Class Offerings
Handbuilding 101
Discover the joy of working with clay at Charlottesville Potters’ Guild, a new pottery studio in Charlottesville, Virginia. Our Introductory Hand Building class is designed for adults who want a relaxing, creative, and hands-on way to learn ceramics. No experience is needed, and you won’t need a pottery wheel. All you need is curiosity and a willingness to get your hands a little dirty.
Along the way, we’ll cover the basics of preparing clay for hand-building, glazing basics, and how to work comfortably in a shared studio, including clay recycling and other important studio systems. By the end of the semester, students will have created finished ceramic pieces and feel confident moving on to more advanced classes or independent studio time.
Hand building is one of the oldest and most versatile clay arts. In this eight-week class, you’ll learn the essential techniques every potter uses: pinch pots, coil building, and slab construction. Step by step, you’ll shape functional and decorative pieces such as mugs, bowls, plates, vases, and planters. You’ll also explore surface decoration, texture, and glazing, so each piece reflects your own style. By the end of the session, you’ll take home finished, kiln-fired pottery that you made from start to finish.
Our classes are kept small so every student gets personal guidance from the instructor. Whether you’re a complete beginner or returning to clay after years away, you’ll build skills and confidence at a comfortable pace. Many students find that hand building is the perfect foundation before moving on to our pottery wheel classes, where you’ll learn centering, throwing, and trimming.
We know busy schedules can make it hard to find time for a creative hobby. That’s why we offer both evening pottery classes and daytime pottery classes. Evening sessions are ideal after work, while daytime sessions suit retirees, or anyone with a flexible weekday. Each class runs for eight weeks, followed by a one-week break before the next session begins. Our first session starts the week of January 4, 2027, and spaces are limited.
Tuition includes clay, access to studio glazes, access to tools to use in the studio, and kiln firing, so there’s nothing extra to buy before your first class. Just wear comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and bring your enthusiasm.
If you’ve been searching for pottery classes in Charlottesville, a beginner-friendly clay class, or a fun night out with friends, our welcoming studio is the place to start. Hand building also makes a thoughtful gift for a friend, partner, or family member who loves making things. Join a friendly, creative community of local makers right here in Charlottesville.
Reserve your spot in Introductory Hand Building today and start creating with Charlottesville Potters’ Guild. We can’t wait to see what you make.
New to Clay?
Need more instruction? Need some easier inspiration projects? You’re more than welcome in if you want to hear it all again. We’re going to get you there.
Centering, Pulling, Bowls, Mugs. Trimming. Glazing.
Includes ½ bag white stoneware to start with and 5 complementary glaze firings of your best work.
Morning and Evening offerings. Pick what works for you.
(Discount for Annual Members who have already paid for their subscription. Email the desk for the code.)
There’s nothing quite like watching a lump of clay rise into a bowl beneath your hands. At Charlottesville Potters’ Guild, a new pottery studio in Charlottesville, Virginia, our Wheel Throwing 101 class teaches adults the fundamentals of making pottery on the wheel. Whether you’ve never touched clay or you’ve tried it once and want to learn properly, this beginner-friendly class gives you a solid foundation.
Over eight weekly sessions, you’ll learn the three core skills every wheel potter needs. First comes centering, the most important step, where you learn to steady spinning clay so it becomes balanced and ready to shape. Next is pulling, where you open the clay and raise its walls into cylinders, cups, and bowls. Finally, you’ll learn trimming, refining the bottoms of your leather-hard pieces and carving clean foot rings for a polished, professional finish. Along the way, you’ll also learn wedging, glazing basics, and how pieces move through drying and kiln firing.
Our classes are kept small, so every student gets time at the wheel and plenty of personal guidance from the instructor. Learning to throw takes patience, and we create a relaxed, encouraging space where wobbles and collapses are simply part of the process. Every potter, even the experts, started exactly where you are today. By the end of the session, you’ll take home finished, kiln-fired pottery you made yourself, such as mugs, bowls, and small vases.
We offer both evening pottery classes and daytime pottery classes to fit your schedule. Evening sessions are perfect for unwinding after work, you are welcome to bring your alcohol, while daytime sessions suit retirees, remote workers, and anyone with a flexible weekday. Each class runs for eight weeks, followed by a one-week break before the next session begins. Our first session starts the week of January 4, 2027, and wheel spaces are limited.
Tuition includes clay, glazes, studio tools, and kiln firing. Just wear comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting messy, keep your fingernails short, and come ready to learn.
If you’ve been searching for pottery wheel classes in Charlottesville, a beginner throwing class, or a creative hobby to share with a friend, our welcoming studio is the place to begin. Reserve your spot in Wheel Throwing 101 today and discover what your hands can make at Charlottesville Potters’ Guild.