Dates: September 16 - November 18
Days/Times: Saturdays, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Level: Beginning - Intermediate
Instructor: Stuart Gair

Course description: Ready to try your hand at the wheel? Become a member of the Harvard Ceramics community in this introductory throwing course with 2017-2018 Artist-in-Residence Stuart Gair. Explore the basics of wheel throwing in this fun and casual class. The instructor guides you through a variety of forms to then decorate and glaze as well as introduces you to the studio. With this class, you will receive seven-day access to the studio to practice your new skills! (10 classes/12 weeks)

Read more about Absolute Beginners

Dates: September 8 - December 1
Days/Times: Fridays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm
Level: Beginning - Intermediate
Instructor: Zac Mickelson

Course description: Demonstrations, individual critiques, and lots of hands-on time will engage students in learning the basics of wheel throwing, hand building, and surface decoration. Creative approaches to altered and combined elements will provide challenges for more experienced students. (8 classes/10 weeks) Note: There is no class November 24 for Thanksgiving Break.

Read more about Basics and Challenges

Dates: September 7 - November 30
Days/Times: Thursdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm
Level: Beginning - Intermediate
Instructor: Denny McLaughlin

Course description: Demonstrations, individual critiques, and lots of hands-on time will engage students in learning the basics of wheel throwing, hand building, and surface decoration. Creative approaches to altered and combined elements will provide challenges for more experienced students. (12 classes/13 weeks) Note: There will be no class on November 23rd for Thanksgiving Break.
Read more about Basics and Challenges

Dates: September 5 - November 21
Days/Times: Tuesdays, 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Level: Beginning - Intermediate
Instructors: Stephanie Young

Course description: Demonstrations, individual critiques, and lots of hands-on time will engage students in learning the basics of wheel throwing, hand building, and surface decoration. Creative approaches to altered and combined elements will provide challenges for more experienced students. (12 classes/13 weeks)
Read more about Basics and Challenges

Dates:  August 28 - November 27
Days/Times: Mondays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm 
Level: Beginning - Intermediate
Instructor: Steve Murphy

Course description: Demonstrations, individual critiques, and lots of hands-on time will engage students in learning the basics of wheel throwing, hand building, and surface decoration. Creative approaches to altered and combined elements will provide challenges for more experienced students. (12 classes/14 weeks) Note: There will be no class on September 4th (Labor Day) and October 9th (Columbus Day). 
Read more about Basics and Challenges

Dates: October 6 - November 17
Days/Times: Fridays, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Level: Intermediate - Advanced

Instructor: Kathy King


Course description:

Travel through time from ancient to contemporary ceramics though lectures and hands-on engagement with historical techniques. This part seminar/part studio course will provide a series of six presentations on ancient to contemporary ceramic art history. We will examine the development of clay techniques, kilns, and surface treatments across the world from the “Porcelain Highway” to the “Funk Movement” of the 70’s and beyond. Students will try their hand at featured forms on and off the wheel and surface techniques that span history such as the use of Egyptian Paste, print transfer, sgraffito, mishima, china paint/overglaze enamels, etc. to inspire each artist in new directions with their work. (6 classes/9 weeks) Note: No class November 10 th Bai Ming Workshop.

Read more about Ceramic History in Studio

Dates: September 6 - November 29
Days/Times: Wednesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm
Level: Intermediate - Advanced
Instructor: Kyla Toomey

Course description: This course is primarily a studio class structured around student proposals for a current body of work in combination with thematic assignments. Assignments will highlight and examine advanced process-based learning involving surface techniques, altered or complex forms, basic mold making and glazing techniques. (12 classes/13 weeks) Note: There will be no class on November 22nd for Thanksgiving Break.
Read more about Combined Methods

Dates:  September 8 - November 10
Days/Times: Fridays, 10:00am – 1:00 pm
Level: Intermediate - Advanced
Instructor: Dennis McLaughlin

Course description: Explore nature-inspired visual and tactile surfaces on wheel thrown forms by using soda slips and washes as well as patterns and textures. Fresh spontaneous approaches on soft clay, as well as more structured methods of building functional work with thrown forms will be developed. A three-dimensional artist, from either clay or another discipline will be selected by each student to inspire the development of new methods that go beyond the familiar solution in making a soda fired functional pot.  The experience of building a larger vocabulary of soda firing possibilities and results will lay the groundwork for new directions for functional work. (10 classes/13 weeks)
Read more about Explore Soda Firing

Dates: August 28 - December 2
Days/Times: N/A
Level: Advanced

Course description: Self-directed work for advanced participants previously enrolled in a Ceramics Program course and who have passed the Electric Kiln test. Independent Studio students have proven that they are capable of processing their own work. This course includes studio access and other opportunities. (14 weeks)  Read more about Independent Studio

Dates: September 5 - November 21
Days/Times: Tuesdays, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Level: Beginning - Intermediate
Instructor: Mark Burns

Course description: Work with master mold-maker and internationally recognized artist and our very own 2016-2018 Artist-in-Residence, Mark Burns. Utilizing mold making techniques is an interesting, contemporary approach to producing objects quickly whether it be a set of mugs or multiple versions of an object that come together to form compelling installation or sculpture. Students will learn to make 1, 2, and 3-part molds for press molding and slip casting. We will be working from found objects as well as learning methods of prototyping to produce the objects from an original. (12 classes/13 weeks)
Read more about Molds and Multiples

Dates: September 11 - November 20
Days/Times: Mondays, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Level: Beginning - Advanced
Instructor: Stuart Gair

Course description: This course is designed to introduce clay as an art material and to teach the technical and aesthetic skills needed to create both sculptural and functional ceramic objects. Those with experience will enjoy working with a new instructor and observing new ways of handling clay. The class will work with earthenware and stoneware, and will produce a full range of finished work, both on and off the potter’s wheel.  There will be demonstrations of these techniques throughout the semester. There will be lectures on contemporary and historical ceramic art as well as technical aspects of clay, glazes and firing methods. These lectures will introduce the variety of ceramic forms that have been made throughout history and that are being made today as well as aid students in forming ideas for the various assignments. (10 classes/12 weeks) Note: There will be no class on October 9^th for Columbus Day.
Read more about On and Off the Wheel

Dates: September 6 - November 29
Days/Times: Wednesdays, 10:00am - 1:00 pm
Level: Beginning - Advanced
Instructor: Seth Rainville

Course description: Create wheel thrown or hand built vessels as the canvas for a variety of surface techniques from the painterly to the graphic. Define your color palette and find your voice using slips, underglazes and glazes. Explore the different effects of terra cotta, stoneware and porcelain and create new forms and fresh decoration. Examine both contemporary artists for inspiration. Class will include group and individual with instruction with an emphasis on the unity of form with surface. This class is taught by our 2017-2018 Artist-in-Residence, Seth Rainville. (12 classes/13 weeks) No class on November 22nd for Thanksgiving Break.

Read more about Surface and Form

Dates: September 7 - November 30
Days/Times: Thursdays, 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Instructor: Claudia Olds Goldie

Course Description: Create figures that are proportionate, expressive, and anatomically correct. Build on this knowledge to make abstracted figures that are convincing in their ability to project movement, power and emotion. In the first half of this course we will work from the live model to create realistic sculpture, analyzing the figure in terms of geometry, movement, rhythm, space, proportion, and expressiveness. For the second half, we will apply this insight to create abstracted or stylized figures that build on these observations. We will make work that is intentionally fluid or static, simple or complex, dissonant or harmonious, but figurative at its core. We will be looking at the work of other artists and cultures to consider how the abstract figure has played a role in history and how to create abstract work that is convincing and powerful. (12 classes/13 weeks) Note: There will be no class on Thursday, November 23rd for Thanksgiving Break.

Read more about The Figure - Literal and Abstract

Dates: September 12 - November 14
Days/Times: Tuesdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Level: Beginning - Advanced

Instructor: Marek Jacisin


Course description:  Discover the various techniques to design and produce one of a kind and multiple low relief, clay tiles. The class will include design techniques, working on a primary sketch, transferring the image onto clay, carving and cutting the tile using an assortment of tools. Simple and more advanced decorating techniques will be introduced including the use of mold-making. (10 classes/12 weeks)
Read more about Tiles

Dates: September 5 - November 21
Days/Times: Tuesdays, 1:00 - 4:00pm
Level: Intermediate - Advanced
Instructor: Seth Rainville

Course description: In this course students will explore different hand building and image techniques in both utilitarian and decorative vessels. Students will utilize the collections of the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture to draw inspiration. Part of the class will focus on observing and recreating a historical vessel while implementing the possible ancient methods of creation. Students will also create their own designs and personal narrative with a contemporary approach. (12 classes/13 weeks)

Read more about Time Travel with the Vessel