When you hear the term “organic form” you probably don’t immediately think of cold, hard steel. This introductory four-week class hopes to challenge this assumption by asking the question, what defines organic forms and how can metal be used to create the appearance of natural plant forms?

Explore the process of hot-forging steel to replicate the beauty of nature in vines, branches, leaves, and other decorative organic elements. In this class, you’ll learn the basics of blacksmithing in our Metal Studio including the forge and anvil and all the tools necessary to bend, twist, and hammer shapes. This class will also incorporate the oxy-fuel torch and will investigate more advanced methods such as wrapping and riveting for joining individual parts to create a more complex whole.

This class has no prerequisites and is specifically set up for absolute beginners to this art form, however, the complexity of your piece will likely increase if you have prior forging experience. 

Additionally, our Metal Studio does have some safety basics before anyone is allowed to join in the fun (failure to meet these requirements will result in not being granted access to the equipment): 

• Please come dressed in close-toe and heel shoes, and natural material clothing, i.e. cotton or linen, and long pants. 

• Sparks fly in this studio, so we recommend wearing long sleeves and a shirt that covers your whole chest.

• No loose or dangling jewelry, long earrings or scarves.

• If you have long hair, please have it securely tied back from your face.

• We will provide safety goggles and other PPE, but if you have your own and would like to bring them, please do!

   

Class Policies & Information:

Open Lab: This class includes access to the studio during Open Lab hours. Open Lab is exclusively for students who are currently enrolled in the program. You are allowed to attend one Open Lab session per week, totaling 3 hours during the duration of your class. You may only attend the Open Lab session for the class in which you are registered. This time is intended for independent work on your class project. While studio staff will be present, they are there to ensure you are using the tools safely, not to provide instruction.

Class Make-Up: Our studios are full with adult and youth classes 7 days a week, 48 weeks a year. Typically, every class is full, which means there is simply no space for students to make up classes. If we cancel an entire class due to weather or other emergencies, we can not guarantee we will be able to schedule a make-up class. Individuals who miss a class will not be able to make it up. Please read the Frequently Asked Questions for more information about missed classes.

Studio Clean Up: Clean-up is critical! Please help our hardworking staff and volunteers by beginning clean-up 30 minutes before the end of class, helping out with common areas, and leaving class on time.

Ages: 16+ 

All supplies and materials will be provided. 

Will be available to register on Monday, September 22 at 8:00am.

Holiday joinery will be a fun and immersive class focused on the application of different joinery methods. Using half-lap, mortise and tenon, and bridal joints, we will make a puzzle/ornament that's perfect for gift-giving. This trinket of a puzzle, made from either maple, walnut, or cherry wood, will take you through a world of hand tool applications as well as the basics of milling machinery such as the miter saw, jointer, planer, and table saw. Once all our chiseled joints fit, we will finish our hardwood projects with a food-safe mineral oil, ready to be played with.

Additionally, our Wood Studio has some safety requirements  to join in the fun (failure to meet these requirements will result in not being granted access to the equipment):

• Please come dressed in close-toed shoes, a shirt that can be tucked in and either short sleeves, or sleeves that can be rolled up past your elbows.

• No loose or dangling jewelry.

• If you have long hair, please have it securely tied back from your face.

• We will provide safety goggles and/or full face shields, ear protection, and face masks to cover nose and mouth, but if you have your own PPE you would prefer to use, please do! 

Class Policies & Information:

Open Lab: This class includes access to the studio during Open Lab hours. Open Lab is exclusively for students who are currently enrolled in the program. You are allowed to attend one Open Lab session per week, totaling 3 hours during the duration of your class. You may only attend the Open Lab session for the class in which you are registered. This time is intended for independent work on your class project. While studio staff will be present, they are there to ensure you are using the tools safely, not to provide instruction.

Class Make-Up: Our studios are full with adult and youth classes 7 days a week, 48 weeks a year. Typically, every class is full, which means there is simply no space for students to make up classes. If we cancel an entire class due to weather or other emergencies, we can not guarantee we will be able to schedule a make-up class. Individuals who miss a class will not be able to make it up. Please read the Frequently Asked Questions for more information about missed classes.

Studio Clean Up: Clean-up is critical! Please help our hardworking staff and volunteers by beginning clean-up 30 minutes before the end of class, helping out with common areas, and leaving class on time.

Ages: 16+ 

All supplies and materials will be provided. 

Will be available to register on Monday, September 22 at 8:00am.

Welcome to the world of pottery! This class is designed for young children that are new to clay and working to develop their skills in hand-building. Students will create fun and unique projects in functional and sculptural forms. Children will learn to build strong, hollow pieces and will slip and paint their own work. Join us for these weekly classes where kids can get messy, learn about clay, and make new friends!

Bring imagination into form through basic clay techniques and creative problem-solving. Instructors will encourage students to try new things and make vibrant works of art. Students will slip and paint their own work.

Ages: 5 - 9

This class is Pay What You Can with a suggested price of $100.

Will be available to register on Monday, September 22 at 8:00am.

Great for students that are brand new to the wheel as well as those that are working to improve their throwing skills!

Students will practice wheel-throwing on the potter's wheel as well as create hand-built pieces using the slab roller and extruder. On the final class, students will learn about glazing their pieces. Classes take place downstairs at our Hill location (1010 Aurora Ave Boulder, CO).

Ages: 8-11

Class meets weekly on THURSDAYS

This class is Pay What You Can with a suggested price of $205.

No class the week of Thanksgiving (Nov. 24 - Nov. 30)

Will be available to register on Monday, September 22 at 8:00am.

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Relief printing, block carving, ink, oh my! We are offering Youth classes to one of our new studio art forms - Printmaking! There will be instruction and hands-on assistance each week. Students will learn about the techniques of printmaking, engage with tools and materials, and design and print a plate. Come have some fun in our printmaking studio!

All supplies and materials will be provided. 

Will be available to register on Monday, September 22 at 8:00am.

Don't forget, we also have Print Summer Camps beginning the week of June 2 and running all summer long! Check them out here today!

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Japanese stoneware is renowned for its humble, rustic simplicity, and embrace of imperfection. In this class we will create beautiful functional pottery inspired by the forms, handbuilding methods, and decorating techniques common to Japanese stoneware traditions. These include: handforming, coiling and pinching, kurinuki, slab construction, mishima, and surface texturing.

This class takes place at Groundworks EAST 3063 Sterling Circle, Boulder, CO. The EAST studio has a separate classroom for the hand-building class.

PLEASE NOTE: This 8-week class runs for 2.5 hours each class. You will not have access to the studio outside of the scheduled class time and all work will be completed during class time. You will also not have access to our other locations.

Your pieces will be fired in our electric kilns to Cone 6 Oxidation.

Ages: 16 and above

Class meets weekly on THURSDAYS

Does NOT include Firing Fees. For details on our Firing Fees, please click here: https://www.groundworksartlab.org/firing-fees

No class the week of Thanksgiving (Nov. 24 - Nov. 30)

Will be available to register on Monday, September 22 at 8:00am.

Come make a wall piece to cherish for years to come! In this 8 week class we will spend the first part of the session bringing our tiles to life in the ceramic studio. For these terracotta tiles we will use a variety of decorative techniques including slip, inlay, wax resist, underglaze, and additive and subtractive techniques. In the later part of the session, students will move into the metal studio learning how to forge and weld their tile’s custom frame! By the end of the session, you’ll have a beautiful wall hanging to show off to all your friends!

This class will be co-taught by Becky Bragg (Clay) and Stuart Shirley (Metal)

Ages: 16+

This class takes place at Groundworks Main at 3750 Canfield St.

This class does NOT include extra open lab time. All work must be completed during class time. 

No class the week of Thanksgiving (Nov. 24 - Nov. 30)

 Will be available for registration Monday, September 22th at 8:00am.

For students that have never touched clay to those still learning the basics.

This class will cover the basic “how tos” of pottery. Students will learn the foundations of throwing, including how to confidently center, pull, and trim pots on the wheel. The class will also cover basic glazing techniques, attaching handles, and how to track your pieces through the studio.

Ages: 16 and above

Class meets weekly on THURSDAYS

Note: This class will meet at the HILL location at 1010 Aurora Ave. You will only have open lab access at the same studio as your class.

Does NOT include Firing Fees. For details on our Firing Fees, please click here: https://www.groundworksartlab.org/firing-fees

All pieces will be fired to Cone 6 in a reduction kiln.

No class the week of Thanksgiving (Nov. 24 - Nov. 30)

Will be available to register on Monday, September 22 at 8:00am.