Handtastic! Next-Level Handbuilding

Ready to take your handbuilding to the next level? In this 10-week course, we will focus on building further upon the three basic methods - pinching, coil building, and slab building. We will explore how to make more elegant forms and funky shapes that are well built — in essence, how to amp up the quality of your pieces with maturer structure and skills. We’ll also practice creating more advanced surface textures with slip, carving, stencils, and wax resist. 

The class will be paced to cover a small handful of projects focused mainly on creating functional wares, while also leaving room for personal exploration and individualized projects. For each project, your instructor will give 1-2 demos covering both handbuilding techniques and surface design. You’ll have ample time to complete the projects while advancing your skills. All of this to help take you to the next level in your studio practice.

This is a Next-Level Level Class. No prior clay experience is necessary.

Learn more about instructor Alison Grimm.

We believe clay is for everyone! Need tuition assistance? Please visit our tuition assistance page for more information.

What’s included:

• Access to use our studio during open studio hours every day, for the duration of the quarter, from 10AM to 9PM.
• 1 bag of clay (pick-up first day of class)
• Personal half shelf for storage of tools, clay, and in process work

What to bring:

• A good attitude and a mind open to learning.
• A basic pottery tool kit. (This should include a cut off wire, wooden knife, wooden rib, metal rib, needle tool, sponge, trimming loop tool and double-ended ribbon tool.)
• An apron or clothes that can get dirty.
• A notebook or sketchbook.

Pottery NW has communal tools available. Personal toolkits, bat pins & additional clay can be purchased at the online student store. All items purchased from the store need to be picked up onsite.

Please Note:

• If you are new to the Pottery NW studio, or if you have not attended an orientation as of Summer Quarter 2023, you must attend the first class to receive the mandatory studio orientation. New students who do not attend the first day will be dropped from the class without a refund of the class fee. On the first day of class, late arrivals beyond 15 minutes after the class start time will not be permitted to join. Returning students should still attend the first day of class as the instructor will not be able to reteach missed lessons and demos to absent students in the proceeding classes.

 • We are in Pioneer Square, so please plan ahead so that you have enough time to park. You don’t want to miss anything!