Pottery, ceramics, art classes and workshops, Melbourne Special Offer
from AU$595.00

Slow Clay Weekend Intensive: Pottery Wheel

Pottery wheel techniques

Next Available: Sat, 20 Apr 10:00AM (AEST)
(+2 more dates)
6 hours x 2 Days
Over 500 people have attended this class

Description

You've been re-directed to the booking page for Slow Clay Weekend Intensive courses. 

Please refer to our website page for updates about CoVid-19 restrictions. 

You can find all the information you need about the content of these courses on our website: www.slowclay.com

Please note the Earlybird discount price expires 4 weeks before the start date. Bookings are secured with a 50% deposit and the 50% balance is due 4 weeks prior to the start date.

The Weekend Intensive wheel course is held 5 times per year and is a great alternative to our weekly Slow Clay classes. They are suitable for beginners and intermediate levels and we can occasionally take advanced students who have specific issues they wish to address in their practice. Our ergonomic methods of working on the pottery wheel are based on Japanese techniques. We carefully structure the content for beginners and can tailor individually for experienced levels.

The Weekend Intensives cover the same content as a term course of 8 lessons on the wheel for beginners. Intermediate and more advanced students can work on designing their own forms in more of a mentoring style. The Intensives are great introduction to Slow Clay Centre and to pottery in general and are very popular with people who canʼt enrol in a weekly classe due to work commitments or because they live interstate.

You will attend on a Saturday and Sunday, 10am - 4pm and we run an optional glaze class a few weeks later ($30) or we can glaze your pots for you for a $30 fee plus postage. 

Refunds

Please choose your classes carefully. Due to our limited class sizes once you've booked and paid either the deposit or the full fee we will only refund what you have paid if the class is cancelled by us. If you are unable to attend you may transfer your booking to a friend for no charge or if we can fill your place you can hold your payment for up to 12 months for a future course.

You will receive an automatic email 4 weeks before the class with instructions how to pay the balance.

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What you will learn

  • Learn the ʻpower of slowʼ where movements are economical whilst having the most effect.
  • Learn to make pottery on the wheel using our Slow Clay method, inspired by Japanese techniques that are ergonomically sound
  • Learn to trim, decorate and glaze your pieces in an optional glazing class

What you will get

  • a group of pots - the number depends on your capabilities!
  • a complete introduction to making pottery on the wheel!
  • knowledge of Japanese techniques, uniquely taught at Slow Clay Centre by teachers who were trained in Japan

What to bring

  • Camera, Note book and pen, lunch

What to wear

Comfortable clothes that you don't mind getting a bit dirty.

Appropriate for

Beginners or people with some experience who wish to learn our techniques


Slow Clay Centre

4.9
(890 Reviews)

Escape to Slow Clay Centre and learn the art, craft and design of expression in clay. 

Slow Clay Centre is one of the most highly regarded specialist ceramics/pottery schools in Australia. We aim to give you the best experience learning our ancient craft! We welcome all levels from beginners to advanced, including professional development and mentoring. We offer courses on a weekly basis by the term, intensive weekends, and a rich variety of one-day guest artist workshops and forums. We also offer a popular single session "taster class" once per week and look out for our Professional Development Program for serious practitioners! Oh and we never forget our precious little ones: we have a Clay Club for kids offered as a holiday program and after school so everyone can learn the art of working with clay!  

Our weekly students receive priority to re-enrol each term and take advantage of our generous loyalty program providing free studio access (conditions apply). In this way we can help you to develop your skills to a high level. 

Our unique "Slow Clay" (TM) method for teaching the pottery wheel, established by Slow Clay Centre director and ceramic artist Jane Sawyer, has been taught for more than thirty years. Based on the Japanese techniques Jane studied training as a production thrower in Japan in combination with western techniques, the "Slow Clay" method offers a synthesis of East and West. It provides ergonomic best-practice and a solid foundation for personal expression and confidence with clay. All our courses offer a foundation of skill-based learning within a rich framework of contemporary art and design enquiry so you can follow your interests. Our ultimate aim is to help you achieve whatever your personal goals are with clay!

Based in a beautiful inner-city studio in Collingwood, Melbourne, Australia, the Slow Clay team consists of leading professional ceramic artists and experienced teachers who offer high-level teaching in a broad variety of topics - see our web site for teacher profiles. Together with guest professional artists who host workshops and forums, we are a vibrant community and wish to share our passion for clay with everyone who is keen, no matter what level.

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4.8 (60 reviews)
Lanirated it
12 Feb 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed the beginners intensive course taught by Jane and Alyssa! We packed a lot into two days but it was just enough to get a feel for the wheel and not too overwhelming. Jane and Alyssa were both excellent teachers, patient and encouraging. I have caught the bug and want to do more classes!
Veronicarated it
29 Jan 2024
Jane Sawyer is hands down one of Australia's best pottery teachers. Taking absolute beginners from zero to a line-up of beautiful ceramic pieces in under a day is magical to see. Jane and her staff do it with humour and warmth and a real passion for sharing knowledge. She is one of very few people outside Japan teaching Japanese throwing techniques - and her emphasis on ergonomics and using your body mindfully are important for beginners and experienced potters alike. One of the most fulfilling weekend workshops you could ever hope to do. - Veronica
Ilianarated it
07 Nov 2023
Rating Only
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Cancellations & Refunds

If the organiser cancels the class:

You are entitled to a full refund.

If you can't attend the class:

You’re welcome to send someone in your place.

OR

  • A transfer can be requested 14 days before the class starts. An admin fee of AU$25.00 applies.

No changes will be allowed after these times.

We recommend the refund upgrade option upon checkout in case you’re not able to attend the class. Learn more about refund upgrade option.

Terms & Conditions

Welcome to Slow Clay Centre!

We aim to give you the best experience learning ceramics! Each course may have slightly different terms but these are our generic ones: please read carefully:  

General: 

These apply to all Slow Clay Centre courses, workshops and events:

  1. Deposit or full payment (depending on the course/workshop/event) must be made at the time of booking
  2. Please choose carefully. Due to our limited class sizes once you've booked and paid either the deposit or the full fee we will only refund what you have paid if the class is cancelled by us. If you are unable to attend you may transfer your booking to a friend for no charge or, provided we can fill your place, we can sometimes transfer you to another class or hold your payment in credit for up to 24 months for a future course
  3. There is a $25 fee for transfer or credit note and you must pay any fee difference if the new course price is higher 
  4. Please note: All students will receive a reminder between three weeks and one week (depending on the course)  before the start date with a link to pay any remaining balance with your credit card. Students who paid the deposit online will have the balance automatically deducted. Others will need to click on the link provided or ring our office on 99437844.
  5. Due to our limited class sizes, if your balance is not received three weeks before the start date and you have not made arrangements with us, we reserve the right to find a replacement student and your deposit will be  forfeited


Weekly classes: These additional conditions apply to all Slow Clay Centre weekly classes.

  1. Please note that making ceramics, particularly on the pottery wheel,  can be a physically demanding activity. If you have any pre-existing illnesses and/or chronic injuries to your back, shoulders, hips, neck, wrists or elbows we strongly advise you to seek a medical opinion before enrolling as some activities might exacerbate past injuries and we take no responsibility if this occurs. 
  2. We ask that you fully disclose any prior and/or ongoing illnesses or injuries that could affect you before you enrol AND inform your teacher in person during the first class. 
  3. Your enrolment is conditional on your acceptance that Slow Clay Centre and/or the company's employees, whether casual, contract, or permanently employed, are indemnified against any exacerbation of any past or any new injuries that may arise as a result of your activites.
  4. All work made during classes is to be used for personal, non-commercial purposes. This is individually negotiable for advanced students or for studio exhibitions but we ask students to accept that the emphasis of our classes is strictly on education not studio production. If you sell your work made using our materials you must acknowledge Slow Clay Centre and also ensure you have your own product liability insurance
  5. Teaching fees are fully inclusive of materials but students will incur a single firing fee based on the current cost (advised in your class) 
  6. Please note: we encourage judicious selection of your work to fire. Firing is always optional and all clay is recycled until the first firing. After that you must pay the firing fee for everything that gets fired. If it cracks, glaze drips, or you just don't like it, you are still required to pay the firing fee unless the fault is caused by us.
  7. Collection of fired pieces: Please understand that our storage capacity is extremely limited. Students will be notified via email when work is ready to be collected. Work will only be retained for two weeks following notification. 


Regarding Kids Clay Club: 

  1. It is your responsibility to clearly report in writing on the enrolment form, any illness, allergies or disability that may affect your child's involvement in the Clay Club activities.
  2. Please sign-in and sign-out your children
  3. Please respect our teachers and be prompt to arrive and to collect your children (within 5 minutes of class time)
  4. Children are expected to be mature enough to follow instructions, to work in a group together, to respect everyone's needs and differences and to be polite to everyone.
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