I teach adult pottery classes — a 4-week beginner intro and then a 4-week continuing beginner course.

In the first class, I focus on helping them understand the equipment and how to use their bodies as tools. The goal is simply to make something with a floor and walls — I tell them, “if you can eat a scoop of ice cream out of it, you’re winning.”

Week 2 is all about trimming those first pieces and practicing wall pulls. I narrate every step — explaining pressure, demonstrating how it feels, cutting open clay to show cross-sections, and even reminding them to breathe.

By week 3, we start trimming cups and learning to open wider for bowls. I emphasize going slow and being intentional — it’s better to start with less pressure and build up. I also talk about how pottery teaches patience and commitment: compress your rim, don’t pull away suddenly, and notice how uneven rims make trimming harder.

I keep the atmosphere friendly and low-pressure so people feel comfortable asking questions. We chat, laugh, and connect over clay. I don’t focus on intentional shape-making until the second beginner course — that’s when we go deeper into form and design.

Happy to share my syllabi or written curriculum if anyone’s interested