Classes

TRY-IT WHEEL

Experience Wheel Throwing! Join us, from 6 pm to 8 pm, for a
2-hour crash course in this muddy process. Class is $45.00 per person, and includes all clay, instruction in wheel throwing techniques, and glazing and firing services. Your finished pieces will be ready for pickup in 2-3 weeks. Open to ages 16 and up, no matter your experience level.

May 17 | May 31 | June 21 | June 28 | July 12 | July 26 | August 9 August 23 | Sept. 6 |Sept. 20 |Oct. 4 | Oct. 18 | Nov. 1
Nov. 15 | Nov. 22 | Dec. 6 | Dec. 20

All dates are for 2024.
Limited to six students

ADULT WHEEL THROWING

Unleash your creativity in our adult wheel throwing classes, open to anyone ages 16 and up! Learn a variety of pottery wheel techniques during eight 2-hour classes. All students receive a 25 lb. bag of clay, with all glazes and firings included. Unlimited studio time available all week long from 7 am to 11 pm, so you can practice and refine your pottery skills at your convenience. Our classes are open to all skill levels. Just choose the class that fits your schedule best and let the artistic adventure begin! 

Limited to six students per class

MONDAY WHEEL THROWING

Section 1: Mondays, April 1 - May 20, 9:30-11:30 am | $295
Section 2: Mondays, April 1 - May 20, 6:30-8:30 pm | $295

TUESDAY WHEEL THROWING 

Section 1: Tuesdays, April 2 - May 21, 9:30-11:30 am | $295

WEDNESDAY WHEEL THROWING

Section 1: Wednesdays, April 3 - May 22, 9:30-11:30 am | $295
Section 2: Wednesday April 3 - May 22, 1:00pm-3:00 pm | $295
Section 3: Wednesdays, April 3 - May 22, 6:30-8:30 pm | $295

THURSDAY WHEEL THROWING 

Section 1: Thursdays, April 4 - May 23, 9:30-11:30 am | $295
Section 2: Thursdays, April 4 - May 23, 1:00pm-3:00 pm | $295
Section 3: Thursdays, April 4 - May 23, 6:30-8:30 pm | $295

ADULT HAND BUILDING

Adults ages 16 and up! Explore the world of pottery in our exciting 8-week hand building class, including all materials and studio time. During the eight 2-hour classes, you'll immerse yourself in pitching, slab, and coil building techniques.  All students will receive a 25 lb. bag of clay, with all glazes and firings included. Unlimited studio time available all week long from 7 am to 11 pm, so you can practice and refine your pottery skills at your convenience. Our classes are open to all skill levels. Just choose the class that fits your schedule best and let the artistic adventure begin!

Limited to six students.

Section 1: Mondays, April 1 - May 20, 1:00-3:00 pm | $295
Section 2: Tuesdays, April 2 - May 21, 6:30-8:30 pm | $295

STUDY HALL

Our adult study hall welcomes anyone with at least 16 weeks of experience at ClaySpaceTC or equivalent over the last 2 years. You will have the opportunity to participate in eight 3-hour sessions, with 30 minutes of instruction per session, while the rest of the time is used to work at your own pace. Every student gets a 25 lb. bag of clay, and all glazes and firings are included. Plus, enjoy unlimited studio time from 7 am to 11 pm every day to practice and refine your pottery skills at your convenience.

Limited to six students.

Section 1: Wheel Throwing, April 2 - May 21, 6:00-9:00 pm | $250
Section 2: Hand Building, April 3 - May 22 6:00-9:00 pm | $250

YOUTH CERAMICS

Get ready for an exciting adventure in Kid’s Ceramics! This awesome program costs $185 per student and includes six weeks of fun and creative 1.5-hour classes. Perfect for kids aged 8 to 12 years old, no previous experience is required! Each class is specially designed to nurture your artistic talents and make pottery a blast. 

Limited to six students per class.

Youth Ceramic Exposure
Students will experience three weeks of wheel throwing and two weeks of hand building and finish with one week of glazing.

Section 1: Monday, April 8 - May 13, 4:30-6:00 pm | $185

Youth Wheel Throwing
Students will experience five weeks of wheel throwing and finish with one week of glazing.

Section 1: Tuesday, April 9 - May 14, 4:30-6:00 pm | $185

Tots N Pots

A fantastic class for young artists aged 3 to 5! Join us for six
weeks of fun, with 45-minute sessions at just $100 per student.
No experience needed, but an adult presence is required, this is not a build alone experience.

Limited to six students per section. 

Section 1: Wednesday, April 9 - May 15, 10:00-10:45 am | $100

TEENAGE CERAMICS

JJoin our open studio pottery class. Learn wheel throwing (limit 6) or handbuilding with clay, glazes, and firings included. Eight 2-hour classes, 4 guided lessons and 4 individual focused open studio days. 

Limited to 10 students.

Section 1: Wednesdays, April 3 - May 22,  4:15-6:15 pm | $225

OPEN STUDIO MEMBERSHIP

OPEN STUDIO POLICIES & GUIDELINES

• Studio accessible from 7 am to 11 pm during non-class hours (class hours specified on studio calendar).

• No instruction available for studio members.

• Open studio users must have substantial pottery experience or completed at least 2 sessions at ClayspaceTC.

• An orientation will be scheduled to familiarize each studio member with ClaySpaceTC.

• NO OUTSIDE CLAY BODIES.

MONTH-TO-MONTH

• Register in advance.

• Price: $150 per month for studio space, includes a storage shelf, and access to all tools and equipment at ClaySpaceTC.

• You can choose your own start date.

• Pay an extra $95 for 25# of clay, including firing and glazes.

• Monthly payment due every 30 calendar days, starting from your first day.

WEEK-TO-WEEK

• Register in advance.

• Price: $100 per week for studio space, includes a storage shelf, and access to all tools and equipment at ClaySpaceTC.

• You can choose your own start date.

• Pay an extra $95 for 25# of clay or $50 for 12.5# of clay, including firing and glazes.

• Payment due every 7 studio work days, starting from your first day. A week is defined as 7 days over a 30-day period.

DAY PASS

• Register in advance.

• Price: $50 for one day of studio time (9 am-9 pm), includes access to all tools and equipment at ClaySpaceTC.

• Pay an additional $50 for 12.5# of clay or $95 for 25# of clay, including firing and glazes.

• We can assist with shipping pottery as needed, with shipping costs paid by the potter.

EVENTS COMMUNITY

Explore handbuilding in our monthly Community Clay classes, now hosted at Commongrounds Cooperative! Ideal for all ages – families, friends, individuals, and couples. Kids 5 and up can create on their own, under 5 need an adult to register too. Let's create beautiful pottery together!

3 Part Planter: Saturday, April 6, 10AM-12PM | $15.00

Our 3 part planter will be built using the three primary hand building techniques. We will start with a pinch pot, add as many hand rolled coils as you wish and finish off your pot with a slab built band at the top. And of course, we'll finish it off with a cool custom paint job. Let's gear up for plant season!

Van Gogh Swirly Picture: Saturday, May 11, 10AM-12PM | $15.00

No crayons or markers for this drawing, we will be using a variety of coils to draw a swirly Van Gogh inspired picture. Each person will start with a thin slab of clay, then use extruded coils to cover their slab in any pattern or picture they choose. And of course, we'll finish it off with a cool custom paint job.

Green Man: Saturday, June 8, 10AM-12PM | $15.00

The Green Man is a face made of leaves , flowers and vines, which normally spreads out from the center of the face. Our Green Man will be built using a slab, draped over an upside down bowl. From that starting point we will be adding leaves, flowers and vines to accompany the eyes, ears, mouth and nose. And of course, we'll finish it off with a cool custom paint job.

Animal Cups: Saturday, July 13, 10AM-12PM | $15.00

Cute and cuddly to slick and slimy, animals come in all shapes and sizes. Our animal cups will be built using slabs of clay for the body and bottom.  We will then be sculpting and adding all of the important details to our cups that set our animals apart.  And of course, we'll finish it off with a cool custom paint job.

Name Tiles: Saturday, August 10, 10AM-12PM | $15.00

Your name is your’s to own! This slab and coil combo project will let you sculpt your name onto a slab of clay to hang in your room or on your door. Starting with adding textures to the background, we will then add all of the important things that make you, you. Then we will finish our construction with hand rolled coils to use as lines to write our name.  And of course, we'll finish it off with a cool custom paint job.

INDIVIDUAL WORKSHOPS

To book your workshop, simply inquire and pay through the form to express your interest and secure your preferred date and time. If your first or second option is not available, don't worry, we'll work together to find a date that suits your group.

Individual Workshops

Discover the joy of creating your own pottery masterpiece in our Individual Workshops! Whether you're into hand building or wheel throwing, we've got you covered. The cost is $50 per person for adults (over 17 years old), $45 per person for teenagers (13 to 16 years old), and just $40 per person for kids (under 12 years old). Each workshop is 1.5 hours long and can accommodate up to 5 participants.

Lessons also available in a 6 class set.

SPECIAL EVENTS

SUNDAY FUNDAY

2-18: The Workshop Brewing Company | Pilsner Pair | 2-4p
We will be shaping clay into a classic brewery-style form, specifically the pilsner glass, using two slabs of clay. Each participant will have the opportunity to personalize their pilsner glass, adding unique textures, stampings, and a vibrant paint job to make it distinctly their own, showcasing individual creativity and style.

2-25: Stone Hound Brewing | Bar Games | 2-4p
We're going to transform slabs of clay into fun games, either Chinese checkers or tic-tac-toe. Everyone picks a game they want to make. We'll use a slab of clay  and add textures and stamps. The game pieces will be made by hand and can look like anything you want. After making the games, we'll paint them with bright colors to show off each person's unique ideas and style.

3-3: Farm Club | Wall Hangers | 2-4p
This class is focusing on ceramic wall hangers, you'll have an array of possibilities to explore. We'll craft 7-10 captivating shapes using various methods, including cookie cutters, freehand cutting, and straightforward pinch forms. To start your hanger, please bring a 6-inch-long stick, a 4-inch hoop, or any other natural element that can serve as the foundation.

Your wall hanger will be a unique creation, allowing for personalization through the addition of textures, stampings, and a painted finish, enabling you to make it distinctly your own.

3-10: Rare Bird BrewPub | Bud Vases | 2-4p
Creating a set of three bud vases offers versatility, whether they're interconnected or designed as standalone pieces. This project is aimed to add a touch of brightness to any office or window sill. Each participant will have the opportunity to customize their Bud Vases entirely, adding unique textures, stampings, and a vibrant paint job to make them uniquely personalized and suitable for any space.

RAKU WORKSHOP

Spring Raku Workshop: $125 per student. This workshop consists of one building day, one glaze day and one Raku firing experience. You will be able to make and complete two items per person. No experience required. Maximum of 10 students.

Build Day: Saturday May 4 10:00am - 12:00pm
Glaze Day: Friday May 10 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Firing Day : Saturday May 18  10am - until complete 

GROUP EVENTS

To book your workshop, simply inquire and pay through the form to express your interest and secure your preferred date and time. If your first or second option is not available, don't worry, we'll work together to find a date that suits your group.

Private Parties

Whether you're a group of kids or adults, this is the perfect choice for an awesome party. You can pick between a hand building project or a wheel throwing experience. It's only $225 for a 2-hour workshop for up to 12 participants, and just $15 per person after 12.

Company Parties

Get ready for a unique and exciting experience with our Company Parties! You can choose between hand building or wheel throwing, and it's perfect for clay building and team building all in one! Everyone on your team will have a blast creating their own masterpieces and connecting with their creativity and each other.

Our events start at $250, or if you prefer, we can bring ClaySpaceTC to your place starting at $300. Each workshop is 2 hours long and can accommodate up to 12 participants, with just $15 per person after 12.

To book your workshop, simply inquire and pay through the form to express your interest and secure your preferred date and time. If your first or second option is not available, don't worry, we'll work together to find a date that suits your group.

STUDENT Gallery

About ClaySpaceTC

ClaySpaceTC has been spinning and grinning since January of 2019. Founders Phil Wilson and Clay Maas began working together in the ceramics program of the former Blackbird Arts, which was located in the building that is now ClaySpaceTC. Both Phil and Clay are teachers and program developers, and they collectively bring decades of ceramics experience to the table (and to the wheel!).

ClaySpace is a community ceramics education studio that offers classes, private lessons, and workshops for both children and adults. The studio features six pottery wheels, a workspace for handbuilding, and a Skutt electric kiln. ClaySpaceTC also offers introductory and themed workshops that take place in gathering spaces throughout the community and are open to folks of all ages and experience levels. Classes are student-driven, with Phil and Clay providing instruction and guidance as students establish their goals, develop their projects, and design their own ceramics. 

At ClaySpaceTC, we encourage all students to run with their ideas and, together with their classmates, to think big and create boldly. Collectively, we’re all teachers and students who gather to fill the studio with creativity, passion, excitement and the relaxation that only the quiet beauty of clay can create. Join us — we can’t wait to welcome you to the ClaySpaceTC community!

Phil Wilson

For 35 years, I’ve worked with porcelain as a studio potter, developing functional and decorative pottery with an emphasis on contemporary design and elegant utility. Each piece is handmade, one at a time. I’m hoping you’ll discover lots of ways to enjoy each piece: displayed with a group of favorite things on the mantel, as a familiar part of your everyday breakfast table, or surrounded by a riot of flowers and food in a party buffet.

Clay Maas

Hi, I'm Clay and I'm the co-owner of ClaySpaceTC. My passion for ceramics sparked during my final year of college and that passion has been burning ever since. I grew up in a small Ohio town and I now reside in Traverse City with my wife, Emily, and our buoyant doodle Lincoln (who is also the mascot of ClaySpaceTC). I love ClaySpaceTC because it allows me to grow every day and share my love of ceramics with others.

Additionally, I utilize my graphic design background to serve clients all over the state and I have a lot of experience with letterpress. All of these different mediums keep my brain running at full speed. To cool down and refocus, a good round of golf keeps me in the moment, out of my own head, and ready to tackle the next big thing!

Visiting Arist Workshops

ClaySpaceTC is welcoming five visiting artists over the winter months. Each artist will bring their own style and experience to the studio. The lectures and demonstrations are for all skill levels. The Saturday workshops require an intermediate to advanced level of ceramic skill. Finally join us on Saturday evening for an artist opening and refreshments.

Lecture and demonstration on Friday evening from 6pm-8pm. FREE
Full day workshop, Saturday 9am- 3pm. $75.oo per person. Max of 8 participants

Tom Krueger

January: 27

As an evolving artist for over 40 years,
T. J. Krueger is now airbrushing the illusion of light. Custom mixing of acrylic paint from a paste to a fluid airbrush consistency and the addition of gold acrylic paint in the past 15 years is the trick to his painted skies and landscapes.

Krueger’s ceramic forms are wheels-thrown and altered by paddling or “spanking” his pots. A long-lasting impression of manipulating a form was gained in the summer of 1970. 
As an art scholarship recipient at the Peninsula School of Art in Door County, Wisconsin.  T.J. lived for a short time with Tom Yelvington, a well-known glass artist. Witnessing the fluidity of glass being formed and then morphed is a constant influence in his art
to this day.

Mixed media artist best describes TJ's approach to his creative compass. In the mid-90’s,
a series of commissioned wall sculptures, “Beyond Clay”,  bridged his need to work large. These plywood reliefs were surface-coated and decorated with a variety of painting techniques. The viewer saw them as clay or metal.

Post 9/11, Krueger’s musical expression blossomed to create his Primal Percussion Ensemble, Artist in Residence Program. Creating drums in various sizes and providing sets of 30 to schools has resulted in 35 residencies and 1300 drums to primarily elementary schools, as well as Head Start programs and adaptive music workshops for middle and high school students within a five state region. In recent years, Krueger taught adaptive painting and pottery at Cerebral Palsy of Green Bay.

Commingled passions of yoga, cross-country skiing, pottery and painting, sculpture and teaching workshops are the benchmarks that define Krueger's bottom line, "I've been doing what I like to do for over four decades."

Jordan Coon

April 26 & 27

I am captivated by the metaphor of the body as a vessel. To me, each of my pieces represents a unique being, with an ornately carved and decorative exterior that mirrors the diverse ways in which we adorn our own bodies.

Beyond its exterior beauty, however, each vessel also serves as a window into the inner self. Negative space offers glimpses of the inner vessel, a concept that speaks to our interactions with one another and the ability to truly see and know others beyond surface-level appearances.

While the exterior of my work is visually striking, the functional interior is where its true value lies. My pieces serve multiple purposes, from drinking vessels to planters to bowls, much like the human body is both physically functional and home to the heart, soul, and mind.

In embracing the uniqueness of each piece, I lean into the imperfections and challenge the rigid expectations of production pottery. Whether it's a noticeable crack or a subtle slip-up from carving, every flaw offers an opportunity to sit with the discomfort of the intersection between unrealistic ideals and reality.

My art speaks to the dehumanizing narratives that permeate our society, reminding us that we are all imperfect and vulnerable, with exteriors that can break at any moment. By treating one another with care and compassion, we can begin to see beyond the surface and connect with the complex heart, soul, and mind that resides within us all.

www.jordancoonsceramics.com

Contact

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations made 5 days or more in advance of the Class date will receive a 100% refund. Cancellations made more than 2 days in advance of class will receive a 50% refund. Cancellations made within 24 hours of class will not not receive a refund.