Handbuilding I
Clay with Jade Thayer - Fall 2026
6 Weeks | 6 Unique Projects | Endless Possibilities
Wednesdays Sept. 23 - Oct. 28 |
5:30 P.M. TO 8 P.M.
Spend six weeks exploring the art of handbuilding while creating a beautiful collection of functional and decorative ceramic pieces. Designed for beginners and returning makers alike, each class introduces a new technique and project while building your confidence, creativity, and connection to clay.
Can’t commit to all six weeks?
You’re still welcome here. Each class is thoughtfully designed to stand on its own, so you can register for a single session, explore a specific technique, or join us whenever your schedule allows.
Choose the Schedule That Works for You
Your options:
Enroll in the full 6-week series on Wednesdays for the complete handbuilding experience. This is the most economical option and offers the best value while allowing you to build your skills week by week.
Register for individual workshops if you can only attend selected classes or want to try a specific project.
*When not enrolled in series, you must purchase a spot for each workshop session you attend*
Whether you join us for one workshop or the entire series, you'll be welcomed into a supportive community of makers and leave with something uniquely your own.
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The bowl is one of pottery's oldest and most essential forms—and a perfect place to begin working with clay. Using simple handbuilding techniques, you'll learn how to shape and refine a functional bowl while experimenting with texture, pattern, and surface decoration. Create a piece that's uniquely yours and made to be used and enjoyed.
Wednesday, Sept. 23 | 5:30 P.M. - 8:30 P.M.
All Levels Welcomed!
Materials Included
Ages 12 and up
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Create a plate that's as much a piece of art as it is something for the table. Starting with a slab of clay, you'll learn how to shape and refine your plate before adding texture, pattern, or decorative details. This beginner-friendly project is a great introduction to slab building and the possibilities of functional ceramics.
Wednesday, Sept. 30 | 5:30 P.M. - 8:30 P.M.
All Levels Welcomed!
Materials Included
Ages 12 and up
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Bring a little handmade personality to the garden! In this beginner-friendly workshop, you'll explore basic sculpting and handbuilding techniques to create a small ceramic sculpture designed for the outdoors. Make a garden gnome, woodland creature, mushroom, or a character entirely of your own imagination while learning how to build, shape, add texture, and bring personality to clay.
Wednesday, Oct. 7 | 5:30 P.M. - 8:30 P.M.
All Levels Welcomed!
Materials Included
Ages 12 and up
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There's something special about drinking from a mug you've made yourself. Learn the fundamentals of slab building as you shape, join, and construct your own functional mug, complete with a handmade handle. Add texture, stamps, carving, or other details to create a one-of-a-kind piece that brings a little handmade joy to your morning coffee or tea.
Wednesday, Oct. 14 | 5:30 P.M. - 8:30 P.M.
All Levels Welcomed!
Materials Included
Ages 12 and up
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Explore the unexpected possibilities of clay by creating a ceramic basket. Using slab-building and handbuilding techniques, you'll experiment with form, openings, handles, texture, and pattern to transform clay into a basket that's both sculptural and functional. The finished piece can stand on its own as an object of art or be used to hold favorite things at home.
Wednesday, Oct. 21 | 5:30 P.M. - 8:30 P.M.
All Levels Welcomed!
Materials Included
Ages 12 and up
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Small in scale but full of possibilities, the bud vase is a wonderful introduction to building three-dimensional forms in clay. You'll learn simple handbuilding techniques to create a vessel designed to hold a single flower or small arrangement, while exploring shape, proportion, texture, and surface details. The result is a small, functional piece that is beautiful with—or without—a bloom.
Wednesday, Oct. 28 | 5:30 P.M. - 8:30 P.M.
All Levels Welcomed!
Materials Included
Ages 12 and up
