your very own bird! Explore the fun and easy pinch pot technique to create a bird you recognize, or let loose and make up your own bird. These darling little birds can be set in a planter, garden, or on a desk to bring a cheeriness to it’s new home year round.

This class is led by Julie Beutler, 577 Pottery Manager and Ceramic Artist. She will guide you through all the steps of creating your bird and then, depending on your bird, painting with underglazes, otherwise known as liquid colored clay, or find a glaze perfect for you.

Pickup will be scheduled for two to three weeks later after Julie has glazed and fired each bird. Participants will receive a notification via email. No experience is necessary. Come play in the clay!

April Family Pottery: For Ages 7 to 17 w/ Adult
Thursday, April 4 ~ 5pm to 6:30pm

This family pottery class is open to children 7 to 17 with an adult over 18, no prerequisite or experience is required.

Join Emily Horst, 577’s pottery coordinator, for a new family class featuring a monograph letter. This family clay class is for both child and their accompanying adult to enjoy an exploration of hand-built pottery projects. This month’s adventure in the 577 Pottery Studio will be to create a wall hanging piece personalized with the letter of your choice. They will be perfect for hanging in a bedroom or on a door, or try placing on a mantle or in the garden. The options are endless.

The class will begin by rolling out slabs of clay together in preparation for cutting out the letter of your choice. Once cut out, Emily will demonstrate how to add pizzazz using coils, stamps, carving tools, and more to create a dynamic and sculptural piece. After construction, you can choose to either paint your letter with underglazes or pick from the many colors of our class glazes.

No experience is necessary. Come play in the clay!

Class Registration Requirments:
• Each registration is for one (1) youth between the ages of 7 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.

May Family Pottery: For Ages 6 to 17 w/ Adult
Friday, May 31 ~ 9am to 11am

This family pottery class is open to children 7 to 17 with an adult over 18, no prerequisite or experience is required.

Did you know there are over 100 different games you can play with Dominos?! This month’s family pottery class is the perfect chance to make family game night even better. Come in and have a blast with your little one making your own set of Dominos. Each Domino set has 28 pieces, so you’re welcome to split the work or tag team on each piece.

Pottery Coordinator Emily Horst will show everyone how you can decorate your pieces to really make this set your own. Examples will include using to stamps to add the family name to each domino, painting with favorite colors, or even creating a simple puzzle by painting an image on the backside of your set.

Emily will fire your domino sets with pickup scheduled for two to three weeks later. Each pair will receive a notification via email. 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.

Aquarium/Terrariums ~ Youth Pottery for Ages 6 to 11 
Monday, April 1 ~ 4:30pm to 6pm

This class is open to children ages 6 to 11. No prerequisite or experience is required.

Join Emily, 577’s pottery coordinator, in this fun class using clay to express your creativity! April’s adventure is perfect if the kiddo in your life is interested in aquatic or plant life. Emily will start class by demonstrating how to roll out slabs, clean edges, and make all kinds of creative shapes like fish, plants, sea life, for the aquariums and plants, bugs, and other fun for the terrariums. Reference photos will be available to help with their design.

Students will finish class customizing their designs by painting with underglazes. Adding bright stripes and patterns to fish and foliage will bring this project to life. After the first fire, Emily will glaze with clear to give the projects a beautiful shine and keep them durable. An email will be sent out with a pick-up date scheduled a couple of weeks late to schedule pickup.

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!

Create Your Own Shoe ~ Youth Pottery for Ages 8 to 17
Monday, May 13 ~ 4:30pm to 6pm

This class is open to children ages 8 to 17. No prerequisite or experience is required.

Join us in May for a clay class perfect for your kiddo who loves shoes! Each child should pick out their favorite shoes and bring them to class. Then, with guidance from Emily, your pottery class instructor, each child will build one shoe drawing inspiration from the real thing.

Class time will be spent constructing their shoe and then using underglazes to paint their completed sculpture. After a bisque fire, Emily will dip each in a clear glaze creating a shiny finish and durability. Once completed, your child will love all the ways it can be used: admire it on a bookshelf or mantle, plant it with a house plant or flowers, or it will definitely make a stylish pen/pencil holder.

Pickup will be scheduled for two to three weeks later. Each child will receive a notification via email. No experience is necessary. Come play in the clay!

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!

Solar Eclipse Wall/Fence Hanger
Thursday, March 28 ~ 5:30pm to 7:30pm

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

Join your 577 pottery instructors, Julie and Emily, for this once-in-a-lifetime class creating a solar eclipse-inspired wall/fence hanger!

The last total solar eclipse in Ohio was in 1806, and the next one is scheduled to take place in 2099. In this class, we celebrate the eclipse happening on April 8 by making a sun, moon, and a few stars. Hang them inside or outside on a string or wire. They will be the perfect fun decor to commemorate this special event.

During class, we will walk through a few ways to make your sky-inspired work using simple sculpture methods, foam/rubber stamping, coil, pinch, and even silk screen techniques on slabs of clay. We will discuss how to hang them during class and will show you out-of-this-world design examples.

*Please note: Glazing is not included in class time. You may also need to use your indie time to continue to work on the construction of your piece(s) if not completed during class time.

    Supervised Indie Time: Slab Fun! 
    Thursday, April 4 ~ 9am to 11am

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

    Join Julie for this special Supervised Indie Time with some slab-inspired fun! She will review important techniques about slab rolling/making and will give a demonstration on the slab roller. She will also review some of her favorite things to do with slabs. Come with all your slab questions!

    Supervised Indie Sessions are perfect for folks who have recently completed the 6-week adult class and need additional time with your instructors or for those needing a refresher after a short break from the studio.

    Trimming Demonstration Hour
    Tuesday, April 9 ~ 4pm to 5pm

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

    Have you been taking the Half Day Throwing classes or practicing your wheel skills during indie time and feel like you are still struggling? Have questions or need to learn more about the final step of trimming your pots? This class is for you!

    Spend an hour with Julie as she demonstrates trimming various styles of pieces including a bowl, plate, and cylinder. She will also show you the best way to use a throwing chuck to trim bottles. The class will include discussion time on the best tools and how to burnish your pots.

    This is a great class for anyone who is just starting or for those who are doing well on the wheel but are still struggling with heavy bottoms/lower side thickness. In-person demos are very helpful and the perfect time to ask those burning questions.

    *Please note this class is demonstration-only. There will be no hands-on work. Therefore, this class will not count as part of your three-class requirement for indie time.

      New Class! Mosaic Flower Pot
      Two-Day Class:
      Thursday, April 11 ~ 5:30pm to 8:30pm
      Monday, April 15 ~ 5:30pm to 7:30pm

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

      Join Emily in this new class creating a mosaic flower pot. If you’ve ever been interested in creating a mosaic or giving new life to some old pots, this is the class for you! This unique class has two parts and two dates:

      DAY 1: CREATE YOUR MOSAIC: The first class is on Thursday, April 11, 5:30pm to 8:30pm. Together we will safely break apart our pots creating tile pieces. Then, using mastic, we will attach our tile pieces to a terracotta pot. The pots will then need to sit untouched for 24 to 72 hours as they dry. Day 2: GROUT OUR POTS: The second class is on Monday, April 15, 5:30pm to 7:30pm. We will focus on grouting our pots, as well as, cleaning and sealing them.

      Materials Included: The 8-inch flower pot, mastic, grout, and sealant are included as well as broken pots and other fun finds. What To Bring: Please wear old clothes that can get stained or mastic on. You may also want to bring a pair of work gloves. Optional items: If you would like to bring your own older pottery to break up and give it a new life, please do! Other fun items that you could bring to add to your mosaic pot are commercial ceramics, glass beads, polished stones, or maybe grandma’s old broach that you’ll never wear.

      *Please note: Your pots will be ready to take home and use after the second session. They will be usable indoors and outdoors. But just like your other flower pots, they will need to come in for the Ohio winter.

        Saturday Workshop: Teapots
        Saturday, April 13 ~ 9:30m to 3:30pm

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

        Join Julie for a relaxing Saturday working on your very own teapot. For hundreds of years, teapots have represented the pinnacle of pottery making and are “steeped” in tradition in many cultures around the world. Julie will demonstrate both thrown and handbuilt finished examples then proceed to wet work demonstrations on both wheel and handbuilding. She will include demos on how to make the spout, handles, and lids. Multiple techniques will be featured including slab, extruder, wheel, coils, and pinch pot techniques.

        Once the demonstrations are finished, you will choose how you want to build your teapot. For those interested in a thrown teapot and/or using mostly wheel-thrown parts, you should be at an intermediate to advanced level on the wheel. If you have less experience, try using the wheel for a couple of parts. One way or another, we will make sure you can create a successful pot, even as a beginner!

        We almost forgot our favorite part! We will share in a lunchtime potluck break including hot tea served from Julie’s example teapots. Look for Julie’s email about potluck details and any clay preparations you might want to make before class.*

        Please Note: It is not required to premake items before class. However, glazing is not included during class. You may also need to use your indie time to continue to work on the construction of your piece(s) if not completed during class time.

          Extruded Clay Butter Dish
          Friday, April 19 ~ 9am to 11:30am

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

          Join Julie for this fun Friday morning class making an extruded butter dish. She will demo and walk you through the steps including how to make unique handles. Don’t forget to explore using underglazes, they can add something special to your design.

          *Please note: Glazing is not included. You may also need to use your indie time to continue to work on the construction of your piece(s) if not completed during class time.

            577 Collab Class: Clay Candlesticks & Hand-Dipped Candles
            Two Part Class:
            • Wednesday, May 1 ~ 5:30pm to 8pm
            • Tuesday, May 21 ~ 5:30pm to 7:30pm

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

            This advanced two-part class is for those of you that love candles and have always wanted to make your own taper candle holders. Everyone will go home with at least four (4) medium height and four (4) tall beeswax taper candles. With candles dipped and candlesticks glazed, you can get cozy at home with your handmade candle burning masterpieces!

            Class One on Wednesday, May 1: Join Julie Beutler, Pottery Manager, and Emily Horst, Pottery Coordinator, to learn how to create four candlesticks/chamber style holders. Each participant will throw two on the wheel and will hand build two others. (This class is recommended for those that have completed at least two half day throwing classes and feel confident in hand building).

            Class Two on Tuesday, May 21: Join Emily and 577 Executive Director Heather Gallant in making the candles! They will guide you step-by-step in hand dipping your own beeswax candles.

              Supervised Indie Time
              Monday, May 6 ~ 9am to 11am

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

              Supervised Indie Time sessions are perfect for folks who have recently completed the 6-week adult class and need additional time with your instructors or for those needing a refresher after a short break from the studio.

              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 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.

                Clay Spoons and Ladles
                Saturday, May 18 ~ 2pm to 4pm

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

                Spend the afternoon learning the tricks to making spoons and ladles using simple hand building techniques. Julie will demonstrate how to construct spoons/ladles. She will also demo a small pinch pot so you can make a dip bowl with a matching spoon!

                We will talk about glazing and how firing in the wood kiln is a great way to finish your pieces. (Hint: This is a great class for those planning to do a wood firing this year). You will also have the opportunity to decorate with underglazes. Please note you will need to use your indie time post-bisque firing to glaze your piece.

                  Half Day Throwing
                  Friday, March 29 ~ 9am to 12pm
                  Tuesday, April 9 ~ 5:30pm to 8:30pm
                  Friday, April 12 ~ 9am to 12pm
                  Thursday, April 18 ~ 1pm to 4pm
                  Friday, May 3 ~ 9am to 12pm
                  Wednesday, May 8 ~ 5:30pm to 8:30pm
                  Friday, May 17 ~ 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 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.

                  Hybrid Pottery to Go – Raku
                  Sessions Available Each Month
                  • April 2ndFiring: Pick-up: Mar 1; Drop-off: Mar 18; Raku Fire: Apr 2
                  • April 30th Firing: Pick-up: Apr 2; Drop-off: Apr 19; Raku Fire: Apr 30
                  • May 14th Firing: Pick-up: Apr 12; Drop-off: May 2; Raku Fire: May 14
                  • June 5th Firing: Pick-up: May 1; Drop-off: May 20; Raku Fire: June 5

                  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.

                    March ~ Pick-up: March 1; Return: March 27

                    April ~ Pick-up: April 2; Return: April 23 

                    May ~ Pick-up: May 1; Return: May 29

                    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. 

                    Located at 577 East Front Street in Perrysburg, 577 is open daily, 9am to 5pm. Free admission to tour the gardens and grounds. The Welcome Center & Curiosity Shop is open Monday ~ Saturday, 10am to 5pm.

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