Frequently Asked Questions

We fire every day as long as there is enough to fill a kiln. We use an amazing software called Kilnfire, which emails you when your work is ready to pickup!

There are so many ways to start your pottery journey! We've helped compile a list from cheapest and easiest to most expensive and complicated.

Handbuilding:

• You can handbuild cheaply at home with basic tools, some clay, and renting space in one of our kilns.

• You can take a one-time workshop to learn how to effectively handbuild, and then take that knowledge home with you! Our kiln firing services are a great way to make your homemade handbuilt creations food safe.

• Once you have some basic knowledge, our Independent Studio is a great way to continue your skills using our large selection of handbuilding tools. For one price, everything is included: clay, tools, and even firing!

• If you're regularly doing Independent Studio and think you'd like to come more than once a week, then Studio Membership might be for you! For one monthly cost, you get a personal shelf, unlimited work time, unlimited clay, tools, glazes, free workshops, and an incredible community.

Wheel:

• Wheel equipment and the skills to succeed at throwing are best learned in a community studio. A Try It Night is fun, but rarely do you have enough skill from that to do Independent Studio on your own.

• The best bang for your buck is to take a 6-week class. After that, you'll be able to work independently, like at our Independent Studio, and practice what you've learned.

• After a 6-week class and some ongoing practice, the next level would be either studio membership or building out a home pottery studio. Membership comes with so many perks, like a community of potters, free continuing education classes, folks to ask questions, and of course shared tools, equipment, clay, and glazes.

• If you're feeling like you want a home studio, budget on: a wheel, tables, clay, glazes, tools, possibly upgrading your plumbing to have a trap system, and if you're going to have a kiln you definitely need to upgrade your electrical with the help of a licensed electrician. These costs can be $1500 for a simple setup without plumbing or a kiln, to $10,000 or more for a full setup with kiln, sinks, and materials.

Pottery is truly a choose your own adventure! Think about what you value in your creative life - is it the freedom to work alone or a vibrant community of like-minded artists? We encourage you explore, and we'd love to help you find your path!

YES! Our Beginner classes are all completely beginner friendly and perfect for someone who has either little or no experience with clay. Our friendly and knowledgeable teachers will guide you through all aspects of making pottery!

Our Continuing classes assume you have taken a Beginner class with us or somewhere else in the last 2 years.

Try It Nights, Date Nights, and other one-time classes are also Beginner friendly (unless specifically for Intermediate students)!

If you want included clay, tons of glaze options, quality tools, a large studio, a vibrant community, and serious equipment access, then Community Clay’s membership will be perfect for you!

See our membership page for all the details.

To become a member, you’ll need to feel confident working independently - this includes wedging, throwing or handbuilding, trimming, and glazing without supervision.

If you’ve completed the equivalent of our Continuing class (with us or somewhere else), you’ve likely got the skills you need.

Yes. All clay and glazes must be clearly marked as "Cone 6" (NOT 06) otherwise they can cause irreparable damage to the kilns.

Generally, yes.

We would call someone a "production potter" if they are making more than about 25 items a month. If you think you will be producing this much, please let us know and we can let you know if we are able to accommodate your work while continuing to support our students and other members.

That said, you can always do your production work offsite and hire out one of our kilns for your firings, as available. Kiln firing services are available at our Congress Park studio.

At our RiNo location, we offer something called Independent Studio. If you're a current student and you've missed a class, you may make up the time for free, without instruction. If you're not a current student, you must have prior experience and then you can pay to drop in.

Please note that this is not a "try it" session. This is for those who already have experience.

There are many variables in the creation of ceramics that may result in breakage, color inconsistencies, glaze issues, etc. We only carry food safe glazes and always fire to full vitrification.

During a 6-week class, you must allow 15-30 minutes to clean up when done working.

The general rule is: everything should be as you found it.

Cleaning includes wiping down wheel, wheel basin, stool, the floor surrounding your wheel, your bucket, tools, as well as putting everything back as you found it (stool and pedal up, tools put away, etc.)

The first day of class, we may end early to teach proper cleanup procedures.

7 pieces of pottery are included with a 6-week class. You can pay for additional pieces in the last week of class. During class, the last opportunity to recycle a piece is before the bisque firing, after that, you will be charged for the finishing of the pieces.

While we cannot guarantee any number of pieces, we have found that most students end up with around 5 finished pieces at the end of a 6-week class.

Please note that there is a size limit in classes - 7 inches tall or wide, whichever is larger.

Why do we have limits? This is to make sure we have enough materials for everyone and that we are able to fire all the student work in a reasonable amount of time.

Other types of classes will have different limits. Review your signup info for details.

Yes, you may bring your own drinks and snacks! Though we often find that you're so focused on making that you forget to eat or drink.

Wear clothing and shoes that you’re comfortable getting dirty; we have aprons you can use but your clothes may get clay on them. Long fingernails can make it very hard to throw on the wheel; we have nail clippers or you can use gloves. Long hair should be tied back; we also have hair ties you can use. Clay washes out of clothes easily.

We cannot provide full or partial refunds for any missed classes for any reason.

Independent Studio is available for any classes you have missed. This is supervised, not taught, so it is recommended only after week 3 of a Beginner class.

Yes, at this time, classes, private lessons, and memberships are only available to those age 18 and up.

We have all electric kilns that we fire to ^04 for bisque and ^6 for glaze. If you need another temperature, you will likely have to hire an entire kiln (or find some friends to share it with you!). If you are interested in having some of your work fired, please check out our Kiln Firing Services.

We are currently only hiring experienced teachers. Fill out our contact form if you'd like to apply.

Our Congress Park studio is open for members 7 days a week from 6am-midnight.

Congress Park is open for dropoffs and pickups Mondays and Wednesdays 12-6.

Our RiNo studio is open for members 7 days a week from 6am-midnight.

RiNo is open for pickups Tuesdays 6-9pm and Saturdays/Sundays 1-4.

See more detailed information about pickup hours.

You can book a class on our website!

First, choose what type of class: 6 week, private one-time lesson, Try It Night, or workshop/event.

If the class you're looking for has already started, join our email list to be notified for the next time.

Cancellation policies depend on the type of class.

• Private lessons: Private lessons may be changed or canceled for a full refund up to 48 hours before the lesson start time. Cancellations or date changes made less than 48 hours in advance will be subject to a $40 rescheduling fee which solely goes toward compensating teachers for income lost.

• 6 week classes: Classes are non-refundable 1 week before the first class begins. We cannot give full or partial refunds for classes missed. If you signed up for a class and immediately realized you signed up for the wrong one, email us at info@communityclaydenver.com right away and we can give you a refund, minus $20 service fee.

• Art Club: Classes are non-refundable, but fully transferable!

• Events and One-time classes, such as Try It Nights, Date Nights, etc.: No refunds within 72 hours. Tickets are transferable, but if you need us to find a replacement for you (more than 72 hours before the event), we can give you a refund, minus $20 service fee.

• Private Groups of 3 or more people: No refunds within 72 hours.

  
  

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All of our classes require booking in advance. We occasionally have a spot available same-day. Check our full event listing page here: https://communityclay.simpletix.com/

Yes! We have private wheel lessons available at both of our studios, see the list of available times. These are great for date nights, skills building, or even just to learn the basics outside of a full class.

Congress Park: Generally, it is! We have a few private parking spaces, and there is plenty of neighborhood parking.

RiNo: Parking in the River North Arts District can be tricky. Our little area isn't usually bad, but beware of traffic during Rockies games. If you have mobility issues, you may use a staff parking spot, contact us first.

Below is a map of parking near our RiNo studio: