Unlock Your Creative Potential At
Parkway Arts Community Pottery and Craft Studio
Due to popular demand we are running our Sculptural handbuilding course again, and this time we have an afternoon and an evening slot.
In this exciting course, immerse yourself in the world of clay and create your very own work of art! Learn how to craft unique sculptures with guidance from our afternoon tutor, Betsy Quakenbush, and Amy Weston, our evening tutor.
From quirky pots to intricate figurines, you will explore a variety of techniques to allow you to bring your imagination to life.
New to sculpting? That's great! These classes are specifically built for beginner to intermediate level students. Designed to be a fun, mindful and relaxing experience, you will learn first-hand the joy of this tactile art form.
Throughout the course, you will work with quality clay and tools, and learn to shape, carve and mould your pieces. You will walk away with works of art that reflect your own individual style, and will showcase your newfound skills.
And there is nothing like the sense of accomplishment you feel when you get to take your finished pieces home.
Part of being a pottery studio is getting used to pots that didn’t make it! As part of our commitment to sustainability, rather than waste these valuable pieces of ceramic, we combine them with glass and tiles to create beautiful mosaics, and we would love to introduce you to mosaic too!
This course will be taught by Jenni Dawson. Jenni’s work was included in an exhibition over the summer of 2024, curated by Hetain Patel in ‘Come As You Really Are’. She will introduce you to the skills and techniques you will need to create your very own mini masterpiece.
Learning objectives:
Learn to use a variety of cutting tools and techniques
What bases work best?
Composition in the context of mosaic
What adhesives work best?
How to finish your piece
Join us from 6pm to 8pm to learn how to make a stoneware mug, a vessel that will introduce you to the world of slab building, pinch pots and coil building.
You will be guided through how to make the perfect slab, joining slabs together, forming the mug body, and how to attach a handle. We usually have time to make a couple of other items too. You will have two weeks to make, the third week is a week off when your items will be bisque fired ready for decoration, and then you come back for the last week to glaze and decorate your pieces. You will then be able to glaze your mug using our range of glazes and underglazes.
Week 1: Get to know your clay and hand building techniques
Week 2: Refine and finish your pieces
Week 3: Firing week (no class)
Week 4: Decorate and glaze your bisqued pieces
We will then fire the mug (and any bonus pieces you make!) for you to collect about two weeks later.
We use stoneware so that your mug is durable, plus it is dishwasher and microwave proof.
If you are really keen, we have a range of improvers courses coming up, and we also have our studio memberships. If you are interested in these, just ask in class or drop us an email.
Suitable for beginners, we welcome you whatever your ceramic experience!
Explore what we offer
£150 a month
Discover the joy of moulding earth into beautiful forms with our pottery studio membership. With access to clay, glazes, tools and space, as well as kiln firings, come and enjoy the creative community - find out more…
From £90
Parkway Arts is proud to be a hand-building studio, and as such we specialise in accessible and cost-effective techniques such as coil, pinch and slab pots. We also teach slip-casting techniques. Learn about the courses and skills we offer…
From £60
We don’t just offer pottery! Parkway Arts mission is to bring a range of creativity to the people of Didcot and the Vale of White Horse. Find out what exciting crafts and courses we have coming up…
Who
we are
Welcome to a place where creativity flourishes and artistic expression takes center stage. We're here to inspire, educate, and celebrate with you every step of the way on your art journey.
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Contact Us
We are always keen to hear from you, whether it’s feedback, information you need or even suggestions for new classes, drop us a line and we will be in touch!