• Students throwing side by side on pottery wheels in a class at Claya in RiNo, Denver
  • Beginner wheel throwing class at Claya Studios in RiNo, Denver, instructor Caitlin giving a demo to the class
  • Beginner wheel throwing class at Claya Studios in RiNo, Denver, instructor Caitlin coaching a student at the pottery wheel
  • Beginner wheel throwing class at Claya Studios in RiNo, Denver, instructor Caitlin watching over students at their pottery wheels
  • Beginner wheel throwing class at Claya Studios in RiNo, Denver, instructor Caitlin with students wedging clay at the wedging table
  • Hands wedging clay on a studio worktable before throwing at Claya, RiNo Denver
  • Pottery class worktable set with clay and tools at Claya studio, RiNo Denver
  • Wall of glaze test tiles to choose from at Claya pottery studio, RiNo Denver
  • Finished glazed bowls and vases made at Claya pottery studio, RiNo Denver
  • Hand-painted ceramic bowl with fish and lemon designs made at Claya, RiNo Denver
  • Row of students throwing clay on pottery wheels in a wheel class at Claya Studios in RiNo, Denver
  • Students centering clay on the pottery wheel in a wheel class at Claya Studios in RiNo, Denver
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Intro to Wheel Throwing in Denver

Intro to Wheel Throwing

Six weeks · clay, tools, glazes & firing included in class, plus student open studio (open studio clay sold separately)

$325.00 USD
$325.00 USD
Choose your session

Learn the wheel, then keep going. Perfect for absolute beginners or anyone coming back to clay. Six weeks on the wheel making bowls, cups, and plates, with a small group and a friendly teacher right there with you. Clay, tools, glazes and firing included for class, plus student open studio. Open Studio is 10am–6pm Saturdays, Mondays, and Fridays. Clay for Open Studio is available for purchase at the studio.

Never touched clay? A 6-week course is perfect for absolute beginners. The course is built for people with zero experience with ceramics - and if it's been a while since you took a class in high school, this is also a great refresher and place to start.

Dinnerware Sets track: the Sunday morning session with Ethan follows the same six weeks on the wheel, aimed at a matching set of plates, bowls and mugs you take home, with an extra make-up and glaze session at the end. Pick the Sunday session above to join it.

Week by week

  1. Week 1: Centering.
    • Goal: get a lump of clay running true under your hands.
    • Wedging, and setting up your wheel
    • Coning up and down to find center
    • Keeping your station and tools clean
    • You leave with: centered clay, and often your first opened form. Everyone wobbles at first. That is normal.
  2. Week 2: Opening and pulling.
    • Goal: your first cylinder, with even walls.
    • Opening the clay and compressing the floor
    • Pulling walls up without losing the shape
    • Trimming your week 1 pots, which are at the right stage by now
    • You leave with: a cylinder or two, and your first trimmed foot.
  3. Week 3: Cups, bowls and handles.
    • Goal: turn a cylinder into something you would actually drink out of.
    • Flaring out for a bowl, collaring in for a cup
    • Pulling a handle and attaching it
    • You leave with: cups and bowls on your shelf, and a mug with a handle on it.
  4. Week 4: Throwing taller, and adding color.
    • Goal: more clay, more height, and your own mark on the surface.
    • Centering two to three pounds
    • Taller walls and more control
    • Underglaze and carving on the pieces you have trimmed
    • You leave with: the biggest pieces you have thrown, and decorated work headed for the kiln.
  5. Week 5: Glazing starts.
    • Goal: get color on everything that has come back from the bisque kiln.
    • Reading the glaze library and picking your colors
    • Waxing bottoms, then dipping, pouring and brushing
    • You leave with: most of your work glazed and on the shelf to be fired.
  6. Week 6: Finishing up.
    • Goal: finish every piece and know what the kiln will do to it.
    • Glazing whatever is left
    • What happens to glaze at the top of the firing
    • You leave with: all six weeks of work ready to fire. Pick up within a week.

The teacher will work to meet each student at their own pace and guide them to the next stage in their pottery journey.

You can pick up your final pieces within one week of completing the class. We can’t wait to see what you create.

What's included: clay, tools, apron, glaze library and all firing for class, plus student open studio during your course. Open Studio is 10am–6pm Saturdays, Mondays, and Fridays. Clay during open studio is available for purchase on the table near the aprons.

Where: Claya, 3440 Walnut St, RiNo, street parking near 34th and Walnut, all around the studio.

Who this class is for

Intro to Wheel Throwing is built for complete beginners: people who have never sat at a wheel, people who took a class years ago, and people who tried a one-night session and want real skills. You do not need to be artsy or patient. You need to show up and get a little messy.

Choose your night and teacher

Each session is a fixed group that meets once a week for six weeks. Fall 2026 sessions:

  • Wednesday 6:15 to 8:45 PM with Emili, starting October 14 (sold out)
  • Saturday 10 AM to 12:30 PM with Cat, starting October 24 (open)
  • Friday 12 to 2:30 PM with Jesse, starting October 30 (open)
  • Monday 6:30 to 9 PM (week 1) then 6 to 8:30 PM with Mary, starting November 9 (open)
  • Tuesday 10 AM to 12:30 PM All Levels Wheel Throwing with Mary, starting November 10 (open)
  • Monday 6 to 8:30 PM with Mary (sold out)
  • Tuesday 6 to 8:30 PM with Caitlin (sold out)
  • Thursday 6 to 9 PM with Sami (sold out)

The session picker above always shows current availability. New sessions are added as they are scheduled, and the full list is on the pottery classes page.

Class size and what is included

Every session is a small group, so your teacher has real time with each student. The $325 price covers all six class meetings, clay during class sessions, studio tools, an apron, the glaze library and all bisque and glaze firing. You also get student open studio during your course. Open Studio is 10am–6pm Saturdays, Mondays, and Fridays. Use it to practice or catch up on a missed week. For open studio practice, clay is available for purchase on the table near the aprons. Firing takes 1 to 2 weeks, and finished pieces are ready to pick up after class ends.

After six weeks: what's next

Many students take Advanced Beginner: Next Steps on the Pottery Wheel next. Plenty repeat Intro to Wheel to get more time on the basics, and many move into studio membership, with 24/7 keycode access, shelf space and the same glazes and kilns. Want to test the wheel first? Try the Pottery Wheel is one night for $60.

Intro to Wheel Throwing FAQ

Do I need any experience? No. The class assumes you have never touched clay.

What should I wear? Clothes that can get clay on them and short or tied-back nails and hair. We provide aprons and towels.

What if I miss a class? Catch up during student open studio. Open Studio is 10am–6pm Saturdays, Mondays, and Fridays.

What is the cancellation policy? Cancel 5 or more days before the class starts for a refund minus a $12 processing fee. Less than 5 days before the start, you get a 6-month store credit. There are no refunds after the class starts.

Where do I park? Street parking is available near 34th and Walnut, all around the studio, and the 38th & Blake station (A Line) is a short walk away.

See all class dates

Classes FAQ | Open studio hours | All classes | Studio membership

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