Private Lessons
If you are interested in a Private Lesson, please complete the form at the bottom of this page.
All pricing and other details can be found below.
Joshua and Martha offer private lessons for individuals and private classes for groups of adults or families with children at our studio in West Bethel, Maine.
Step out of the digital world and use your hands to create something special. A private pottery class is a great activity for any group who wants to try something unique.
Private classes are the perfect hands-on alternative for the whole family on a bad ski day. No snow, icy slopes? Come play with clay. Is throwing on the potter’s wheel on your bucket list? Want to have a stuck-in-the-mud 50th birthday party? Host your bachelorette party at the studio, or gather your in-laws for a group gift that everyone can enjoy. Arrange a double date couple’s clay night out. Bring your coworkers for some literal team “building” activities, or just get together for a girls’ night out.
No experience is necessary for any private class, and all tools and supplies are provided by the studio. Any finished projects will be glazed, fired, and ready for pick up approximately two weeks after the class.
Private lessons for 1-3 people are $60 per hour plus materials, usually billed at $15 per person. There is a one hour minimum charge, most classes take 2 hours and all billing is done for full hours. Group lessons for 4 to 10/12 people cost $50 per person.
We offer two types of private lessons: Wheel Throwing and Hand-Building.
A basic “try the potter’s wheel” session lasts about 2 hours and is a good introduction to throwing on the potter’s wheel. It covers all the basics of how to center the clay, open it up, and shape it. The wheel takes a while to become comfortable using, so this class is definitely more about the process than a finished product. It is really fun, kind of messy, and everyone ends up with a few little pots to be glazed.
The second type of class we offer is focused on hand-building. This method of working with clay does not involve the wheel. Most hand-building projects use slabs of clay and patterns to form objects. A typical hand-building class will last 2 hours. All participants will be making the same project. Some example projects include mugs, vases, serving trays, baking dishes, butter dishes, luminary candle holders, chip and dip platters, etc. For a preview of some possible hand-building projects, click here.
Private lessons are held in our studio classroom, which is equipped with ten pottery wheels, five electric kilns, a mixer/pugmill, slab roller, work tables, storage racks, basic tools, and a selection of studio glazes and under glazes. We can accommodate up to 10 people for wheel throwing classes and up to 12 for hand-building classes. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Wheel throwing is generally not advised for children under the age of 11 or 12.
Availability is very limited. Private classes are scheduled around our regular weekly classes. They are typically available only Tuesdays 2 - 4pm, Wednesdays 9am - 4pm, occasionally on Saturdays, and must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance. Other times may be available by request.
To schedule a private class, send us an email using the form below requesting the times and dates desired, and we will get back to you shortly. This is a request - we will let you know by email if we have availability. If you have not received a reply in 1-2 days, please check your spam folder, as we are usually quick to respond and we have found the studio address is sometimes filtered in to spam. You can also add potterystudiobethel@gmail.com to your address book to insure you receive our reply. Thanks.