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Wheel Throwing for the Garden
Intermediate Level Wheel Class
Service Description
Wednesday evenings (6:00pm-8:30pm) Take your wheel throwing practice outside — literally. This 6-week class is dedicated entirely to throwing functional and decorative pieces designed for the garden and outdoor spaces. Whether you have a sprawling backyard or a small balcony, you'll leave with a collection of handmade ceramic pieces that are as useful as they are beautiful. Over six weeks we'll throw planters with built-in drainage trays, closed-form bird houses and watering bulbs, wide shallow bird baths with their own pedestals, and stacked fountain forms. We'll also spend time on glazing strategy specifically for outdoor pieces, including how vitrification affects function and why sometimes leaving a piece unglazed is actually the right choice. This class is a great fit for students who have some wheel experience and want to build a focused body of work around a theme. Week 1: Planters Welcome, intro, and studio tour Review wedging and discuss measuring out enough clay to make a small planter for outdoor use Review throwing techniques of centering, opening, and pulling Demo a simple straight walled planter and discuss the use of trays for water drainage. Demo a planter with a built in tray Week 2: Planters cont. Closed form bird houses/feeders Trimming of planters and pots, foot rings and drainage holes at leather hard Throwing closed form bird houses and watering bulbs, altering shape during throwing, altering shape when leather hard, adding a hook on the top Week 3: Closed form cont./ Bird Baths, and fountains Trimming bird houses in chucks Discuss the differences in shape for bird baths, shallow and wide bowls, sometimes elevated Throw bowl and foot/pedestal separately Discuss throwing multiple shapes to fit together, could be joined Week 4: Trimming bird baths/ open form bird feeders Finish up throwing projects this week Final demos on stacking bowls and cylinders to create a fountain shape without attachment Week 5: Glazing demo, 1:1 for all student projects Demo using raw clay as a large part of the glaze design for pieces How vitrification matters, we can keep some pieces bisqued for a planter or watering bulb to absorb water Week 6: Glaze potluck
Cancellation Policy
Fees & Class Schedule Class fees cover clay, studio glazing and firing, and instructed class time as listed in the specific class schedule. Additional clay is available for purchase at market price plus $20 per bag to cover bisque and glaze firing fees. Class Minimums & Switching Sections Classes require a minimum enrollment of 7 students. If a class does not meet this minimum, enrolled students will be notified at least 5 days before the start date and will receive a full refund. Class switches may be requested up to 1 week prior to the start of the session and are subject to availability at the time of request. Age Requirement Adult classes are open to participants 14 years and older. Attendance All students must attend the first week of class. The first class includes essential studio orientation, safety, and class overview and cannot be made up or substituted. For absences after the first week, we will do our best to accommodate. Email us at hello@denverclayroom.com and we will check for openings across other scheduled sessions and offer what we can. Availability is not guaranteed but we will always try to find a solution. Personal Belongings Any items left at the studio more than 30 days after the final class may be discarded without notice. Refund Policy A refund or class credit minus a $20 processing fee may be issued if the request is received at least two weeks before the start of the class. With less than 48 hours notice, a credit may be issued only if the spot can be filled. No refunds or credits will be issued after the first class. Classes missed due to failure to attend, planned absences, minor illness, or vacations cannot be credited or rescheduled. Open Studio Hours Open studio is available to currently enrolled students only. Monday through Thursday: 10am to 6pm Friday through Sunday: 10am to 9pm Hours are subject to change with five days notice.
Contact Details
Denver, CO, USA
(720) 330-5919
hello@denverclayroom.com