By Gina Malone
If you’ve ever wanted to take a pottery class, now is the time, and Plays in Mud Pottery in West Asheville is the place. Artist/owner Kelsey Schissel has been offering classes for three years for beginner and intermediate potters. Upcoming classes include Beginner Pottery, March 1–April 19; BYOB Friday Night Class, March 25–April 15; Beginner Handbuilding, April 30–June 18; and Intermediate Throwing, May 5–June 23. Classes are limited to four participants, and supplies and firings are included in the cost.
Tori, a student in throwing class
“Beginner Pottery is for the true beginner, those that have never sat down at a potter’s wheel before but want to,” Schissel says. “We will focus on centering the clay, moving the clay up, out and all around to form mugs, bowls and, perhaps, some plates. In this class, everyone will be starting at zero, or nearly zero, and working our way up. I find it’s best to come to class with no expectations except to have some fun and learn something new.”
The BYOB pottery class is designed for those with an interest in pottery to see what it’s all about in a no-pressure setting. Students signing up for the intermediate throwing class will have had the beginners’ class before and have the desire to continue the journey.
“It’s also great for someone who has been out of clay for a bit and wants to reconnect,” says Schissel. Students in the handbuilding class will focus on using the slab roller and extruder to create pieces that will then be manipulated with their hands. “Students will spend a bit more time understanding how clay moves through the various stages of workability,” Schissel says. “This is a fun, fast-paced class and at the end of eight weeks students will have some fantastic pieces to share with family and friends.”
Besides new classes starting nearly every month, Schissel offers group classes on Saturday afternoons and private lessons on an hourly basis. Students generally sign up for classes to fulfill a desire to work with clay and to produce useful and beautiful pieces. In addition, says Schissel, “I hope they fall in love with pottery and clay and that it sparks delight in their souls. I want them to walk away from my class having loved every minute and loving the pieces they made.”
To register for classes, visit PlaysInMud.com. Plays in Mud Pottery is located at 735C Haywood Road in West Asheville.
