5-Week Beginner Pottery Wheel Course

Special 5-week course — discounted due to the current roadworks and access disruptions around the studio. 

A relaxed, hands-on pottery wheel course designed for complete beginners and those who have tried the wheel before and want to strengthen their foundations.

For a limited time, our 5 weeks is offered at a discounted rate while the roadworks around the studio are underway.

Over five sessions, you’ll learn the essential foundations of wheel throwing, including centering clay, opening, pulling walls, throwing cylinders and bowls, trimming, making and attaching handles, refining your work and glazing.

You don’t need to be artistic, naturally creative or “good with your hands.” Wheel throwing is a skill learned through practice, repetition and patience. Expect muddy hands, a few wonky pots and plenty of satisfying moments when the clay finally starts doing what you want it to do.

By the end of the course, you’ll have experienced the pottery-making process and created your own collection of handmade, functional pottery.

Course Details

When: Friday evenings, 6pm–8pm
Duration: 5 sessions / 10 hours
Course Dates: October 2-31
Skill Level: Beginner — no previous wheel experience required
Minimum Age: 13+ years

Roadworks Special: Due to the ongoing roadworks and access disruptions around the studio, we’ve temporarily discounted our course 

You’ll still cover the key beginner wheel-throwing skills, with the course programme adjusted to make the most of your five sessions.

Your 5-Week Wheel Journey

Week 1 — Finding Your Centre
Learn the foundations of throwing, including how to centre, open and pull the clay. You’ll practise creating cylinders while becoming comfortable with the wheel and developing good throwing habits.

Week 2 — From Cylinders to Mugs
Learn how to trim and refine your cylinders, then make and attach handles to transform your pieces into handmade mugs. You’ll also continue practising your throwing technique and building confidence at the wheel.

Week 3 — Throwing Bowls
Build on your throwing skills by learning how to create bowls. You’ll explore shape, curve and proportion while developing greater control of the clay.

Week 4 — Explore, Create & Refine
Put your new skills into practice with more freedom at the wheel. Revisit cylinders, mugs or bowls, experiment with form and continue developing your technique. You’ll also trim and refine your pieces in preparation for firing.

Week 5 — Glaze & Finish
Bring your collection to life with glaze. You’ll learn how to prepare your bisque-fired pieces and apply studio glazes before your work heads into the kiln for its final firing. Additional specialty colours may incur an extra cost.

What’s Included

• Pottery wheel tuition and demonstrations

• Use of studio pottery wheels

• Use of studio tools during class

• Glazing instruction

• Bisque and glaze firing for up to 5 pieces

• Studio glaze for your included pieces

• Access to additional practice sessions by arrangement with your tutor

If you’d like to fire additional pieces, you’re welcome to do so. Extra pieces start from $10 each, which includes both bisque and glaze firing, plus studio glaze.

Extra Practice Time

Learning the wheel is all about repetition, so you’re encouraged to practise between classes. The more time you spend at the wheel, the faster the movements begin to feel natural.

Practice sessions are available by arrangement with your tutor:

Wednesdays | 10am–12pm
Saturdays | 1pm–3pm

Clay & Studio Materials

Clay is an additional cost and is not included in the course fee. A 10kg bag costs approximately $55, including shipping to Blenheim, although prices may vary depending on the clay type and supplier.

If you’re enrolling with a friend, you’re welcome to share a 10kg bag if you don’t expect to use a full bag each.

Only Pottery Embassy-approved clay and glazes may be used in the studio.

What to Bring

Please wear comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting clay on, closed-toe shoes and tie back long hair. Loose jewellery should be removed before using the wheel. Pottery Embassy is not responsible for damage to clothing or personal belongings.

5L bucket with a secure lid: Your bucket is used to collect clay water, slip and clay waste during class. Clay must never be poured down studio sinks because it can settle and block plumbing.

You’ll take your bucket home after each session. Once the clay has settled, the clear water can be carefully disposed of over a suitable area of soil on your property, away from drains and waterways. The settled clay can be saved and reclaimed for future use. Your tutor can show you how the reclaiming process works.

40L Storage bin with a secure lid: The container creates a controlled drying environment so your pottery dries slowly and evenly until it reaches the leather-hard stage, when it is firm enough to trim, carve, refine or attach handles.

Sturdy reusable carry bag: Bring a strong tote or carry bag capable of safely holding at least 10kg of clay.

Apron, old towel and cleaning cloth: Pottery gets messy, and these will be useful throughout the course and during end-of-class cleaning.

Attendance

The course is progressive, with each session building on skills learned in previous weeks, so we strongly recommend attending all five sessions.

If you’re unable to attend one week, please let us know as early as possible. Where possible, we can look at an alternative session that may work for you to catch up, or you can use available extra practice time to work on the skills you’ve missed.

Can I Continue After the Course?

Absolutely! Five weeks will give you a great introduction to wheel throwing, but pottery develops through regular practice and repetition.

After completing your beginner course, you can continue through another class, studio practice sessions or Pottery Embassy Studio Membership.

The more often you sit at the wheel, the more your hands begin to remember — even when your head has forgotten!

No experience is needed. Just come ready to get your hands muddy, learn something new and enjoy making something completely your own.