About Hands On Pottery

Hands On Pottery is a small ceramics school based near the centre of Nottingham. The building is light and airy offering Wheelchair access to all three work studios.

We have been working with people since 1990 and we encourage everyone to reach their own individual aims and objectives. Confidence is enhanced by our high standards of teaching and working in a comfortable friendly environment. The pottery is all wheel chair friendly with adjustable tables and a loop fitted in the main workshop. As the pottery is all on the ground floor it is easily accessible for all.
When working at the pottery you will be encouraged to work individually, on your own chosen designs, which will be finished to a very high standard.

The teachers working at the pottery are proud of our reputation, as many students have discovered their creative ability with us through the art of clay.

Many students who have never worked with clay before have gained qualifications or found a new creative skill they enjoy.

We believe that clay is a wonderful medium to work with and that clay brings out the best in people. The most satisfactory way we can describe our findings is: 
"It's not what people do to clay, it's what clay does to people"

Hands On Pottery offers classes to everybody.

We are prepared for you to come to us at the pottery, or for us to come to you in a place of your choice. You can also decide the length of time you would like the class to run for, how many people will be in the group and starting and finishing times.

Our work:

• Schools where we offer Classes to learn the skill of pottery and also to help obtain certain art based Qualifications within the school.
• We work with people with physical and learning disabilities in schools, centres, nursing homes or at the pottery.
• Nursery schools and play groups.
• Hospitals 
• Fun days, play days, festervals and open days.
• Scout and guide groups and individuals working towards their badges.
• Birthday parties for children are very popular and can be either paint a pot or making and painting your own work. 
• Parties for adults are also recommended for birthdays, stag and hen groups and other celebrations that you may like something to remember.
• Corporate events – we work with different companies on team building sessions, which are customised for your group’s individual requirements.
• We work with young people who are unable to attend school, with children and young people who are being home schooled and with children and young people from different cultural backgrounds. 

Our Workshops
Our workshops are equipped with specialist tools, equipment and materials. We also have a variety of different wheels for throwing, kilns, a choice of different clays and lots of glazes to choose from.

We fire our kilns to earthenware and stoneware temperatures, which is useful for both decorative and functional wares.

The Teachers
The teachers are all practising potters, ceramisists or artists who have professional teaching qualifications. We all offer one to one support to enable everyone to benefit as much as possible during the time you spend with us.

What you will learn

1. How to prepare your clay for use
2. All the hand building techniques – coiling, slabbing and pinching
3. How to use the potters wheel
4. Sculpture and modelling techniques
5. Using a mould to create a piece of work
6. Different use of clays and how to fire them
7. How to decorate your work
8. How to glaze bisc fired work
9. The technique of burnishing
10. How to create an incised decoration using coloured slips

Find out more about our classes and workshops