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Ceramics
Lillstreet’s nationally-recognized Ceramics department offers classes that are appropriate for students of all skill levels. Students ranging from first-timers to advanced ceramicists can take advantage of our generous open studio hours while enrolled in classes such as wheelthrowing, handbuilding, sculpture, slip casting, and more. With hundreds of options for glaze combinations, a variety of firing options, and access to our state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, students are afforded every opportunity to find their way with clay.
First-Time Artist
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First-Time Potter 5 Weeks Dress for mess and spin the wheel to shape clay into the basic forms of mugs and bowls. Learn to work with ceramic tools and glaze your own pottery. Handbuilding will also be introduced; including pinch pots, bowls and small serving trays. Plan to purchase a clay tool kit at Lillstreet. The class fee includes one 12-pound bag of clay. Each student receives half of a shelf to store work, clay, and tools.
First-Time Handbuilding 5 Weeks Create your own functional pottery by using your hands to build and learn the basic techniques of pinch pots, coils, and slabs. The use of tools such as molds and the slab roller will be demonstrated. You will also learn to finish and glaze your pieces. Plan to purchase a clay tool kit at Lillstreet. The class fee includes one 12-pound bag of clay.
Each student receives half of a shelf to store work, clay, and tools.
Tuesday 7-10pm Snow Yu Session I: Starts March 31 Session II: Starts May 5 Friday 10am-1pm Patrick Miceli Session I: Starts April 3 Session II: Starts May 8
Saturday 10am-1pm Snow Yu Session I: Starts April 4 Session II: Starts May 9 $180, Members $175
Beginner/ Advanced Beginner
Beginning students will develop fundamental throwing techniques while returning students will refine their expertise to create more complex forms. Be inspired by those around you and challenged by your personal goals. Teacher demonstrations are designed for multilevel students. The class fee includes one 25-pound bag of clay. Each student receives one shelf to store work, clay, and tools.
Monday 10am-1pm Les Orenstein Starts March 30
Monday 6:30-9:30pm Jayson Lawfer Starts March 30
Tuesday 7-10pm Gary Jackson Starts March 31
Wednesday 10am-1pm Shiyuan Xu Starts April 1
Wednesday 7-10pm Peter Ronan Starts April 1
Thursday 10am-1pm TBD Starts April 2
Thursday 7-10pm Jon Pacheco Starts April 2
Friday 10am-1pm Dave Trost Starts April 3
Beginning/Advanced Beginning Handbuilding 10 Weeks Create functional or sculptural forms by exploring the fundamental techniques of handbuilding. You will learn to use slabs, create coils, make pinch pots, and glaze your work to create virtually anything you can dream up. The use of tools such as molds and the slab roller will be demonstrated. The class fee includes one 25-pound bag of clay. Each student receives one shelf to store work, clay, and tools.
Monday 10am-1pm Patrick Miceli Starts March 30
Tuesday 10am-1pm Shiyuan Xu Starts March 31
Tuesday 1:30-4:30pm Lisa Harris Starts March 31
Tuesday 7-10pm Nicole Paulina Starts March 31
Wednesday 10am-1pm Peter Ronan Starts April 1
Challenge Accepted 10 Weeks Ready to push yourself out of your comfort zone, try something new, and strengthen your relationship with clay? Each week will feature a new challenge of creating basic forms on the wheel, including cylinders and bowls. Learn speed, precision, and accuracy while having fun in a medium you already know and love.
Each student receives one shelf to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Two sessions of Wheelthrowing classes
Tile Making 10 Weeks Looking for something unique to adorn your kitchen, bathroom, or fireplace? Learn to make decorative tiles from a slab of clay. We’ll teach you how to build up and carve into clay, then make a plaster mold from your tile to make multiples. We will also discuss firing and glazing.
Each student receives one shelf to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Two session of handbuilding classes
Dreams, Myths & Stories in Clay 10 Weeks Bring your stories, dreams, and myths to life with hand-built clay forms. An optional, open-ended prompt is given at the start of each class to help generate ideas. Classes include the exchange of stories and ideas as well as guidance on forming, texturing, and finishing your work. In the final session, we will view and discuss each other’s work in terms of dreams, myths, or stories expressed.
Each student receives one shelf to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Two session of handbuilding classes
Monday 6:30–9:30pm Corinne D. Peterson Starts March 30 $340, Members $330 Wednesday 1–4pm Michael Skiersch Starts April 1 $340, Members $330
Beginning Figure Sculpting 10 Weeks Have you always wanted to sculpt figuratively but didn’t know where to start? Take this class to learn the basics of handbuilding and how it’s used to form figurative sculptures. You will progress through simple abstractions to full detailed bodies, focusing on features like eyes, mouths, hands, and hair. Learn how to coil build and free form clay into figures of your own imagination.
Each student receives one shelf to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Two sessions of handbuilding classes
Low Fire in Wheel Exploration 10 Weeks Learn the unique benefits and versatility of working with Terra Cotta clay while experimenting with different types of low fire surface design, including slips, terra sigillata, and low fire glazes. Have a chance to learn the basics of glaze technology, glaze testing, and building the correct vocabulary around glaze finish.
Each student receives one shelf to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Two sessions of wheelthrowing classes
Ceramics Advanced Handbuilding 10 Weeks
Improve your skills for making hand-built forms while building functional and sculptural objects. Weekly demonstrations will teach more sophisticated techniques to manipulate clay and allow further development of your handbuilt work. Demonstrations will be designed to meet the specific needs of the students.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools.
Prerequisite: Two sessions of Intermediate Handbuilding
Intermediate/ Advanced Classes
Intermediate Wheelthrowing 10 Weeks Design your pottery and establish a personal aesthetic while learning intermediate techniques to make complex forms. You will explore throwing off the hump, learn how to use the spray booth, receive weekly demonstrations, and experiment with new glaze combinations to help develop your signature look. Projects range from creating sets, lidded jars, pitchers, and more.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Two session of Beginning/Advanced Beginning Wheelthrowing
Tuesday 10am-1pm Lisa Harris Starts March 31
Intermediate Handbuilding 10 Weeks
You’ve mastered the handbuilding basics; now, it’s time to improve your ceramic skills while building functional and sculptural objects. Learn historical and contemporary approaches to clay, intricate carving techniques, and subtractive methods while focusing on building your aesthetic. Weekly demonstrations will teach complex techniques to manipulate clay and allow the further development of your handbuilt work.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools.
Prerequisite: Two sessions Beginning/Advanced Beginning Handbuilding
Wednesday 2–5pm Mary Drabik Starts April 1
Tuesday 2-5pm Sam Hostert Starts March 31
Tuesday 6:30-9:30pm Karen Avery Starts March 31
Wednesday 6:30-9:30pm Aaron Becker Starts April 1
Saturday 10am-1pm Les Orenstien Starts April 4
Advanced Wheelthrowing 10 Weeks Refine your methods at the wheel by taking a step back to reflect upon your throwing technique. You will be thoughtfully guided through several exercises to help advance your style and technique. Basic functional forms and glazing methods will be explored.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Two sessions of Intermediate Wheelthrowing
Monday 7–10pm Nolan Baumgartner Starts March 30 $375, Members $365 Monday 7–10pm Dave Trost Starts March 30 $375, Members $365
Soda I: Beginning Soda Firing 10 Weeks
Experience flashes of color, textured surfaces and the excitement of unpredictable results found by utilizing the distinct atmospheric qualities of the soda kiln. Weekly demonstrations will encourage more complex forms. By using slips and glazes, soda-firing becomes accessible and more predictable. You will participate in all stages of the process, including required kiln loading and unloading outside of class time.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools.
Prerequisite: One year experience in ceramics or instructor approval
Tuesday 7–10pm Sam Hostert Starts March 31
Friday 10am-1pm Catherine Tweedie Starts April 3
Analyze the critical steps necessary to create dynamic and inventive ceramic work utilizing Lillstreet’s urban soda kiln. Students will use the potter’s wheel to create and alter pots by adding lids and handles, faceting, and incorporating applied textures. We will also explore the use of atmospheric slips and experiment with Lillstreet’s studio glazes in the soda kiln.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools.
Prerequisite: Two sessions of Soda I or instructor approval
Soda II: Surfaces 10 Weeks
Soda firing offers a dazzling variety of surfaces both planned and unplanned for the artist to explore. Demonstrations will include an array of more advanced techniques that reveal how to achieve more refined and intentional results in the soda kiln. Participation in all stages of the process, including loading and unloading outside of class time, is expected of each student.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools.
Prerequisite: Two sessions of Soda I or instructor approval
Soda II: Handbuilding 10 Weeks Learn the techniques and tricks to handbuilding functional and sculptural forms for the soda kiln. Research and discuss artists like Sunshine Cobb, Melissa Weis, Gail Nichols and their different building techniques such as slab building, pinch potting, coil building and kurinuki. Explore surface textures, stamp making, creative wadding techniques, creative slipping and different glazing techniques.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Two sessions of Soda I or instructor approval
Low Fire in Handbuilding 10 Weeks Delve into the rich history and bright color palette of low-fire ceramic surface decorations. Demonstrations and discussions will involve the use of terra sigillata, underglazes, slips and glazes on terra cotta. You will also learn the process of mixing glazes and slips from basic components.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Three Sessions of handbuilding experience
Home & Garden Pottery 10 Weeks This independently-driven class begins each week with a potluck and group discussion about ongoing projects. Projects range from cups up to large serving bowls and wall sconces to large sectional planters. Bring your ideas to life and decorate your personal space. The instructor is on hand to guide you through your projects, problem solve and demonstrate as needed.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Six Sessions of ceramics experience
On the Wheel, Off the Wheel 10 Weeks Focus on improving your wheelthrowing and handbuilding skills while opening up your mind to new possibilities. You will create functional and sculptural forms that are out of the ordinary by learning how to alter and manipulate your work after the wheel. Add, subtract, bend, and push the clay into unique forms that begin to walk the line between visual poetry and functional art.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Three Sessions of wheelthrowing experience
Unconventional Figure 10 Weeks Bring strange and mysterious figures to life and learn to construct figurative pieces that are manipulated and out of the ordinary. Build large or small, refine your techniques, and learn different ways of slab building and carving into clay. Learn to push your creative limits in unexpected directions.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Three Sessions of handbuilding experience
Puppets 10 Weeks Dive into the history and construction behind puppetry. Use handbuilding techniques to create your own imagined puppets. Learn the fundamental principles of joinery and mechanisms to create lively ceramic forms.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: One year of handbuilding experience
Sets and Series 10 Weeks Push your design sensibilities and ceramic skills as you develop a series of work. Unify your pieces through alterations, surface design elements, and glaze choices. Work within different proportions, surfaces, scales, and more to create your own personalized signature look. Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Six Sessions of Wheelthrowing experience
Wednesday 10am-1pm Susan Messer-McBride Starts April 1 $375, Members $365 $40 Material Fee
Print on Clay 10 Weeks Learn to silkscreen, toner-litho transfer, monoprint, and stencil on clay forms. You’ll create layered imagery for narrative or decorative purposes. Demonstrations will include printing processes and ceramic construction techniques as well as the creation of finished forms with surface depth for low or high-fire clay bodies.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Three sessions of ceramics experience
Mold Making & Slip Casting 10 Weeks Make multiples of your favorite cups, vases, or other sculptural or functional forms. Learn to create two-part plaster molds of found household and crafted objects to use for slip casting. This technique allows you to pour a specially formulated liquid clay into your mold and create multiples of the same object. Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools.
Prerequisite: Three Sessions of handbuilding experience
Introduction to Paper Clay 10 Weeks Learn to make and use paper clay to explore the many possibilities this material provides in the ceramics studio. This forgiving material will give you hands-on experience in numerous handbuilding construction methods as well as decoration techniques to create exciting and unique pieces. You can make a range of objects from functional to sculptural work, depending on your interest.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Three sessions of handbuilding experience
Spring Forms 10 Weeks Explore images and forms that reflect the long-awaited budding spring. Learn to throw and construct all things floral, including bud/flower vases, flower bricks, and planters with hand built additions. Decorate your work with techniques such as sgraffito, slip trailing, and carving. Students will also discuss display and planting considerations.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Six Sessions of ceramic experience
Building Structures 10 Weeks From organic life forms to architecture, from mathematical theories to mechanical parts, structures exist all around us. Explore various structure units and modules and learn different ceramic handbuilding techniques to build structural sculptures. Use slabs, coils, and different handmade armatures to bring your ideas to life.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Three sessions of handbuilding experience
Thursday 10am-1pm LuLu Sbardellati Starts April 2 $375, Members $365 Thursday 10am-1pm Shiyuan Xu Starts April 2 $375, Members $365
Ceramics Put a Lid on It 10 Weeks
Lidded objects come in many different shapes, sizes, and designs with the focal point landing on the lid. Learn to throw different lidded objects from jars to teapots with stylized lids that both fit the pot literally and aesthetically. Think through the pot methodically to produce a lid that is both functional and compliments the object. Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools.
Prerequisite: Three Sessions of Throwing experience
Strictly Functional 10 Weeks Learn how to construct household items such as pour-overs, plates, berry bowls, butter dishes, spoons, and jars. You will improve your techniques in coils, pinching, and slab work, as well as finishing techniques to decorate and enhance your functional items. You will leave this class with the knowledge of how to create a new arsenal of objects to share with your friends and family.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools.
Prerequisite: Three Sessions of handbuilding experience
Ceramic Sculpture 10 Weeks Refine your handbuilding skills as you develop a personal practice in sculpture through guided one-on-one instruction. Learn to think creatively, express yourself through your unique voice, and how to incorporate narrative elements into non-figurative work. Explore well-known sculpture artists, different surface treatments, and how to use mixed media effectively.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools.
Prerequisite: Six Sessions of handbuilding exp
Queer Clay 10 Weeks
Explore the intersections of ceramics sexuality, gender, and identity. Create work that expresses your personal narrative and first-hand experiences. Various artists who are working in the queer context will be shown and discussed. A variety of building techniques, both functional and sculptural, will be demonstrated. Develop your own aesthetic and story through radical self-expression. Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Three sessions of handbuilding classes
Guided Projects in Clay 10 Weeks Develop your ideas, aesthetics, and technique in greater depth in this independent study class. You will receive personalized guidance along with informal critiques on your work. You will also learn to troubleshoot technical issues and receive demos in throwing, hand building, and surface treatment. Historical and contemporary examples will further round out your appreciation of the ceramic field.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Six Sessions of ceramics experience
From dogs and cats to horses and other wildlife, learn how to create the animal of your choosing. With fast and effective armature building, each student will construct their own animal using additive and subtractive techniques that can then be hollowed out and fired. Finalize and decorate your work with underglazes, stains, and different colorants, bringing your creation to life.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools.
Prerequisite: Three Sessions of Handbuilding experience
Examining the Figure: It’s in the Details 10 Weeks
When viewing a figurative sculpture, the precision of the details can make the biggest difference. Learn techniques like carving and addition, as well as the best tools to use to sculpt life-like figures. Focus on different body parts like the eyes, mouth, hands, and feet, perfecting each on their own.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools.
Prerequisite: Three Sessions of Handbuilding experience
On the Wall 10 Weeks
Learn how to create decorative hand-built plates and objects worthy of being hung on your wall. Using techniques such as altered slabs, slump, and hump molds, you will construct one of a kind sculptural works of art. Discover how to use underglazes, slips, sgraffito, and more to decorate and add a personal touch to your work.
Each student receives two shelves to store work, clay, and tools. Prerequisite: Three sessions of handbuilding classes
Thursday 2-5pm Jonathan Pacheco Starts April 2 $375, Members $365 Saturday 10am–1pm Lisa Harris Starts April 4 $375, Members $365 Sunday 2-5pm Nicole Paulina Starts April 5 $375, Members $365
Date Night Throwdown Grab your sweetie, bestie or crew for a Friday night “throwdown.” Join us for a fun evening of getting a little messy and trying your hands at wheelthrowing. Learn basic techniques, and throw as much clay as you can with the help of our skilled instructors. At night’s end, pick two pieces to have glazed. Each participant must register and pay the workshop fee. BYOB, Must be 21+ to consume alcohol.
Friday, April 10 6:30–9:30pm Shiyuan Xu Friday, May 8 6:30–9:30pm LuLu Sbardellati Friday, May 29 6:30–9:30pm Amelia Bell
$65, Members $60
Spring Mugs Want to enjoy a hot cup of coffee out a mug you made yourself? Custom make your own pair of mugs and choose the shape, size, and surface in this workshop. Add handles or leave your creations handleless. You will finish off your mugs by picking glazes to be glazed later by your instructor. Ages 14+ welcome.
Saturday, April 18 12-3pm Kelly McRay Sunday, May 17 11am-2pm TBD
$75, Members $70
Date Night: Cocktail Cups Join us for a celebratory evening dedicated to the handcrafted happy hour. Roll up your sleeves and dress for mess! You’ll learn to hand build cocktail cups from terra cotta clay using slabs and templates. Create, decorate and embellish them in your own, unique style. Once fired, you’ll have two handmade cups to toast with for years to come. BYOB, must be 21+ to consume alcohol.
Friday, April 24 6:30–9:30pm Mary Drabik
Terra Sig for the Soda Kiln Explore the unique world of terra sigillata in the soda kiln. Learn about the science of terra sig, apply it to your pieces, and make your own terra sigillatas. Bring bone dry b-clay or porcelain tiles to apply terra sig to during the workshop and then put through the soda kiln. You will leave with these test pieces, two terra sig colors of your own, and lots of ideas for your own artmaking process! Prerequisite: Soda I: Beginning Soda Firing
Saturday, April 25 1-4pm Sam Hostert
$95, Members $90
Ceramic Wind Chimes Decorate your home and garden, or create a beautiful gift with these handmade wind chimes. Working from pieces of clay, you will shape each of the chimes and make a platform to hang the chimes. Choose from a rainbow of colors to decorate each piece, and once fired, you get the parts to assemble your piece of art.
Ages 14+ welcome.
Sunday, May 3 12-2pm Nicole Nienow
$55, Members $50
Mother’s Day Vases A perfect idea for after your Mother’s Day brunch, spend the afternoon creating with clay and immortalize the day with a handmade vase. You will get to choose the size and shape of your vase and use slabs of clay to construct it. Decorate with colored clays, and when finished, a white glaze will adorn your fully functional vase. Ages 14+ welcome.
Sunday, May 10 12-2pm Mary Drabik
$55, Members $50
Saturday Night Out: Pet Portrait Tiles Try something different, bring some friends, and get creative this Saturday night. Immortalize a picture of your Fido or Marshmallow in a colorful clay tile. Bring a photo of your beloved pet and learn how to transfer that image to a piece of clay. You will get to add lots of color with ceramic underglazes and add a notch so you can hang your tile once it’s fired. BYOB must be 21+ to consume alcohol.
Saturday, May 16 6:30-9:30pm Nicole Nienow
$65, Members $60
Face Mugs Step into the realm of face mugs! Learn new ways to sculpt realistic and abstracted faces on vessels and forms by hand building a mug in this workshop. You will leave with a mug with a personality.
Ages 14+ welcome.
Saturday, June 6 11am-2pm Nicole Nienow
$75, Members $70
Home Ceramic Studio: 101 1 Day
Have you ever thought about having your own home studio? This one day workshop will teach you everything you need to know about transitioning from a community ceramics studio to your own home studio. Discussions will include installing a kiln, choosing a wheel, electric versus gas-fired kilns, cone 6 versus cone 10 glazes, studio safety, and so much more. Neil Estrick is a distributor for L&L Kilns. He has been selling and servicing kilns since 2004, and has been firing them since 1992.
Saturday, April 11 10am–4pm Neil Estrick
$125
