At The Shire Workshops we offer a wide range of creative pottery and sculpture classes and workshops. Classes run for a number of weeks or as a one or two-day course. The workshop is also available on an hourly basis for you to come and do whatever you want. Private tuition is available too. Please see details below.
Classes
Pottery and Sculpture Classes and Workshops
Raku Glazing and Firing
Full-Day Classes
Join in the magic and excitement of Raku Glaze Firings with our BRAND NEW one-day course. Spend the day learning about this amazing pottery art form that originated in Japan in the 16th century.
With its dramatic mix of earth, fire, air and water, Raku firing is an exciting approach to pottery, with quick results. In Raku, pottery is glazed with special oxides and glazes. The pots are removed from the kiln when red hot and cooled rapidly. Colours and effects can be dramatic and beautiful, and you’re never sure what’s going to happen!
Making your pots for Raku Day:
We have an optional makers evening on Monday 13th September, 6pm – 10pm. £45 per person, to include materials and biscuit firing of 3 pots.
Note: You can also come during any weekday leading up to 13th September if you can’t make that date. The price is £45 per person to include materials and firing of 3 pots.
Making your own pots away from the Workshop:
Should you prefer to make your 3 pots in your own time away from the Workshop please contact us for important information about size and suitable clay bodies.
Raku Day:
Sunday 26th September, 9:30am – 4:00pm – £90 per person.
On the day we will:
- Glaze your 3 pots with different Raku glaze techniques
- Learn about the process of Raku firing
- Do three Raku firings, including using combustible materials, rapid cooling and cleaning of pots
At the end of the day, you will be able to take home your finished Raku pots!
Come and have some fun, and get creative with fellow potters and crafters.
Pal Tiya Premium
Full Day Classes
Using the magic of Pal Tiya Premium, learn to make sculptures that will last outdoors in all weather conditions. And, at the end of this one-day class, you can take your sculpture home with you!
It’s an incredible and fun product.
Add water. Knead like dough. Sculpt. Place in your garden. Cures permanently stone hard. No firing. No Molds. No Kidding!
Our product Pal Tiya Premium:
Air cures to harder than concrete! Has been extensively free/thaw tested!
You can build small or large sculptures using just tinfoil and cardboard as your core!
Suitable for beginners or more experienced sculptors who want to try this new material.
Ceramics / Pottery Classes
7-week evening classes
Learn how to throw pots on the pottery wheel, slab/coil build handbuilt pots, decoration and glazing techniques, sculpture and Raku. Take your finished pottery creations home with you at the end of the course!
Introduction to ceramics – 7 week evening class plus Raku day.
This course is ideal for beginners of all ages, and also caters for more experienced potters who want to come and use our workshop facilities. Depending on your skill level, we can give you as much or as little help as you need.
Classes on Tuesday or Thursday evenings.
Classes run on either a Tuesday or a Thursday evening, depending on the course you book. The classes run from 7:15pm – 9:15pm each week for 7 weeks. We finish with a Raku day on the Saturday of your 7th week. This means you get 8 sessions in total. The Raku day can also be used for anyone who has missed any previous weeks to catch IP on their missed hours.
During the course we will teach you:
- How to throw pots on the pottery wheel
- How to hand build pots using clay slabs and coils
- Decoration techniques and glazing
- About Raku glazing and other naked Raku techniques
We can also cover sculpture, depending on what you like to learn from us.
At the end of the course you will have your own finished pottery pieces to take home.
What’s included:
The price for this 7-week pottery course including materials and firing for up to 2.5kg of finished pieces. That’s about 4 – 5 mug or cereal bowl-sized pots). If you make extra and want to keep them, we will calculate a price based on the weight of the additional pots. This covers our material and firing costs.
Come and get creative!
We believe pottery is a very relaxing and therapeutic activity that can be enjoyed by all age groups and levels. It’s a great way to meet new people too!
Price List
Or design your own: organise a group and a topic and ask for a price.
Use the studio as your own.
We will still look after your pots and sculptures as they are processed – £7.50 per hour
Studio Subscription
This gives you an unlimited amount of weekly studio time – £45 per person per week
Throwing tuition
Individual: £20 per hour
Two people: £15 per person per hour
3/5 people: £12.50 per person per hour
Plus, material charge by weight of finished items @ £0.01 per gram
Ceramics Evening Classes
7 weeks of throwing and hand-building on either a Tuesday or Thursday evening for beginners and improvers. (or do your own thing). Includes a Raku glazing day on the Saturday of the 7th week (8 sessions in total) – £150 per person.
The price includes materials and firing for up to 5lbs of finished pieces (4-5 mug or cereal bowl-sized pots). Any extra pots can be paid for at 25p per oz.
1 Day Sculpture Workshops using Pal Tiya
Pal Tiya Premium 1 Day Sculpture Workshops – £90 per person and you take away your piece at the end of a fun day.
1 Day Raku Glazing and Firing Workshop
Optional making pots evening before the Raku day – £45 per person to include materials and biscuit firing of 3 pots.
Or, come during the weekdays before the Raku day – £45 per person to include materials and biscuit firing of 3 pots.
Raku Glazing and Firing Day – £90 per person and you take away your finished pieces at the end of the day.
EMAIL US TO ENQUIRE
What people say
ABOUT THE SHIRE WORKSHOPS
Bob and Joe are incredibly talented, have amazing patience and kept the tea flowing while we all put our newly learnt skills to the test. There is no judgement, just support and such an enthusiasm to share their knowledge with you. It was such a great experience.
Amy Harris
Class attendee
Visited today for the witches and wizards sculpting day and thoroughly enjoyed it! Joe and bob were very helpful and lovely hosts. Cannot wait to visit again!! Highly recommend!
Gina Tebby
Class attendee
Yesterday we had the most wonderful day with Bob and Joe at their pottery studio. We were shown the techniques of working with Pal Tiya, which is an amazing medium to sculpt without the need for firing. Everyone was lovely and tea and cake in the garden area was a very nice!. Definitely want to do this again – highly recommended!
Carol Willow
Class attendee
Really good day spent with Bob & Joe. Lots of advice, patience, tea & biscuits for an absolute beginner. With their help, came home with a Green Man that I will be happy to put on a wall. Highly recommended
Carol Willow
Class attendee
I’ve just had a great day with Joe and Bob being introduced to Pal Tiya sculpting medium. The workshop was well signposted, with excellent joining information, and was held in a working ceramics workshop. The class size was small, which meant close supervision and guidance throughout that was helpful and informative. Joe did a great job demoing each of the techniques. Can’t recommend the workshop enough for those wanting to explore sculpting in a clay-like medium without all the faff of kiln firing.
Neil Burley
Class attendee
Great day with Joe and Bob. I have a million ideas and honestly couldn’t recommend it more! And the Pal Tiya is fantastic. Supple and so easy to mix and work with. Would be a terrific team building exercise.
Andrea McVey
Class attendee
I absolutely love visiting to do a bit more to my project each time. Bob is so patient and full of knowledge. His guidance and teaching of technique is very clear. The studio is a wonderful space with inspirational ideas around the room, plenty of space to work alongside others and very clean and well organised. The outdoor space is a wonderful little getaway from the hustle and bustle of life with wildlife to watch and listen to. I’m looking forward to returning
Robes KT
Class attendee
I took some girl guides to see Bob ( including one with severe special needs ) we had a fab time and he was so patient with all of us .. we all achieved a sculpture and threw a pot each on the wheel … can’t wait to go back .. highly recommended.
Robes KT
Carole Rowsell
Bob & Joe are wonderful & this is such a charming place. They have a very knowledgeable but relaxed teaching style & their creations are fantastic. I’d highly recommend everybody spends at least a day embracing their mythical & creative side here.
Emma Bond
Carole Rowsell
Joe: 07572870509
Bob: 07761123759
Email: enquiries@theshireworkshops.co.uk
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The Shire Workshops, Unit A, Dallacre Farm, Wilbarston, Market Harborough, LE168FE
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