8 Weeks of

Clay & Chaos

CLASS STRUCTURE

• Refine Your Technique. Discover Your Style.

  Already comfortable on the wheel and ready to level up? This 8-week Intermediate Course is designed for potters who have mastered the basics and want to find more balance, control, and creative direction in their work.

  Each week introduces a new focus a different form, surface, or technique  with hands-on guidance tailored to your goals. Whether you want to throw larger sculptural pieces or refine the details of functional ones, you’ll build confidence and consistency while developing your own style.

  Across eight 3-hour sessions, you’ll combine wheel throwing and handbuilding, explore advanced glazing and surface design, and complete a cohesive body of work from start to finish.

  Ideal for:
  • Potters who can confidently center and throw basic forms
  • Those seeking to improve consistency, precision, and design control
  • Creators ready to combine skill with creativity and personal expression

  Each class includes a new demo, a new form, and a fresh idea to explore. What you choose to create is entirely up to you our instructors guide you individually at every step.

  Recommendation: For the best experience, we suggest taking two 4-week courses or one 8-week course beforehand to strengthen your foundation before advancing to this level.

   What You’ll Experience Each Week:

  Week 1 – Refresh & Rebuild: Working Large or Complex

  We’ll revisit your wheel-throwing fundamentals and focus on creating larger or more intricate forms. You’ll learn how to center and shape bigger pieces with control and balance as the instructor demonstrates throwing a large cylinder and bowl from start to finish.

  Week 2 – Trim, Refine & Connect

  This week begins with trimming and refining last week’s pieces. You’ll learn handle-making and decorative details, then see how two thrown forms can be joined into one larger work. After trimming and assembly, we’ll return to the wheel to keep building consistency and flow.

  Week 3 – Casting & Surface Design

  We’ll explore slip casting and sgraffito techniques. Each student will receive a plaster mold to cast interlocking mug forms, and we’ll decorate last week’s pieces using colored slips for texture and contrast. The demo covers casting, cleaning, and carving for expressive surface design.

  Week 4 – Glaze Exploration & Surface Effects

  Discover 15 studio glazes, 20 underglaze colors, and tools like pencils, chalks, and decals. You’ll learn how to layer and combine glazes creatively, and explore special effects like dripping and watercolor finishes. Early finishers can continue casting or throwing for extra practice.

  Week 5 – Lids, Balance & Advanced Forms

  This week focuses on lidded jars and teapots, teaching proportion, fit, and structure. You’ll refine measurement and precision skills to improve consistency, and the instructor will demonstrate several lid styles that fit perfectly onto matching thrown forms.

  Week 6 – Marble Clay & Final Wheel Focus

  In the final wheel-throwing class, you’ll learn to blend red and green clay with white to create marble patterns. The instructor demonstrates a lidded marble form, focusing on control, color flow, and composition. Students may also continue slip casting as desired.

  Week 7 – Handbuilding & Creative Freedom

  This week is all about creative exploration through handbuilding. We’ll revisit slab and sculpting methods to design free, expressive, non-round forms. The instructor demonstrates a slab-built vase and shares tips to inspire your own one-of-a-kind projects.

  Week 8 – Final Glazing & Finishing Touches

  The last week is dedicated to glazing and completing all pieces. You’ll apply everything learned layering, decoration, and firing prep to give your work a professional finish. We’ll end with a short reflection and celebrate your progress and final creations.

Please note: Make-up classes are not guaranteed. However, if notice is given at least 3 days in advance, and if space is available in another session, a make-up class may be arranged.We appreciate your understanding.

Please note: Pottery is a beautifully unpredictable craft. Sometimes the kiln gods are kind… sometimes they’re not. Zei Pottery Studio cannot be held responsible for cracks, warping, glaze surprises, or other unexpected outcomes that happen during firing. But don’t worry, your instructor will help you choose the pieces most likely to survive the adventure.