Friday Wheel Throwing
Adult Course | Registration opens 8/6/2025 10:00 AM MDT
Join this friendly class for a formative experience that will broaden your perspective and heighten your development while making pottery on the wheel. Glaze and surface decoration will be explored and demonstrated. Individual attention will be provided. Some experience with wheel throwing preferred.
Week 1 – Welcome introductions, tour for new students, wedging and throwing demonstration. Students will make a pot or two or more!
Week 2 – We will trim the pots we made last week and practice making more pottery!
Week 3 – Glazing demo and glaze the pots we put to be bisque fired last week.
Week 4 – We will explore additional surface decoration.
Week 5 – Workday, time goes so fast!
Week 6 – We will have a friendly group critique and finish up for the session.
Clay:
Each class includes a materials fee which covers the cost of firing and glazing. In addition to this fee, students will need to purchase clay through the Registration Office at ASLD, which must be done in person. Clay costs are $20 for 25lbs of stoneware, $25 for 25lbs of porcelain. Please only purchase clay from ASLD, unless approved by the studio manager. No low-fire clays may be used at ASLD.
Tools:
Community tools are available for student use, in exception of a small sponge. If you prefer personal tools, a basic ceramics tool kit, small sponges and large clean up sponges are available for purchase at the Registration Office.
Other supplies:
Students are encouraged to wear clothes that can get dirty to ceramics class, including close-toed shoes. We also recommend bringing an apron and a towel.
Please review the ceramics studio policies before attending the first class: CERAMICS STUDIO POLICIES
- Local Ceramic supply stores:
- Rocky Mountain Clay 1220 W 1st Ave,Denver, CO 80223
Continental Clay 5303 East 47th Ave., Denver, CO 80216
Stoneleaf Pottery 6611 W 58th Pl, Arvada, CO 80003
Meiningers 499 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203
Penny Woolsey
A lifetime resident of Denver, Colorado, Penny Woolsey is a studio potter and an educator of the ceramic arts. She has been teaching ceramics to people ranging in age from 3 to 87 for the past 20 years. In addition to ceramics, Penny currently teaches fused glass and precious metal clay jewelry classes. Penny has taught at several Denver recreation centers, at her home studio, and given specialized ceramic workshops in Colorado.
Woolsey has pursued a directed education in ceramics in the Denver Metro area. Her work has been exhibited in local and regional juried art shows. She has been an active member of the Colorado Potters Guild since 2008. A narrative of her work may be seen at: Instagram @pennywoolseypots https://coloradopotters.org/penny-woolsey
Artist Statement:
My dad always told me that golf is something that you can do your whole life. I really didn’t understand what he was saying until I started playing the game. Working with clay is the same in that it’s going to take a lifetime to get this thing down and to make the perfect pot. I have yet to make a hole-in-one or make the perfect pot, but it's the good shots and happy pots that keep me coming back for more. I tell my students that the journey with clay is like learning to play an instrument. You don’t sit down and play beautiful music the first time you try. For most people, it takes years of practice, patience, and persistence to become proficient. It is the same process as we embark upon, and travel throughout, our journey with clay. To me, success as a potter is sharing the joy of making pottery, and making pottery that brings people joy.