At Elmhurst Creative we offer a limited number of pottery tasters or experiences with clay. They run during school hours and terms. We can tailor an experience to your particular needs. Typically we offer three sessions: a making session, a finishing session and a glazing session.
Making
Two hours is a good amount of time to do some making. You can try hand-building or throwing on the wheel, or a bit of both. Throwing is often what people think of when they imagine making pottery. Do remember that it is harder than it looks!
Finishing
Making involves using soft clay but some processes are best left until the clay has dried for a week. Pieces made on the wheel can be returned to the wheel once they are “leather-hard” for “turning”. Turning can often transform a pot by removing excess clay to reveal the intended shape. Hand-built pieces are often too floppy to finish in the first session. By the second session they hold their shape and can be refined. Finishing is also a good time to add any holes, handles or feet.
Glazing
After your work has completely dried and has been fired, it is ready for glazing. We offer various options for glazing and you might like to try more than one. You can paint under-glazes to create colourful designs which are then clear-glazed over the top. Alternatively, you can choose from a selection of dipping and brush-on glazes that will combine to give interesting effects.
Timing
Sessions are normally on week days during school hours: Monday – Friday, 9am – 3pm.
It usually takes about 3 weeks after the last making session for pots to be ready for glazing. This is because we need to collect a kiln load of pots together so that we are firing the kiln economically and reducing our environmental impact. It then takes another 2 or 3 weeks for glazed work to be ready to collect.
Group Size and children
We can accommodate a maximum of 3 people in a session but 2 is probably ideal. Parent and child groups are possible. Children should be secondary age, calm and remain the responsibility of their parents.
Travel
We are based in Cottenham near Cambridge. You will need to visit us a few times if you want to be involved in all the different stages of the process. If you don’t have time for the extra sessions, the finishing and glazing can be done for you. However, we encourage you to stay involved as much as you can so please try to do your own glazing if you can.
Pricing
Pricing will depend on how many sessions you do, how long they are and how many people are participating. For this reason it is best to contact us to discuss the best options for you.
What can I make?
Do come with some ideas if you can but we can also suggest projects. It might be better to make two or three simple things than one more ambitious project. Easier projects might include a small bowl, a tile or a vase.