Slow Clay Beginners' Wheel Throwing pottery course
from $625.00
Next: Wed, 22 Jul 10:00AM (AEST)

Slow Clay Beginners' Wheel Throwing pottery course

4.9 across all classes · 1,244 reviews

Photos & Videos from Customers

Hand holding a hand-thrown ceramic vessel with wrapped texture detail in earthenware
Array of ceramic bowls in cream and sage green arranged on wooden table with patterned cloth.
White ceramic bowls with carved designs arranged on a wooden board.
Unglazed stoneware vessels displayed on shelf, including bowls, lids, and lidded containers.

what students are saying

🎨 Creative Progress 🙌 Supportive Teachers 🕒 Flexible Pace 🏠 Welcoming Atmosphere

You have been re-directed to the booking page for Slow Clay Beginner's wheel courses. 

Choose your class time carefully and please double-check it!  Classes tend to book out quickly and once they book out there is no way we can transfer you if your preferred class is full. 

This Beginner's Wheel course is one of our foundational courses designed to introduce you different aspects of working with clay by hand. The other course is our comprehensive Form & Surface hand-building course. It does not matter which you start with. Once you become a student with us you have priority to continue with us and move into a different course or level with no pressure. You can continue to develop to a high level in one area if you wish. The content for the 8-week course can be found on our website www.slowclay.com.  

Slow Clay Centre aims to provide the best education in ceramics/pottery classes and courses in Melbourne. It is highly regarded as a specialist ceramic education centre established in 2012. We look forward to welcoming you!


Details

2 hours x 8 Weeks

You will learn

  • Learn our Slow Clay method based on Japanese techniques that are ergonomically sound
  • Learn the ʻpower of slowʼ where movements are planned to be economical whilst having the most effect.
  • Learn about clays, glazes and some historical influences

You will get

  • Your own beautiful creations
  • skills, knowledge and the perfect introduction to wheel thrown ceramics

Appropriate for

Beginner adults, 16years+ , all welcome


Preparation

What to bring

  • a notebook or sketchbook
  • a clean towel to each class
  • camera if you wish

What to wear

comfortable old clothes, or bring an apron and leave the stilettos at home!

Planning a Private Event?

From corporate team building to birthdays and hen's parties, Slow Clay Centre can tailor a private pottery classes experience for your group.


Your Teacher

Slow Clay Centre

Slow Clay Centre

1244 reviews

Escape to Slow Clay Centre and learn the art, craft and design of expression in clay. 

Slow Clay Centre is one of the most highly regarded specialist ceramics/pottery schools in Australia. We aim to give you THE BEST experience learning our ancient craft and our longevity stands for this with thousands of students who have learnt from us! 

We welcome all levels from kids and beginners adults taster classes to advanced professional development and mentoring. 

Our weekly students receive priority to re-enrol each term and take advantage of our generous loyalty program providing free studio access in between classes (conditions apply). In this way we can help you to develop your skills to a high level like no other school. 

Our unique "Slow Clay" (TM) method for teaching the pottery wheel, established by Slow Clay Centre director and ceramic artist Jane Sawyer, has been taught for more than thirty years. Based on the Japanese techniques Jane studied training as a production thrower in Japan in combination with western techniques, the "Slow Clay" method offers a synthesis of East and West. It provides ergonomic best-practice and a solid foundation for personal expression and confidence with clay. 

All our courses offer a foundation of skill-based learning within a rich framework of contemporary art and design enquiry so you can follow your interests. Our ultimate aim is to help you achieve whatever your personal goals are with clay!

Based in a beautiful inner-city studio in Collingwood, Melbourne, Australia, the Slow Clay team consists of leading professional ceramic artists and experienced teachers who offer high-level teaching in a broad variety of topics - see our web site for teacher profiles. Together with guest professional artists who host workshops and forums, we are a vibrant community and wish to share our passion for clay with everyone who is keen, no matter what level.


4.9 (158 reviews)

Photos & Videos

Hand holding a hand-thrown ceramic vessel with wrapped texture detail in earthenware
Array of ceramic bowls in cream and sage green arranged on wooden table with patterned cloth.
White ceramic bowls with carved designs arranged on a wooden board.
Unglazed stoneware vessels displayed on shelf, including bowls, lids, and lidded containers.
Cait
Jul 2026
The beginner class has been a great way to learn throwing off the hump, with ergonomic and thoughtful practices and structured education about pottery practices. Alyssa and the Slow Clay Centre are great at encouraging and building our purposeful practices and personal style.
Hand holding a hand-thrown ceramic vessel with wrapped texture detail in earthenware
Unglazed stoneware vessels displayed on shelf, including bowls, lids, and lidded containers.
Array of ceramic bowls in cream and sage green arranged on wooden table with patterned cloth.
rockland
May 2026
Rating Only
rockland
May 2026
Great semester, studio and teacher. Would reccomend it to anybody who wants to be taught how to throw and not just how to "not" throw, if that makes sense? Alyssa doesnt allow any "i cant throw this because x" kinda stuff and usually breaks things down to bedrock of understanding, and will cycle through different techniques until you find one that fits.

Terms

Cancellations & Refunds

If the organiser cancels the class:

You are entitled to a full refund.

If you can't attend the class:

You’re welcome to send someone in your place.

We recommend the refund upgrade option upon checkout in case you’re not able to attend the class. Learn more about refund upgrade option.

Terms & Conditions

Welcome to Slow Clay Centre!

These T&Cs override any others that may appear on older sites.  

General: These apply to all Slow Clay Centre courses, workshops and events:

  1. Deposit or full payment (depending on the course/workshop/event) must be made at the time of booking
  2. Your deposit is a commitment to attend, not just a holding fee, and it is non-refundable if you change your mind
  3. Please choose your class/course carefully. It is easy to make mistakes so please double-check your dates to avoid disappointment. 
  4. We occasionally need to cancel a class and if so we will always refund in full within 7 days. Due to our limited class sizes we do not offer refunds for any other reason 
  5. If you are unable to attend after booking you may transfer your booking to a friend for no charge or, provided we can fill your place, we can sometimes transfer you to another class or hold your payment in credit for up to 24 months for a future course. No guarantees though!
  6. There is a $25 fee for all transfers or credit note and you must pay any fee difference if the new course is a higher price
  7. Please note: All students will receive a reminder between three weeks and/or one week (depending on the course)  before the start date with a link to pay any remaining balance with your credit card. Students who paid the deposit online will have the balance automatically deducted. Others will need to click on the link provided or ring our office on 99437844.
  8. Due to our limited class sizes, if your balance is not received three weeks before the start date and you have not made arrangements with us, we reserve the right to find a replacement student and your deposit will be  forfeited


Weekly classes: These additional conditions apply to all Slow Clay Centre weekly classes:

  1. Please note that making ceramics, particularly on the pottery wheel,  can be a physically demanding activity. If you have any pre-existing illnesses and/or chronic injuries to your back, shoulders, hips, neck, wrists or elbows we strongly advise you to seek a medical opinion before enrolling as some activities might exacerbate past injuries and we take no responsibility if this occurs. 
  2. We ask that you fully disclose any prior and/or ongoing illnesses or injuries that could affect you before you enrol AND inform your teacher in person during the first class. 
  3. Your enrolment is conditional on your acceptance that Slow Clay Centre and/or the company's employees, whether casual, contract, or permanently employed, are indemnified against any exacerbation of any past or any new injuries that may arise as a result of your activites.
  4. All work made during classes is to be used for personal, non-commercial purposes. This is individually negotiable for advanced students or for studio exhibitions but we ask students to accept that our emphasis is strictly on education not studio production. If you sell your work made using our materials you must acknowledge Slow Clay Centre and also ensure and provide evidence of product liability insurance. 
  5. Teaching fees are fully inclusive of materials but students will incur a single firing fee based on the current cost (advised in your class) 
  6. Please note: we encourage judicious selection of your work to fire. Firing is always optional and all clay is recycled until the first firing. After that you must pay the firing fee for everything that gets fired. If it cracks, glaze drips, or you just don't like it, you are still required to pay the firing fee unless the fault is caused by us.
  7. Collection of fired pieces: Please understand that our storage capacity is extremely limited. Students will be notified via email when work is ready to be collected. Work will only be retained for two weeks following notification. 


Regarding Kids Clay Club: 

  1. We require all parents and carers to fill out an emergency contact form. 
  2. It is your responsibility to clearly report in writing on the form, any illness, allergies or disability that may affect your child's involvement in the Clay Club activities and follow up verbally with the teachers and/or office administrator.
  3. You will be required to sign-in and sign-out your children at each class.
  4. Please respect our teacher's time and be prompt to arrive and to collect your children (within 5 minutes of class time)
  5. Children are expected to be mature enough to follow instructions, to work in a group together, to respect everyone's needs and differences and to be polite to everyone.

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