Ceramics: Beginning and Intermediate - Tuesdays (Ages 14+) - First Day of 6 Week Class
*The event has already taken place on this date: Tue, 07/07/2026
Please help us keep this calendar up to date! If this activity is sold out, canceled, or otherwise needs alteration, email mindy@kidsoutandabout.com so we can update it immediately. If you have a question about the activity itself, please contact the organization administrator listed below.
Welcome to Ceramics!
In this beginning to intermediate class, adult and teen 14+ students are invited to learn or expand on the foundations of working with clay. Students can expect demonstrations to support learning methods in pottery wheel throwing (centering, pulling, and vessel formation) and hand-building (pinch, coil, slab formation). After demonstrations, students may work freely on their own projects with instructor support. Additional instruction will be woven into lessons to build knowledge in the areas of surface techniques, function, design, and expression.
We highly recommend students take this class a few times before moving up. While projects can very, practice and repetition in an instructor led environment are powerful tools for progressing. Students are highly encouraged to support each other and communicate with instructors their course related questions, needs, and curiosities!
OPEN STUDIO:
Adult students currently enrolled in regular session ceramics classes, have access to posted open studio hours within the ceramics area. Sign in is required and while the schedule changes slightly each session, access is unlimited for those over the age of 18. Average weekly access includes 30+ hours outside of class time. All students must become familiar with and follow our clay studio rules which are posted and emailed. Pottery wheel access is, first come, first serve. Students should expect occasional posted closures of some parts of the clay studio for special groups such as birthday parties and corporate retreat classes. One must be a current ceramics student to use open studio.
TEENS: Open studio for teens under the age of 18 is limited to 12-15 hours a week during posted CORE hours unless an adult guardian is present in the studio with them.
PERSONAL ATTIRE:
Personal apron, closed toed and slip proof shoes. A personal water bottle and clothing you don’t mind getting stained or dirty.
MATERIALS:
Our studio carries all the tools and materials you will need. The first 25lb bag of clay ($48) is automatically added on at checkout. This fee includes glazes, slips, firings, waxes, and supplies. A second 25lb bag may be purchased during the term. Outside ceramics materials are not allowed in our studios.
If you have questions about the ceramics facility and/ or classes or if you would like to donate a bag of clay for community outreach classes, you can send an email to: ceramics@visualartinstitute.org
ABOUT OUR CLAY BODIES:
For student use we carry moist, water-based clay in 25lb bags from 2 different regional manufacturers as well as, carefully processed, de-aired pugged recycled clay. We offer 6-8 recipes of varied stoneware clay bodies which are midrange in temperature. Color choices include whites, tans, browns, dark reds, and speckled clays.
CERAMICS CAN BE TRICKY!
While clay is a fun and therapeutic material, it is also quite technical. The learning curve can be steep. Though students often find the technical side fascinating! Unexpected changes and damage to objects made such as warping, cracking, breaking, and glaze defects are common in the learning process. Staff and faculty will do what they can to help prevent technical problems. However, all students should expect that technical hurdles are a part of the learning process and at times even necessary for learning. Not all artwork will survive handling, glazing, and firings. Students are responsible for keeping track of their own artwork. Any unclaimed leftover moist clay, bisqueware, and glaze ware may be subject to removal in the following session.
TECHNIQUES AND SKILLS COVERED
- Throwing
- Pinching
- Coiling
- Slab building
- Intuitive formation and planned formation
- Joining parts and problem solving
- Surface treatments
- And more!
CORE COMPETENCIES:
- Shaping clay in 3 foundational methods.
- Wheel based object formation.
- Timing and clay consistency.
- Navigation of technical problems.
- Realizing imagined forms in three-dimensional space.
- Relationship of effort and success to trial and error.
- Impact of practice and peer-to-peer support.
POSSIBLE PROJECTS:
- Cups, mugs, tumblers
- Soup, sauce, desert and salad bowls
- Dessert and dinner plates
- ring and jewelry holder
- spoon rests and sauce dishes
- 1- or 2-piece planters
- vase, wall décor
- abstract sculpture
- varied sculptural forms
- And more!
LOCATION:
Visual Art Institute 2900 S 300 W, South Salt Lake, Utah
Please park on the NORTH side of the building and enter up the ramp to the front office. It is the really colorful side of the building.
INSTRUCTOR:
This class is taught by Tristyn. Learn more about our instructors at https://www.visualartinstitute.org/art-faculty
DROP-INS:
This class is NOT open for drop-in students. Projects take multiple weeks to complete.
REFUND POLICY:
We are only able to offer refunds up to 2 weeks before the start of class. We do not offer refunds or credits or make-up classes to students who miss class.
TRANSFER POLICY:
We may be able to transfer you to a different class depending on space availability.
CLASS CANCELLATION:
We find that students learn better in larger groups. If we feel the number of registrations is too low to promote a good learning environment, we may cancel the class. In the event we cancel a class, we will reach out to you as soon as possible.
We try to make our classes as accessible to everyone as possible. We are able to offer a limited number of tuition assistance scholarships each term. You can complete an application on our website or call our office for assistance applying. Applications are available in Spanish and English.
MULTI-CLASS DISCOUNT:
When you register for more than one class in one transaction, you can receive a discount up to 10% per class! You must contact the front office to register for this discount.
ADA ACCESSIBILITY & ACCOMMODATIONS:
Our classrooms are ADA accessible. Some courses may involve tasks or activities that may be difficult for individuals with limited strength, difficulty bending over, and sitting or standing for long periods of time. We are happy to work with students to find solutions to make their experience positive and doable. For example, wheel throwing takes arm strength and bending over the wheel. Students may work on hand-building projects instead of throwing. Please reach out to our office to discuss your needs.
DIFFICULTY REGISTERING?
Please call our main office for assistance! 801.474.3796
*Times, dates, and prices of any activity posted to our calendars are subject to change. Please be sure to click through directly to the organization’s website to verify.