Last Call For 2024 Wheel Classes! Our final wheel classes of the year start this week (and one starts today!)
Last call for 2024 Wheel Classes! Our final wheel classes of the year start this week (and one starts today!) All of these classes are great opportunities to learn, play, have fun and make handmade gifts this holiday season! Come clay with us!
It’s that time of the year! Thinking ahead to the holidays, putting things in the calendar and realizing that they’re going to be happening in 2025! It’s hard to believe. However, there is still so much of 2024 to enjoy! The autumn is still in its full glory and, I don’t know about you, but all of my favorite holidays are yet to come!
What else is still to come? Our last wheel classes of 2024!
We still have spaces in two Pottery Wheel Classes for All-Level Beginners. Join us Wednesday evenings from 6:00–8:00 pm, from October 20–December 11 (with November 27 off for Thanksgiving week).
Or, jump in on our last wheel weekend class of the year, starting today! It will run Saturday afternoons from 3:00–5:00, from October 26–December 7 (with a break on November 30 for Thanksgiving weekend) and there are still two open spots waiting to be claimed! It’s not too late!
Then, for those of you who already know how to throw a basic cylinder or bowl form, we have Beyond Basics on the Pottery Wheel, starting this week and running Tuesday evenings, from 5:00–7:15 pm, October 29–December 17. You can still grab your spot!
All of these classes are great opportunities to learn, play, have fun and make handmade gifts this holiday season!
Also, don’t forget that next weekend is the start of our next Kids’ Workshop: Build A Pinch-Pot Turkey, taking place over two Saturdays, November 2 & 16, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, for kids ages 7–12.
More holiday workshops, along with 2025 wheel and handbuilding classes, are coming soon, so keep an eye on our Classes, Courses & Workshops page and stay tuned for more fun!
Wishing you all a great weekend, and hope to see you soon at the Staunton Clayground!
Our First Polymer Clay Workshop, Coming Saturday! Plus, Three New Pottery Wheel Classes Before The End Of October!
A One-Day Polymer Clay Workshop, Three Pottery Wheel Classes (Beginner and Intermediate) and Kids' Holiday Workshops. So much is going on at Staunton Clayground. Come clay with us!
November is less than two weeks away, but we have three new pottery wheel classes starting up before the end of October, plus our first-ever one-day polymer clay workshop! Read on to learn more! Plus, don’t forget about our upcoming kids’ holiday workshops! So much is going on at Staunton Clayground. Come clay with us!
A polymer clay “Desk Friend” made by Lainie Mabbitt of Second Stories Art, our newest instructor at Staunton Clayground!
November is less than two weeks away, but we have three new pottery wheel classes starting up before the end of October, plus our first-ever one-day polymer clay workshop! Read on to learn more!
The leaves are really starting to turn now. With this beautiful weather and fall colors, our town is really at its best! It is getting chilly though, so if you want to take a break for some indoor activities, our cozy studio has plenty of fun activities and gift-making opportunities for you!
Whether you have always wanted to try your hand at throwing pottery on the wheel and never had a chance or have you spent some time on the wheel but want an opportunity to gain confidence and hone your skills, our wheel classes for all levels of beginner potters are going to be a good fit for you! And two, both taught by the marvelous Mary Tuttle, are starting before Halloween!
Looking for a weekend class? As of today, we still have a few spots left in our Pottery Wheel For All-Level Beginners, taking place Saturday afternoons, October 26–December 7, 3:00–5:00 pm (with Sat., Nov. 30 off for Thanksgiving weekend).
Prefer a weeknight class to wind down after a long day? There is still limited space available in our Pottery Wheel For All-Level Beginners: Wednesday evenings, October 30–December 11, 6:00–8:00 pm (with Wed., Nov. 27 off for Thanksgiving week).
Everything you make in these classes will be ready in time for Christmas and the December holidays!
And the same is true of our next wheel class for intermediate wheel throwers, which is also starting before the end of the month: Beyond Basics On The Pottery Wheel with the fantastic Valya Boutenko, running Tuesday evenings from 5:00–7:15 p.m., October 29–December 17, 2024.
The class is a good fit for students who are somewhat familiar with working on the wheel, who can throw a basic cylinder and a simple bowl form.
Are you too busy right now to commit to a longer-form class? Looking for a one-day workshop? We’ve got that, too!
This will be the Staunton Clayground teaching debut of the incredibly original and versatile local artist Lainie Mabbitt of Second Stories Art. Join her for an Introduction to Polymer Clay – Make an Inspirational Desk Friend: Saturday, October 26, 9 a.m.–12 noon. Come and enjoy tea and cookies and a chance to make a one-of-a-kind gift, a “Desk Buddy” to brighten your desk or the desk of someone you love!
Last but not least, don’t forget about our new kids’ programming! There are still spaces in both of our upcoming kids’ workshops!
Build a Pinch-Pot Turkey! Saturday mornings, 10:00–12:00 noon, November 2 and November 16 (Ages 7–12) and The Penguins Are Coming! Saturday afternoons, 2:00–3:30, November 23 and December 7 (Ages 6–12).
So much fun to be had! And stay tuned, because we’ve got some special one-day holiday workshops lined up for November and December, perfect for family fun and gift-making! More news coming soon. Meanwhile, enjoy those leaves and some mulled cider! I think I’m going to go warm some up right now 🥰
See you soon at the Staunton Clayground!
Three New Wheel-Throwing Classes Starting in July! Two For Beginners, One "Beyond Basics"
Staunton Clayground has three new wheel classes starting in July! Two for beginners and one for going beyond basics on the wheel. We are also welcoming two new teachers, Valya Boutenko and Mary Tuttle. Check out the post to see all the details!
Hello Friends of the Staunton Clayground!
We are so excited that so many people in our community are so eager to learn to throw pottery on the wheel, and we want to make sure that you can! So, we have added 3 new wheel classes, all starting in July! The first two are for beginners of all levels:
Two different time slots, two different formats, two different teachers!
The first, which will be held on Wednesday evenings, from 5:00–7:15 pm, for eight weeks starting on July 24, for a total of 18 hours, will be taught by Valya Boutenko, who is joining us for the first time as a teacher with this class! Click here to learn more and claim a spot!
The second will take place on Saturday afternoons, from 3:00–5:00* pm, on July 27, August 3, 10, 17 and 24 (*except for the Aug. 10 session, which will run from 5:00–7:00 pm; a break for Labor Day weekend is built into the schedule). This twelve-hour course will be taught by another brand new member of the Staunton Clayground team, Mary Tuttle. Here’s the link to read the details and grab a place in this class!
We are very happy to welcome these new instructors to our team!
The third class, Beyond Basics On The Pottery Wheel, is an intermediate class for students who are somewhat familiar with working on the wheel.
Designed and taught by Valya Boutenko, whose pottery is featured in the photos!
The class is a good fit for students who can throw a basic cylinder and a simple bowl form. In this class we will practice throwing plates as well as elegant, rounded vases. Together, we will be tackling the more challenging forms and incorporating design elements that add interest and make our work shine. Also taught by Valya Boutenko, it will run on Tuesday evenings, from 5:00–7:15 p.m., July 30–Sept. 17 (18 hours and eight weeks in all).
We hope you will jump in and enjoy these classes! After all, a cool clay studio is a great way to beat the heat during those dog days of August (or July… or September)!
Meanwhile, we’re already hard at work planning out a super-fun roster of fall courses and workshops! Stay tuned!
See you soon here at the Staunton Clayground! 😃
Handbuilding Workshop For Ages 10-18 and Wheel-Throwing Workshop for Experienced Potters, Both Starting Wednesday, July 10!
If you or a young person you know is looking to beat the heat next week, then we have two workshops starting on Wednesday, July 10, that might just be for you! The first is a coil plant pot workshop for young people age 10–18! It is co-taught and co-hosted by Staunton Clayground and Art Hive, with the collaboration of artist and master gardener Jacques of Mottainai. The second is a surface decoration workshop for wheel throwers with Nicole Eyerman Hill. Sign-ups close on Monday, July 8, at 5pm, so claim your spot while you can!
Hello, Friends of the Staunton Clayground!
We hope that you all had a fantastic July 4!
Here at the Staunton Clayground we have been super busy getting everything ready for our Studio Membership Program launch, which is happening this week! We’ve been gearing up for this since the day we opened, and it’s hard to believe it’s finally here. We’ve had a great response and are very excited to welcome our first official members into the studio tomorrow morning!
Amidst all of that excitement, we’ve also been hard at work trying to make sure there is a great selection of classes and workshops for you all to enjoy throughout this long hot summer. After all, on these hot, hot days, where better to be than in a cool pottery studio with your hands in wet clay?
If you or a young person you know is looking to beat the heat next week, then we have two workshops starting on Wednesday, July 10, that might just be for you!
Come clay! Cut off for sign-ups is Monday, July 8 at 5 p.m., so claim your spot!
The first is a coil plant pot workshop for young people age 10–18! It is co-taught and co-hosted by Staunton Clayground and Art Hive, with the collaboration of artist and master gardener Jacques of Mottainai and is our first (we hope of many) such collaboration within our area’s great arts and creative community. Attendees will make and decorate clay coil pots inspired by indigenous artists, and then learn how to use them to plant and care for a plant of their own. Read more details and get your tickets through Art Hive at this link and don’t miss out on this hands-on experience where art meets nature!
The second, Vases & Carving, is a workshop for slightly more experienced wheel throwers. If you can throw a simple 4-inch cylinder on your own, then this workshop is for you! Nicole Eyerman Hill will walk you through the process of crafting wheel-thrown vases meant to be carved and faceted to create unique surface decoration.
Sign-ups for both of these will be closing on Monday, July 8, at 5:00 p.m., so don’t miss your chance to come and join in the fun!
Looking for a different sort of handbuilding experience? Then look no farther than two more workshops, both for ages 14 and up, starting on July 16 and August 9, both are taught by a special guest instructor, local artist Janly Jaggard.
Special handbuilding workshops by local artist Janly Jaggard, right here at Staunton Clayground, this summer!
Still not quite what you’re looking for? Well, stay tuned, because we are getting ready to post 😃 three new pottery-wheel classes with two new teachers 😃, all starting over the next few weeks, two for all-level beginners and one for intermediate wheel throwers. Stay tuned, because we’ll be getting you all of the details, right here, over the next few days!
Stay cool, stay safe, and keep watching this space!
Grab Your Spot In Our Bowls & Underglaze Workshop Starting June 18 - Part Of Our Wheel-Throwing & Surface Decoration Series
Grab your spot in our Bowls & Underglaze wheel-thrown pottery workshop, starting June 18! If you are a mid-level beginner or higher, then this three-day workshop is for you! Nicole Eyerman Hill of @eyerman.art will teach participants how to expand their portfolio of decorative techniques beyond simple glazing to create wares that can still be functional and food-safe! The workshop will take place from 5:30–8:30 pm on Tuesday, June 18, Friday, June 21 and Friday, June 28.
We’ve got so many classes and workshops starting this month, and the next one is scheduled to launch just a week from today! We are calling potters with some wheel experience to join our next three-day wheel-throwing and surface decoration workshop, Bowls and Underglazes!
If you can throw a basic 4-inch cylinder on your own, then this workshop is for you!
The talented Nicole Eyerman Hill of @eyerman.art will teach participants how to expand their portfolio of decorative techniques beyond simple glazing to create wares that can still be functional and food-safe!
The workshop will take place over three days, from 5:30–8:30 pm on Tuesday, June 18, Friday, June 21 and Friday, June 28.
That first session is just a week away, so, if you’re interested, now is the time to grab your spot.
More fun is coming soon, so keep watching this space!
Wishing you a great week!
Last Call For Sign-ups for "Mugs & Sgraffito" Workshop, Plus, Opening Reception at the BSSS Gallery Tonight!
Last chance to sign up for Part 1 of our 3-part wheel-throwing and surface decoration workshop series, “Mugs & Sgraffito,” starting on Tues., June 11. Saturday is the last day to sign up, so don’t miss your chance! Also, don’t miss tonight’s Opening Reception at the BSSS Gallery for ceramic art exhibition “Volume and Solitude”. Meet the artists and learn about their craft! 5:30–7:30 pm at 22 W. Beverley Street.
We hope you’ve had a fabulous week. We started our first All-Level Beginners Wheel-Throwing Class on Monday and are very happy to be off and running (or spinning 😁). We’re also excited for the coming week, when we’re going to launch our first workshop of the three-part surface-decoration series being taught this summer by Nicole Eyerman Hill.
In sgraffito technique, a colored surface layer is carved or scraped away to reveal the clay beneath, thus creating the design
The first part, Mugs & Sgraffito, is set to begin on Tuesday, June 11. This workshop is designed for potters with some wheel experience, so if you think this could be the one for you, now is the time to grab a spot! Sign-ups close at the end of the day on Saturday, June 8, so don’t miss your chance!
Also, we wanted to remind you that this evening from 5:30–7:00 is the Opening Reception of Volume and Solitude, a really wonderful exhibition (and we can say that because we’ve been there!) at the Beverley Street Studio Gallery(located inside the Co-Art Gallery space at 22 West Beverley St. in downtown Staunton). Check out the Newsleader article about it that was published this week! The exhibition is curated by our very own Janly Jaggard. Don’t miss your chance to meet the artists tonight!
Wishing you all a lovely weekend!
New Pottery Wheel All-Level Beginner Class Added! June 25–July 23, Sign-Ups Now Open!
Sign-ups are now open for a brand new 15-hour Pottery Wheel For All-Level Beginners class, starting on June 25! It will consist of five three-hour sessions, running on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 to 8:30, June 25 through July 23. Space is limited, so grab your spot now!
It certainly has been an eventful few weeks since our first Open House back in April. Our very first Intro to Clay classwrapped up last week and our first two handbuilding workshops are in full swing, with students’ pieces from both just about ready for the final step, glazing!
“What about pottery wheel classes?” you might ask. Well, the first two Pottery Wheel For All-Level Beginner classes we posted both sold out well before their start dates, so we are very happy to announce that we have just managed to schedule an additional one!
cue drum roll
Sign-ups are now open for a brand new 15-hour Pottery Wheel For All-Level Beginners class, starting on June 25! It will consist of five three-hour sessions, running on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 to 8:30, June 25 through July 23, and be taught by Nicole Eyerman Hill. You may know her work from seeing her booth at Art in the Park or from seeing her page on instagram.
We are doing our best to understand what it is that everyone in our community is most interested in and plan our future classes accordingly! If there is something specific you or a friend is interesting in learning and it is not already among the Staunton Clayground class and workshop offerings, drop us a line and we’ll see what we can do. We want to know what it is that you want to learn!
Meanwhile, if you see a past class that makes you wish you’d been there, no worries. We plan to offer repeats of our popular classes in the future.
In other news, a lot of you have been asking about when we are going to open up our studio for memberships. Well, we are working now on hammering out the final details of our membership program! We are planning a special open house geared specifically towards answering all of your membership questions. We’ll have the date nailed down in the next few days, so keep watching this space!
Meanwhile, we wish you all a marvelous weekend!
New Modular Workshop Series Coming in June & July! Surface Decoration for Wheel-Thrown Vessels: Take One, Two or All Three
Get ready for an exciting series of three modular nine-hour workshops with local potter and Staunton Clayground instructor Nicole Eyerman Hill (@eyerman.art), focusing on different surface decoration techniques applied to wheel-thrown work. Pick just one, two or take all three in a row to develop and add a whole new portfolio of creative skills to your pottery creation (15% discount on a future class or workshop for people who sign up for all three classes!)
Get ready for an exciting series of three modular nine-hour workshops with local potter and Staunton Clayground instructor Nicole Eyerman Hill (@eyerman.art), focusing on different surface decoration techniques applied to wheel-thrown work. Pick just one, two or take all three in a row to develop and add a whole new portfolio of creative skills to your pottery creation (15% discount on a future class or workshop for people who sign up for all three classes!). Participants must already have experience with the wheel (be able to throw a 4-inch-tall cylinder unassisted). First workshop kicks off on June 11, so grab your spots now!
Students will first focus on making mugs with a design and shape that lend themselves to sgraffito decoration. They will then move on to learning how to use this technique to decorate their vessels, using a variety of carving tools on colored slips and underglazes applied to the surface of the clay body.
Students will focus on making bowls with an interior surface adorned with painted-on underglaze. This is a fun and practical way to add decoration to the inside of a bowl while still allowing it to be used as functional tableware, if desired, since the underglaze is then sealed with a layer of clear mid-fire glaze to make it water-tight and food-safe.
Students will focus on throwing small vases with slightly thicker than usual walls, making it possible to carve out faceting or other designs once the vessels are leather-hard. This is an interesting way to add interest to the surface of any piece, and can be done either on plain clay as a way to show off the effects of particular glazes or in combination with colored-slip or underglaze decoration applied before clear-glazing.
We hope you’ll come and clay!
Looking for something to do next week? Speaking of workshops, there’s still one spot left in our Sculptural Slab Creations workshop, starting this coming Tuesday. This is a handbuilding workshop that is suitable for people with no clay experience as well as returning potters.
Stay tuned for more upcoming classes & workshops, coming very soon!
Meanwhile, a lovely Memorial Day weekend to all of you from all of us at Staunton Clayground.