Adult Class Descriptions

CLAY & TOOLS FOR ALL ADULT CLASSES AT MUDFLAT:

Your tuition includes 25 lbs. of clay (1 bag) with glazes and firings. There is a $10 surcharge per bag for porcelain clay. Students purchase additional clay from Mudflat throughout the semester. Students may not bring in any clays or glazes from other studios or suppliers.

Personal clay tools are not provided for adult classes, but may be purchased at Mudflat. A basic set of five tools costs $30.00-$40.00. A big assortment of clay tools are available for sale at Mudflat.

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS:

Beginning Wheelthrowing - How do you work with clay on the pottery wheel? This class is for students with no or little clay experience who are interested in learning basic skills at the potter's wheel for creating functional work. Demonstrations will cover wedging, centering, and forming shapes such as vases, mugs, bowls and plates. You will learn basic glazing and decorating techniques, and be introduced to electric and gas kiln firing.

Advanced Beginning Wheelthrowing - For students who have had an introductory experience working on the potter's wheel and now want to strengthen their basic skills. This class will focus on more throwing techniques, a variety of forms, and more advanced glazing and decorating ideas.

Intermediate Wheelthrowing - Build on your basic skills and knowledge of throwing and further your technical understanding of clay. More complex functional forms, refinement of throwing skills, and advanced decorative and glazing techniques will be demonstrated and discussed.  The class will review and critique fired results to further develop your personal style.

Beginning Handbuilding - Explore handbuilding as an alternative way of making functional and sculptural ceramic art. Students will learn basic construction processes such as coils, slabs, and molds and a variety of decorative and finishing techniques using lowfire and/or highfire clays and glazes. Students will pursue individual projects with assistance from the instructor.

Intermediate Handbuilding - Build on your basic handbuilding skills and explore more complex functional and/or sculptural forms. Study will include refinement of handbuilding techniques, surface treatments and finishing options. The class will review and critique fired results to foster the development of a personal style.

Independent Study - Students with previous clay experience can pursue their own projects outside of a structured class in Independent Study. This program provides access to classroom space  during all Open Lab Hours throughout the semester. Students enrolled in Independent Study should attend the scheduled orientation meeting to receive studio information, clay and shelf space and to meet Mudflat staff. No instruction is provided in Independent Study.

Affiliated - For previously enrolled Mudflat students who have space to work at a home studio. This program allows you to make work at another location and bring it to Mudflat for firings in our kilns by our technical staff. Affiliated students must purchase clay from Mudflat – price includes glazes and both bisque and glaze firings, and 1 bag of clay is included in tuition. You may use the glazerooms at Mudflat during our Open Lab Hours. Work to be fired will be included in regularly scheduled Mudflat student firings. Affiliated does not include a student shelf in the Mudflat classrooms.

Throwing with Porcelain - For this class with porcelain clay, we will focus on upright wheelthrown forms - vases, bottles, goblets, bowls – with an emphasis on throwing techniques specific to porcelain. Demonstrations of these forms will include looking at proportions and balance. Glazes and glazing techniques that work well with porcelain will be discussed. Advanced beginner to Intermediate level throwing skills required, first-time porcelain users welcome!