Explore: pottery and ceramics – studio practice

About this course

Participants explore how ceramic ideas develop from initial concepts into finished clay objects through guided tasks, demonstrations, experiments and individual projects. The course introduces hand-building and wheel-throwing alongside texture, pattern and surface decoration, with visual references and discussion informing design decisions and reflection. Teaching follows a structured sequence rather than an open-workshop format. Learners investigate different clays, glazing choices and the basic stages of firing, while considering ceramic traditions from different cultures and contexts.

What you'll learn

• Use basic hand-building techniques to create ceramic forms.
• Experiment with texture, pattern and surface decoration.
• Explain the basic stages involved in firing and glazing.
• Select glazes suited to particular intended outcomes.
• Identify different types of clay and firing processes.

Is this course right for you?

Listed as suitable for all levels, the course explicitly welcomes newcomers and returning learners. Participation involves guided tasks, demonstrations and the development of an individual project within a structured learning framework, rather than independent use of an open workshop.

• Newcomers and returning learners are explicitly included.
• The course uses step-by-step guidance and demonstrations.
• Participants develop an individual project within the course framework.

Before you go

• Materials and firings are limited, and the course is intended for learning and skill development rather than producing large quantities of work.