Clay Class

IMG_8865Come play in the clay with us!  We offer a variety of onsite & offsite classes, from 1 day workshops to 6 week sessions.  All classes are held in or near Fullerton, CA.

How do I sign up for a class?

Get a group of 6 or more friends together and email or message me through Instagram or FB.   School groups may also contact me via email (see charter school class details and syllabus example below).

What can we make?

All classes are handbuilding classes and the possibilities are endless!  We can make succulent planters, personalized plates, mugs, spoon rests, mini-sculptures, garden markers, juice cups, bread warmers, pumpkins, wavy bowls, lanterns, photo stands and more!

Off-site Class location details (FMC comes to you!):

  • $30/student per class for groups of 8 or more meeting offsite for 3 weeks or more
  • $50/student for one time classes or parties; this includes the service of glazing your project for you and delivering the completed projects to your class location, as well as set-up, clean-up, and all necessary materials, except tables/chairs; classes are offered only in and within 15 minutes of Fullerton, Ca 
  • Large school group discounts may apply; please contact me for pricing
  • Classes can be tailored to meet your needs, but the offsite class costs are higher due to the amount of equipment I bring to make the class/event successful
  • You provide tables and chairs, we can do the rest

FMC workshops are great for women’s groups, birthday parties, baby showers or gatherings of friends.  Working in clay can be a refreshing creative outlet, and a great opportunity to connect with friends or reflect on something you’ve been learning or thinking about lately.  We provide the materials & tools, as well as guidance to build a beautiful ceramic piece.  Please contact us if you have any questions!

Charter School/Homeschools

Taking the class for school? FMC has been a vendor for Sage Oak, iLead, etc. and will consider renewing Vendor/Community Provider status if needed.  In Clay Class students will:

  • Learn various hand-building techniques and glazing methods
  • Develop a growth mindset while working in a new medium
  • Express themselves creatively
  • Explore design techniques in clay
  • Experiment with various elements of art (color, form, texture, etc.) and principles of design (balance, unity, contrast, pattern, etc.), taught at grade appropriate levels
  • Have fun and get a little muddy (playing in clay is therapeutic in the same way that working in a garden can be!  Something about that mud!)

Classes are geared towards K-8th grade (we suggest a parent stays to help children in Kindergarten) and often cross-curricular, covering ideas in math, science, language arts, or history along with Visual Arts Standards.  Projects are seasonal and based on student age and experience level. I may be able to offer discounts for school groups, so please ask.

We provide an encouraging, positive environment, where students can explore and try new things, fail and try again, succeed and be celebrated, and learn to see the beauty in the world and in the imperfect (or perfect) things we create.

9 Week Grades 7-12 Class Syllabus Example (15 student minimum)

-Details: 1.5 hours Wednesdays, time TBA, Cost $18/student per week + $20 material fee (Total $182 for 9 weeks; HW is assigned)

  1. Intro; Stamps + Free Build
    • Working with clay intro & safety
    • Stages of Clay
      • Free build with soft clay (to compare w/projects at end of class)
      • Carve stamp on leatherhard clay to create texture to use on final projects
  2. Collab Bowls & Touch Stones – Subtractive Surfaces
    • Basic pinch pot construction intro
    • Working as a team
    • Clay thickness
    • Using subtractive techniques to create texture
  3. Nature Inspired Bowls or Creations – Additive Surfaces
    • Improving pinch pot construction
      • Option: Combining 2 pinch pots to create spherical shapes in nature
    • How use & create additive surfaces
  4. Photo Stand Sculpture
    • Additive & subtractive techniques to create a sculpture of your choice
    • Planning photo holder placement for functionality & balance
  5. Glaze Class
    • Glazing intro
    • Glazing techniques for additive & subtractive surfaces
  6. Textured Cup Build
    • Return glazed work & discuss; consider what could be done differently to create functional pottery
    • Slab cup construction
    • Use your stamp or other materials to create texture
  7. Textured Bowls or Plates Build
    • Rolling a clay slab
    • Integrate your stamp or other materials to create surface design
      • Discuss & implement functional considerations
  8. Glaze Class
    • Glazing functional ware
  9. CERAMIC CLASS CEREAL PARTY – glazed work is returned
    • Finishing touches on photo stand
    • Compare/contrast your first pieces to final pieces; what did you change or improve; analyze what techniques you used to create ceramic pieces that could be functional
    • Cereal Party! Use the bowl & cup you created

Before we ever put a pencil in a child’s hand, those hands should dig, press, push, pull, squish, twist, and pinch in a wide array of environments and with a variety of materials.  – Amanda Morgan

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