In 2024 I welcomed over 400 budding potters into my clay workshop in Crofton, Cumbria.
That's 400 people who learned how to center clay properly, position their body correctly, utilise pressure and hand positioning to shape their pots and make most of the clay in front of them. It's a lot! It's a lot to take in on a day session in a pottery workshop for someone who's never sat at potters wheel before, but it's also a lot for us, pottery teachers.
I thought long and hard about what sort of experience I want to provide for my course participants and studio members before I expended to this new workshop in 2022. Anyone who knows me as a makers will know that I have an endless supply of curiosity about this craft, I am obsessed with clay on a creative and technical level and I wanted to instil some of this curiosity in my students, even if all we have is a 2h wheel throwing session or a clay day course.
My teaching philosophy is deeply rooted in the respect for this beautiful craft, and it manifests itself in all aspects of my studio practice:
THE SPACE
I strive to create a bright, clean, well equipped pottery studio for all to enjoy. One of the biggest health risks in a pottery studio is silica dust from dry clay and it is important to treat cleanliness as a health and safety matter. If you walk into a ceramic workshop and there’s dry clay all around you, turn around and walk out. It’s bad for your lungs! Easy to mop floor, very regular mopping and wiping of all surfaces as well as good management of dry clay and clay reclaim keeps your pottery space safe and your lungs healthy.
That’s not all though. What about the vibe? I myself am very affected by the spaces I work in and when I took this space on, it was one of my most important goals to create an environment that’s simply enjoyable and relaxing to be in. Plenty of light available through a full wall of windows and skylights, good artificial lighting with full spectrum daylight lamps for my evening clay courses, plants (honestly too many plants, they’ve taken over), nice kitchen space and an air filtration system!
I also offer ample space for student work, especially my studio members who are on various stages of their clay journey and need space and time to work on their creative and technical pottery projects.
THE EQUIPMENT
I learned wheel throwing on an old, massive pottery wheel that caused me pretty bad lower back injuries. Thankfully, that was many years ago and newer, much more comfortable pottery wheels are readily available for those wanting to properly invest in their pottery practice! I have 9 top of the line electric wheels in my studio, all with adjustable seats so that no matter your height, you’ll be comfortable during your class.
Next come kilns - my state of the art kilns are made in the UK by a family pottery equipment business, they are very well maintained and looked after, so I can be sure all firings are reaching the correct temperatures and all pots come out fully dishwasher and microwave safe, which is very important for stoneware clay. Under-fired clay will often cause water to penetrate it, which can present a health risk in a form of bacterial growth or in extreme cases, mould.
Both of my large kilns are also fitted with a downdraft fume extraction system which ensures no harmful fumes from firings are lingering in the studio. The downdraft system was imported from a US supplier and expertly fitted and tested in my by kiln manufacturer.
TEACHING METHODS
Being a good maker/artist does not make you a good pottery teacher. In my opinion, teaching is an art form in itself and it goes beyond simple instructions. Wheel throwing is difficult, it requires time, patience and commitment from both the teacher and the student. I’m a very hands on teacher and I treat every single person on my courses as though they are looking to be the next master potter in the making! I explain how clay moves and how it behaves under the pressure of your hands, I demonstrate how clay moves and I allow students to practice with close supervision until I am satisfied no bad habits are going to form as a result of inadequate tuition. This is vital, bad habits become ingrained and can hamper your progress for years.
Because of my boundless curiosity when it comes to clay, I have spent the last decade honing my own skills and learning new throwing and teaching techniques - this means that I can facilitate the creative journey for my customers and students with plenty of information, support and troubleshooting advice.
TECHNICAL QUALITY
Wheel throwing is only one part of the pottery making process.
I believe it is important to teach wheel throwing in the context of the entire process of ceramics, this includes effective clay prepping, skilful and neat trimming and handling of leather hard pots, effective loading of kilns and firing, but also very importantly, correct ceramic glaze development.
Glaze development is an integral part of creating durable and safe pottery and too often it is overlooked by pottery teaching studios. Only recently a student brought in a pot from a different studio that was seeping water due to poor glaze/clay fit and inadequate firing temperature!
A good pottery teacher should be as versed in glaze development as they are in wheel throwing (or hand building if that’s your vibe :) ). Being able to impart the glaze chemistry knowledge to others, even if it’s just the basic principles of it, means that students are not reliant on commercial brush on glazes but can instead create a glaze that will match their clay well and enhance their work with an extra layer of creativity that will be unique to them.
CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
Lastly, pottery making is not all about technical skills of handling clay on potters wheel. It is also a commitment to creative development of your ideas, shapes and concepts. I hope my pottery studio, the environment I created as well as the equipment, tools and glazes I provide to my students are a fertile ground for creativity to blossom.
As we’re nearing the end of 2024, I hope the next 12 months provide as much joy, creativity, learning and hard work as the last 12 did. I feel privileged to be able to teach so many of you and I hope I’ll be seeing some familiar faces in 2025 in my workshop.
Alicja