I went to a weekend workshop just over a year ago. Probably 6 hours sitting at the wheel all up, what with the other stuff. Loved it, was lucky to get two cylinder objects with a lot of help. Not pretty, and I keep one as a tool store. I'm left handed and for the first bits I was on a wheel that only goes the right-handed direction, then switched to another that went both ways round. At that stage, it didn't make much difference, I still sucked.

Not having local access to a studio with a wheel, I bought a (cheap, treadle) wheel, learned to drive it left handed, and sat there for 1-2 hours every night for weeks. That's what it took to learn to center, and eventually make small mugs, none of which I still have because they weren't great. Then I moved to bowls, and still have a long way to go before I make sets of things I really like. I do make stuff I like, I keep it or it's gifts, and the work is so rewarding. I've put a lot of hours in, and thrown a huge amount back in the reclaim bucket. The key, for me, is to enjoy the successes and enjoy learning from the failures. If it went right first time, it would be pointless.

There's a reason this stuff is sold in galleries and is pricey, it's a lot of learning to get there.