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from AU$595.00

Slow Clay Weekend Intensive: Pottery Wheel

Slow Clay ergonomic method: pottery wheel

Next Available: Sat, 12 Apr 9:30AM (AEST)
(+1 more date)
6 hours 30 minutes 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. This course is held just a few times throughout year and is a great alternative to our Slow Clay weekly classes for those who can't attend or are interstate. We've had people come from far and wide! Please ask us for a discount at our favourite local hotel!

Please refer to our 

Content: You will experience 

  • introduction to the potter's wheel using our unique method based on Japanese techniques 
  • experienced teacher and founder of Slow Clay Centre, Jane Sawyer 
  • ergonomically-sound techniques to avoid back, wrist and shoulder problems 
  • carefully structured content for beginners and tailor-made individual content for experienced levels.

Have experience? Are you curious to know how you can adapt to a more fluid approach? Our techniques are suitable for intermediate and advanced levels too! Feel free to email us with Weekend Intensive enquiry to ask us before enrolling. 

Times: Saturday and Sunday, 9.30am - 4pm PLUS an optional glaze class a few weeks later ($35) or we can glaze your pots for you for a $35 fee (plus postage if needed). 

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 from our waiting list you can transfer to any other course or hold your payment for up to 12 months for a future course.($25 transfer fee applies)

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

Slow Clay Centre aims to provide the best education in ceramics/pottery classes and courses in Melbourne. It is highly regarded as a specialist ceramic education centre established in 2012. We look forward to welcoming you!

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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
(1068 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 and our longevity stands for this with thousands of students who have learnt from us! 

We welcome all levels from kids and beginners adults taster classes to advanced professional development and mentoring. 

Our weekly students receive priority to re-enrol each term and take advantage of our generous loyalty program providing free studio access in between classes (conditions apply). In this way we can help you to develop your skills to a high level like no other school. 

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 (70 reviews)
amerated it
19 Jan 2025
The absolute best teachers and studio
Kristenrated it
04 Nov 2024
This weekend experience was so great! There was so much knowledge shared, as well as experience and fun. Jane was such a good teacher and her passion for ceramics shows through her teachings. Although I would've loved more time on the wheel time flew by so fast.
Soniarated it
04 Nov 2024
what a wonderful intensive and fun weekend - spent with clay ( the most important ingredient), amazing teachers with endless patience, and a crew of delightful people all willing to share their trials and tribulations as we held our posture, turned out our elbows, played and created ( to varying degrees of success) !! If only the days were longer....time just disappeared with our total engagement
Slow Clay Centre 11 Nov 2024

Thank you Sonia! So great to have you!

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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/or 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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