(5 stars) Month-long Beginning Wheel Class, Monday night with Matt:
($145/person x 2 participants x 3 classes = $870, highly recommend)
We loved it so much we ended up taking it three times. Each time we learned something new & really enjoyed spending the time together.
Matt is incredibly knowledgeable and patient, and explains techniques in a way that’s easy to understand. He’s also super personable and makes everyone feel welcome, creating a relaxed atmosphere where the whole class feels like a team learning together.
I always looked forward to class and would recommend it to anyone interested in pottery. (All below photos are from these classes 😍)
(1 star) Two-month-long Intermediate Wheel Class, Tuesday night with McKenzie, owner:
($310/person x 2 participants = $620, not recommended)
I was expecting a more structured “next step” experience focused on building skills with intention. Instead, each week, the class was asked what they wanted to make, with no options. That resulted in projects like a fruit bowl, a tiny cake stand, and a half-Stanley-style cup.
I started the class feeling confident, but as the weeks went on, my work declined rather than improved. Several of my pieces were damaged “during drying” for the first time in any class I’ve taken, & there was little explanation beyond being told to wet them & try to fix the dents or unfold the clay myself. Previously, we placed the work on a shelf, but in this class, we put them in containers to dry, where mine were repeatedly dinged or bent. By the end of the course, I didn’t have a single finished piece I was proud of.
What was most disappointing was that many students seemed to need guidance, yet there was very little hands-on instruction, as much of the class time was spent answering advanced questions from a seasoned student about kilns, clay, and glaze sourcing.
In ALL previous pottery classes, if a student misses a class, the instructor throws the base piece so the student can still participate in the next stage of the project. My husband & I missed one class because of a family emergency. When we returned, McKenzie had made two of the missed pieces, but instead of providing them to us, she trimmed & completed them for herself during class. She didn’t mention it to us, just went right to work on her pieces. We were left simply trimming older work while waiting for the next activity. Mostly, it was unfortunate for my husband, who had spent all this time & money working towards making the very piece we missed & do not have now. He said he wanted to make a lidded jar several times when asked, but his idea was never chosen until the week we were not there.
I really wanted to love this class, especially after enjoying our previous pottery experiences so much, but this one left me disappointed. There were weird vibes throughout, & I’m glad it's over.
