Intermediate Pottery Classes in Denver: What to Take After Intro

You finished a beginner wheel class, your first mugs are on the kitchen shelf, and now you want more. If you're searching for an intermediate pottery class in Denver, here's how the next step works at Claya, in RiNo's big, bright studio at 3440 Walnut Street.

The short version: most people who have thrown before move into Advanced Beginner: Next Steps on the Pottery Wheel, a six-week class built to make your fundamentals reliable and your forms more ambitious.

Advanced Beginner: Next Steps on the Pottery Wheel

This class is for anyone who has sat at the wheel before, whether you took an intro class or picked up some experience somewhere along the way. It still starts from the building blocks, and it's open to beginners too. Your teacher meets you where you are and helps you take the next step.

• $325 for all six classes
• Tuesdays, 6:00–8:30 PM with Caitlin Ming, in session now (sold out)
• Thursdays, 6:00–9:00 PM with Sami Foster, starting October 29 (sold out)
• No class Thanksgiving week, so both sessions wrap up in early December
• Small groups, so your teacher has real time with each student
• Clay, tools, apron, our glaze library and all firing for class are included

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What you work on over six weeks

Intro classes get you to a cylinder. This one is about making that cylinder happen on purpose, then pushing past it. A typical run looks like this, though your teacher sets the pace and the order can shift a little:

1. The basics, tightened up. Centering, opening and pulling with your teacher watching closely, so centering becomes repeatable instead of lucky.
2. More clay, bigger forms. Centering and pulling more clay at once, and growing taller and wider shapes without losing the wall.
3. Trimming and the foot. Re-centering a pot upside down and cutting a clean foot ring on your earlier work.
4. Handles. Pulling a handle by hand and attaching it at the right moment, so it stays put in the kiln.
5. Lids and surface. Throwing a pot with a lid that fits, plus sgraffito carving and underglaze painting.
6. Glazing. A whole session to wax, dip, pour and layer from our glaze library. We take it from there, and finished pieces are ready for pickup within a week of your last class.

Practice time between classes

The real jump from beginner to intermediate happens between classes. While you're enrolled, student Open Studio is included: Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10 AM to 6 PM, no reservation needed. Wheels, tools, glazes, shelving and firing are covered, and clay for Open Studio practice is available for purchase at the studio. Learn more about Open Studio at Claya.

Is it the right next step for you?

It's a great fit if you can mostly center a small amount of clay and want to get consistent, or if you've made a few wobbly bowls and want trimming, handles and lids to finally click. Feeling a little rusty? That's fine. The class revisits the fundamentals first, and your teacher adjusts to each person at the wheel.

A few other good paths, depending on what you want:

• More time on the basics. Plenty of people happily repeat Intro to Wheel Throwing ($300–$325 for six weeks). Open fall sessions include Fridays 12–2:30 PM with Jesse starting October 30 ($300), and Mondays 12–2:30 PM with Mary starting November 9 ($300). Mary's Monday 6–8:30 PM section is sold out.
• A project to work toward. Intro to Wheel Throwing: Dinnerware Sets runs six Sunday mornings, 10:00 AM–12:30 PM with Ethan Billings starting November 1, $300, is sold out for this session. It's built for beginners, and it's a lovely way to revisit the fundamentals while making plates, bowls and mugs that match.
• One skill, one-on-one. A private pottery lesson is $105 for 1.5 hours solo, and it's a great way to zero in on trimming, handles or centering more clay.
• Your own practice rhythm. When you're ready to throw on your own schedule, Studio Membership gives you shelf space and the same wheels, glazes and kilns. Extended Founding is $140/month with a 2-month minimum. Member glaze firing is free through December 31, 2026, then 500 cubic inches per month are included and $0.04 per cubic inch after that, and bisque firing is always free. Members also get 24/7 keycode access after setup.

Good to know before you sign up

• What to wear: clothes you don't mind getting clay on, with short nails if you can. Aprons are provided.
• Where: Claya, 3440 Walnut Street in Denver's RiNo Arts District. Street parking is near 34th and Walnut, all around the studio.
• Cancellations: 5 or more days before the first class, you get a refund minus a $12 fee. Closer in, you get a 6-month store credit. See how to cancel or switch a class.
• Retail Studio Hours: Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10 AM–6 PM, and Sunday by appointment.

Compare every session on the pottery classes in Denver page, check pricing, or read the classes FAQ.

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Your first class got you hooked. The next one is where it starts to feel like yours. We'd love to see you back on the wheel.