classes and price list

Join us on the last Friday evening of the month for our exciting introductory pottery classes. Engaging, interactive experiences that offer an entertaining introduction to the art of pottery!  

You can choose either wheel throwing or hand building. You will create between 2 and 4 pieces during the class. You’re encouraged not to keep everything you make. Be selective! Choose your best or favorite pieces from what you have made, and we will dry them, glaze them and fire them for you.  

Your finished pieces will be available for collection within 2 to 3 weeks, or you can opt for courier delivery at your own expense. 

These events are ideal for: 

- Individuals eager to explore pottery without the commitment of regular classes. 

- Couples looking for an original fun date night. 

- Groups of friends wanting a creative outing together. 

- Corporate Team Building. 

Cost – R490 per person  

Includes tuition, materials, nibbles and refreshments.  

Protective aprons are available to keep your clothes clean. 

No need to bring anything except curiosity and imagination. 

The evening cocktails are non-alcoholic. Bring your own wine etc. if you chose 

Times 

Last Friday Evening of the month - 5:30pm till 8:30pm (Snacks and mocktail included) 

Basic Wheel-throwing

This 4 Week Course is an introduction to wheel-throwing and no experience is necessary. You will learn a proven technique that will lead to success and to consistency. You will be taught how to center the clay on the wheel, how to throw a basic cylinder, how to throw a basic bowl, how to trim the bases, how to make foot-rings, how to make and attach handles. You will be encouraged to make as many pieces as you want as progress comes from repetition and practice. You may select your best pieces for firing, and finally, you will be instructed how to apply the glaze yourself. 

When starting out on your Pottery Journey it’s important to keep practicing, and at Claytopia you can repeat the Basic Wheel-throwing Class as many times as you want or need to. This will build up your skill and confidence. You might also not be ready to get too serious. Repeating the Basics Course and being more playful might suit you more than advancing to the Intermediate Course. There is a lot you will learn through your own experimentation.  

When you feel ready you can progress to the Intermediate Class. You can of course move directly from Basics to Intermediate if you are ready. 

Cost -

R450 per class 

R1,600 for 4 classes, if paying up front (Save R200) 

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Intermediate Wheel-throwing Class 

This 6-week course builds on the knowledge gained in the Basic Wheel-throwing Class. More complex forms are taught and more techniques for attaching handles are taught. The main goal of the Intermediate Course is consistency. You will be taught techniques to consistently throw the same forms on the Wheel. Consistency will come from trying to make matching sets. It’s striving for consistency that will build skill, but that doesn’t mean that the results have to be perfect. Self-acceptance and learning not to judge yourself too harshly are a major part of the lesson! 

By the end of the course, you will have made a “matching” set of mugs and bowls. Greg describes a matching set of handmade pieces as being like the family that uses them – all with similarities that make them look like a family, but each individual piece is unique and special in its own way. We all have our favorite mug or bowl that we love using because it has some feature that we like about it.  If you produce a set of quirky pieces, then part of the fun is using them all and seeing which one becomes your favorite. 

It is advisable to have complete the Basic Wheel Class with Claytopia before this, or to have prior experience elsewhere. Students are welcome to keep enrolling for this course for as long as they keep learning and benefitting from it. Progress comes from practice. Putting in the hours on the wheel will lead to improvement. 

If you want to keep practicing on your own without supervision Claytopia offers you the option of joining as a member. This will allow you to come outside of class times and to work at your own pace on whatever you feel inspired to make. 

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Advanced Wheel-throwing Class 

This is an 8-week course that builds on the knowledge gained in the Intermediate Wheel Class. 

 A high level of competence and prior experience is required. You will be introduced to throwing on batts and will be taught how to throw dinner plates and side plates.

Your goal is to make a matching dinner service consisting of dinner plates, side plates, and a matching set of bowls. You will also be taught how to throw large forms and will make a serving platter and a salad bowl that match your dinner service. 

An optional extra for very advanced students is to make one or more of the following items (in a glaze and design that match your dinner service):  

a large water jug for the table, or a small milk jug, or a teapot, or a set of mugs or cups. 

It is a prerequisite to complete the Intermediate Wheel Class with Claytopia before enrolling for this course and to demonstrate that you have reached a sufficiently high level of skill. 

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