Is this a "Paint your own pottery" place?
We are a pottery making studio and gift shop offering classes and workshops in stoneware clay. We do not offer low fired, mass produced pre made pottery or ceramics for glazing (painting.) We do offer varitey of specialty brush on glazes, underglazes and transfers for glazing fired work made in our classes and workshops.
We make all of the pottery we sell in our gift shop!
What is "handbuilding"?
Handbuilding is creating with clay without a pottery wheel and can also include wheel thrown projects that are altered with sculptural methods.
Sculpture, decorative, and functional pottery can all be created by handbuilding with clay!!
What is the structure of a multi week class?
Multi week classes focus on technique and skill building and cover a more in depth and complete foundation for creating with clay from start to finish through the entire process from wet clay to fired finished work.
Beginner classes are project based and continuing students are able to incorporate their own designs and creative ideas once they have the basic foundations.
Clay knowledge, prepping clay, reclaiming, managing moisture in the drying process, making templates, surface decoration, trimming, attachments, glazing options and education, clean up, storage, and more are covered. See the particular details for each multi week class as some are more in depth than others.
How many people will be in my class?
Wheel throwing try-it or multi week classes have a six person limit.
Multi week handbuilding classes have an 8 person limit.
One time hand building workshops and other art workshops have a varied number of participants based on the project.
What kind of classes do you offer?
We have pottery and art classes for beginners and experienced artists alike. We offer one time project based workshops, multi week educational classes, and DIY options. See each class for ages and details.
What is "wheel throwing?"
Wheel throwing refers to making pots on the pottery wheel. Wheel throwing is a skill that takes months and sometimes years to gain proficiency.
We do offer "fun" one time wheel "mini spins" so you can give the wheel a try and see if it is a skill you'd like to learn. Our staff will trim and glaze your pot or you can opt to return to glaze at out "Glayze bar.'
Can I have a private event at the studio?
Yes!
We offer private events, parties and workshops for families, groups, and friends! You cna choose a wheel event (mini spin) for up to 6, or a hand building event for up to 15 persons.
Give us a call and we will custom design a party for you!
Parties are at least 2 hours long and allow for mingling, and you are welcome to bring food and beverages.
Do you allow BYOB?
We have specaol events that occasionally allow BYOB, however this is not something we allow during our regular classes or workshops.
If you have a private event, you are welcome to byob!
What are the ages for classes?
All classes and workshops are geared toward adults 18 and up. We have specific youth classes and open studio options. Youth open studio (age 10 and up) is a supervised session but no instruction is provided. Youth "class" is a guided session where there is a specific project or theme.
What is the structure of a one time class or workshop?
One time workshops are project based, beginner friendly events. Guided instruction is provided to create the project of the day. Prep, demonstration, assistance, and clean up are included*. Watercolor, canvas and print or collage projects can be taken home after the workshop.
Pottery projects are left with us to fire and glaze. We will glaze the work or participants can opt to return to glaze at a later date at our "Glayze" bar after items are bisque fired.
*mini spin participants assist in clean up!
What are your DIY options?
"The Nest" DiY Clay and Art Bar is our open studio offering.
You can select from a variety of beginner friendly projects during our open studio hours.
We have a variety of clay, canvas and collage options available.
Simply choose your project and pay online for a clay project or book time by the hour for collage or canvas projects and purchase the size canvas or wood panel you like when you arrive.
Can I make whatever I want?
Workshops are project based and prepped in advance so unfortunately individual projects are not an option.
Multi week hand building classes offer an opportunity to learn how to transfer your ideas into clay.
Multi week wheel is a skill based class and offers opportunity for creativity in glazing and surface treatment, and then once foundations are learned, you can create what you like.
DiY projects in The Nest are pre planned for beginners and are designed for a one time visit, to create, dry and be fired with minimal risk of failure. Anything ouside of this is not time or cost effective so we recommend a class for those who want to learn how to do individual projects.