Will ceramics become your new favorite hobby? Several Portland studios are here to help.

Image: Courtesy of Women's Studio Studio/Flickr Creative Commons

Certain TV shows inspire us to learn new things. Our current inspiration comes from The Great Pottery Throwdown, a reality TV competition show inspired by British baking, which invites potters from all over the UK to try challenges, from building toilets to carving candlesticks. Take inspiration from the show: whether it's throwing a bowl, making a handmade figurine, or piecing together a cup for your favorite winter drink, there are countless items made with clay that can make a difference in the years to come. 

Fortunately, Portland offers a wealth of ceramic courses for beginners and experts from many different local studios, each offering something different. There are six ceramic workshops, where you can learn to throw some clay.

A post shared by Radius Art Studio (@radiusartstudio)

Radius Studios was established in an apartment in 2002 with the goal of teaching the community how to make art. Since then, it has grown into two studios and a retail store. In October 2021, Radius moved its clay studio to a new location in Belmont, while retaining Morrison's old location for painting and painting courses.

Ceramic classes are offered on Tuesday evenings and weekends at a cost of $75 per person. The course lasts an hour and a half, in which you will learn the basics of casting wheels, glazing and firing the works you will keep. The studio also offers private courses and six-week courses, but they are sold out as of press time.

6635 N Baltimore Ave Suite 109, Portland

Post shared by St. Johns Clay Collective (@st.johnsclay)

St. Johns Clay Collective opened in 2016, providing a space for new and old artists. While providing space for experienced artists to use their supplies, the studio also offers a one-time or 4-week course for beginners and intermediate artists, as well as courses for more experienced people to make their own plaster molds . The price of a 90-minute one-time beginner course is $59. 

A post shared by Morning Ceramics Studio (@morningceramics)

Morning Ceramics is perfect for those who would rather work closely with lecturers than with large groups. For only US$190, beginners can get a two-hour one-on-one lesson, including all supplies. You can make a few pieces and choose the one that makes you most proud. If you want to bring a friend, you can spend $225 to study with the teacher for two and a half hours. The studio also provides various seminars to develop skills, such as making clay flowers or learning how to properly connect handles to cups. For those who want a deeper understanding, there are also multi-week courses for different experience levels. (Additional bonus: There is also a cute shop dog named Stu.)

A post shared by George (@georgetheshopcat)

Georgie's opened in 1965 and is probably the oldest ceramic shop on this list, if not in Portland. The studio has two storefronts, one in Portland and the other in Eugene. Georgie's sells whatever ceramic artists need, and even makes their own clay here in Portland. Courses include elementary (265-300 USD, depending on the course) and intermediate (300 USD) rounds, handmade (265-300 USD, depending on the course), and learning how to use your furnace (25 USD). Pay close attention to Georgie's website and social media to find out when the courses will open, as they will fill up quickly. Adding to the charm of the Portland store is the shop cat found on the walls of their building a few years ago, named after the founder of the shop as George (check his Instagram, @georgetheshopcat).

Greentree Art Studio is located at Lake Oswego and offers courses in throwing wheels and ceramics, as well as courses in painting and acrylic or oil painting. The studio was founded by Karen Haugan Tomlinson in 2014. He teaches various courses and can also be used for private or group courses. The ceramic course costs $26 per hour and includes all materials and firing.

4634 NE Garfield Ave, Suite C, Portland

A post shared by Elemental Studios PDX (@elementalstudiospdx)

Elemental Studios not only teaches students how to throw pottery, but also teaches students how to stay focused. The six-week beginner course provides ceramic exercises and different mindfulness practice courses, which are designed to continue in the daily lives of students. The course time is between two and a half hours to three hours, and the cost of this series of courses is US$395. If you don't know whether you want to commit to six weeks, try their "clay date", where you and your friends can learn the basics of ceramics for $225, and pay an extra $50 to take your finished product home.

07/08/2021 by Connor Reid and Camy Hughes