Clay Classes in Portland

Wheel and Handbuilding Classes

All of these classes are in our Portland store with a maximum 12 students.
Call 503.283.1353 to sign up: no online class registration.

Welcome to Georgies' Community Classroom! It's a place to learn and explore this ancient craft while you also explore your personal expression and possibly make a friend or two.

Georgies offers adult (18 & over) clay classes which focus on two specific clay forming skills: throwing on the potter's wheel and hand-building techniques. While watching an experienced potter, it looks so easy, but clay work is actually a blend of art and learned skill. Our eight week series classes are designed for both beginning and continuing students. It's rare that any beginning class will have only novice students as it takes multiple sessions to form the skill to be able to accomplish many of the steps that go into a finished glazed piece.

For most of Georgies' employees and instructors, clay and its many facets are a lifetime pursuit. There are endless ways to form the clay and decorate the surface. Explore form, function, texture, color, and design. An eight week class is a freckle in time: it may be something you want to explore further but it won't be enough time to become a master potter or make all your Christmas presents if you have never worked in clay before.

Open studio times are uninstructed, but valuable
in developing the skills you are learning in your class.

Beginning Wheel

Beginning wheel classes focus on the primary skill of working on the potter's wheel.
These skills are centering clay, learning to control this spinning long to raise the walls
in both a vertical matter to form a mug, and pulling it out to form bowl shapes. Completing these forms requires another skill that is explored, and that is trimming. Glazing is
addressed in the simplest method, by dipping with a wide variety of Georgies cone 6 glazes.

Beginning students can expect to complete several small (cereal-size) bowls and a
mug or two (though perhaps not to perfection!). Continuing students will be able
to explore these basic forms further, and expand their scale with greater control
to larger bowls and more complex cylindrical forms.

The more time you spend in open studio, the faster you will develop your skills and control. Many students repeat a class simply because it fits their schedule.
Our keep our wheel classes small, with 12 students per class session,
so you are guaranteed a wheel in your class.

Click here to see "The Fine Print" for clay classes at Georgies.

Intermediate Wheel

Intermediate wheel classes are open to all students who were proficient on the
wheel, able to center and throw both bowls and mugs without further instruction.
This class explores more advanced wheel forms, like covered and lidded pots,
teapots, altered forms, and incorporating elements of handbuilding with wheel-
thrown work. The intermediate class is also able to explore more advanced glaze
techniques, making use of wax resist design as well as decorative painting.

Click the thumbnails for larger images of these class projects:

Click here to see "The Fine Print" for classes at Georgies.

Handbuilding

Hand-building is often the best place to start your clay experience. Hand building
explores many popular methods of clay forming including slab building, pinch pots,
and building with coils. By touching and forming clay with these simple unaided
methods, you learn the fundamentals of joining clay into cohesive forms. Our hand-
building class is open to beginning and continuing students. When we present a
specific technique, such as 'soft slab' work, we introduce it with a specific project
that teaches the skills needed for that type of work. As you begin to develop your skills,
you are able to bring your ideas to fruition. Again, basic glazing skills are explored.

Click the thumbnails for larger images of these class projects:

Click here to see "The Fine Print" for clay classes at Georgies.

2023 Friday Workshops

These classes are meant not only to answer the many questions we are asked on a daily
basis, but to also provide the opportunity for you to try new tools or new techniques that we
find intriguing. All class fees are charged in full when you sign up and all fees are
NON-REFUNDABLE. Pre-registration by phone is required (no online registration).
You must be 16 years old to register.

December 15^th - Mold Making - $200.00

During this class you will make a 2-part mold and Brett Binford will assist you throughout the entire process including checking for undercuts, using cottles and plaster mixing. Now's your chance to ask an expert moldmaker about the complicated process of mold making! Please bring 2-4 simple objects and Brett will help you decide which one to use. You will leave at the end of the day with a mold suitable for slip casting! 09/02/22 • SUM290 ~ 9am-4pm ~ FULL

Firing Your Electric Kiln

Whether your kiln is new or used, computerized or manual, we will cover it all.
Learn the nuts and bolts of firing, and how to operate and maintain your electric kiln
for optimum results to achieve ceramic success with the proper firing. Questions
about firing glass are welcome, but the class focuses on firing clay. Bring your
notepads and questions! Your fee includes a booklet which covers a wide range
of firing information that you can use for later reference. You can take the class
again, at no charge, as often as needed, once you pay for the first class.

All contents related to Georgies' products copyright 2023. All rights reserved.
Georgies Ceramic & Clay Co. • 756 NE Lombard • Portland OR 97211 • 503.283.1353
Georgies of Eugene • 1471 Railroad Blvd #9 • Eugene OR 97402 • 541.338.7654
Fax numbers: Portland 503.283.1387 • Eugene 541.338.7565
Portland Store Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00a-5:00p Pacific time • CLOSED Saturday & Sunday
Eugene Store Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10:00a-5:00p • Saturday 10:00a-4:00p Pacific time • CLOSED Sunday & Monday