MULTI-WEEK CLASSES
Our pottery classes in San Francisco's Mission District meet once a week for 2.5 hours. May/June classes are below.
What Makes Our San Francisco Pottery Studio Different?
Five clay bodies to choose from. Students get 25 lbs of clay and may use any of our five student-available clay bodies (members get access to all seven, including porcelain and Dragon Fruit). Instructors will recommend the right clay for your skill level and project.
Open studio practice five days a week. Most studios offer one practice day; we offer five. Specific days depend on your class day — your instructor will walk you through the schedule on day one.
8-week classes, not 6. We extend the standard curriculum so every student has multiple opportunities to fire their pieces and refine technique over time. Real skill development needs more than six sessions.
65+ in-house designed glazes. We're the only cone 6 pottery studio in the Bay Area that designs and mixes all of our own glazes — students get full access at no additional cost.
Working artists as instructors. Every Hickory Clay instructor has their own studio practice. Meet our instructors →
Classes include clay, tools, and aprons. Learn about our wheel throwing facilities.
Intro to Throwing and Glazing
Our beginner wheel throwing classes in San Francisco teach the fundamentals of making pieces on the potter's wheel. You'll learn to prepare clay, center, throw, and trim. Once your pieces are bisque fired, we'll teach you how to glaze them. Our instructors lead through group demonstrations, discussions of example pieces, and one-on-one feedback. We want you to excel, and we encourage every student to use our open studio hours to practice between classes.
4-week class curriculum : Week 1: Throwing, Week 2: Throwing, Week 3: Trimming, Week 4: Glazing
8-week class curriculum: Week 1: Throwing, Week 2: Throwing, Week 3: Trimming, Week 4: Glazing, Week 5: Throwing, Week 6: Throwing, Week 7: Handbuilding and handles, Week 8: Glazing
May + June
Saturdays at 10:30am for 4 weeks for $250 taught by Theresa. June 6, 13, 20, 27. Age 13+
Mondays 6:30pm for 8 weeks for $425 taught by Cathy: April 27, May 4, 11, 18 [skip 25,] June 1, 8, 15, & 22
Wednesdays 6:30pm for 8 weeks for $425 taught by Daniel: April 29, May 6, 13, 20, 27, June 3, 10, 17
Introduction to Handbuilding: Tableware & Design
Spend eight weeks making your own set of dishes by hand in our San Francisco handbuilding pottery class. Each lesson guides you through a new piece — plates, salad plates, bowls, mugs, and serving pieces. We start with bowls, plates, and cups, but the techniques you'll learn will lead you to more ambitious work like pitchers, trays, and charcuterie boards. You'll learn surface decoration, slab construction, plaster molds, templates, and glazing. This handbuilding class is beginner friendly and open to all skill levels.
In the first lesson, you'll try a few techniques to find the style for your set. In the second, you're invited to bring in dishes and bowls from home to use as templates and learn how to pour your own plaster hump molds — so your set has a cohesive look across every piece. From there you'll move on to specific pieces, with firing and glazing happening throughout the class.
Wednesdays at 6:30pm with Jerry for 8 weeks: May 6, 13, 20, 27, June 3, 10, 17 and 24 for $425.
Learn about our studio’s approach to handbuilding, shared tools, and spaces.
Next Step Wheel: Pulling Vertical
For students who've taken a beginner wheel throwing class and feel comfortable centering clay and working in our studio. You'll build new techniques to push your ceramics forward — collaring, closing forms, using calipers to template pieces, and centering larger amounts of clay to throw taller work. Along the way you'll pick up tips and tricks for centering, trimming, and finishing that move you out of beginner territory. You'll also get more depth on glazing and how to use our custom-designed glazes.
Jerry teaches with group demonstrations alongside one-on-one support and guidance. The class works through a variety of forms and techniques, fine-tuned with the students on day one. Bring your questions and goals.
This is a Next Step class focused on new forms and shapes.
Tuesdays 6:30pm for 8 weeks for $425 taught by Jerry: April 28, May 5, 12, 19, [skip 26,] June 2, 9, 16, & 23.
Children & Teens!
Check out our kids classes
Mommy & Me: Animal Pinch Pots ages 3-5
Kids Slab Studio: ages 5-11
Intro to Nerikomi for Teens: ages 12+
Teens are welcome in our Saturday wheel throwing classes.
When you reach a page that says “order pending” or a receipt you have successfully secured a spot.
Wheel throwing classes teach the basics of making pieces on the potter’s wheel. Beginning students learn to prepare the clay, center, throw, and trim. After the pieces are fired, all students are taught how to glaze their pieces. Classes are capped at 11 students for high student/teacher interaction.
Looking for One-Time Classes, Private Lessons, Workshops, or Gift Cards?
