Alright alright alright… You have glazing questions, we’ve got answers. Join us for a special 2-week class to learn and practice the ins and outs of glazing. Week one will go over different glazing techniques including pouring, dipping, waxing, and taping. In week two, we’ll look at the results to see what worked and talk about what didn’t and why. 

Groundworks will provide bisqueware pieces and test tiles to practice on. Here’s the catch: all glazed pieces will go to our Chili Bowl Art Market sale on September 14 & 15. All proceeds from this sale go to support our Partner Programs, so we thank you in advance for your donation of glazed work! Here’s what we recommend: since you don’t get to hang onto your glazed pieces, we’ll also be providing test tiles to keep track of your glaze choices for future reference. That’s what we call a win-win.

This class takes place at Groundworks EAST 3063 Sterling Circle, Boulder, CO. 

PLEASE NOTE: This two-week class runs for 2 hours each week. 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. Hot tip: electric kiln oxidation firing is what most people use in their home studio set-ups, so if you’re aiming to set up a home pottery business in the future, this is a great place to start!

This is a Pay What You Can class with a suggested price of $80

Ages: 16+

Available for registration Tuesday, May 27th at 8:00am

Fake them out by learning how to make clay not look like clay. In this higher level (intermediate to advanced) class, you’ll learn how to make tromp-l’oeil textures like hair, dirt, fur, grass, or even cake icing (just please don’t eat it). Take your sculptures and surfaces to the next level.

Groundworks will provide flat tiles in a variety of different clay bodies for students to practice their tromp-l’oeil on. There’s no pressure to get it right - we’ll just be practicing technique so you won’t be taking anything home with you.

This class takes place at Groundworks MAIN, 3750 Canfield Street, Boulder, CO. 

PLEASE NOTE: This one-time class runs for 2.5 hours. 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.

Ages: 16+

Available for registration Tuesday, May 27th at 8:00am

Making hooks in blacksmithing is a practical and enjoyable way to hone your forging skills. Whether you are creating simple utility hooks for hanging, or more decorative ones for artistic purposes, the process teaches fundamental blacksmithing techniques and can be applied to a wide variety of projects.

What to Wear in the Metals Studio?

We wish for all students to have a safe and enjoyable learning experience. Proper safety equipment and PPE will be provided for use within the studio.

Please dress safely and appropriately. Arrive for class inall-natural fiber clothing, long pants, and closed-toe, closed-heelshoes with socks that protect up to the ankle. Long hair should betied back. Nylon, polyester, spandex, or other synthetics are notrecommended around machines, equipment, or processes that can producehot fragments, sparks, or flames. Please avoid synthetic blends, as100% cotton is recommended. Layers are encouraged, as the studio canbegin cool then become very hot.

Welding students are recommended to wear long sleeve shirts to preventarc-flash burns (much like a sunburn). 

All students participating in activities involving sparks or hot metal are encouraged to wear leather boots or older shoes.

Please bring a re-fillable water bottle!

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 Friday, May 30 at 8:00am. 

Tired of throwing the same old boring forms? Let’s test the limits to see what clay can do. This higher level (intermediate to advanced), 1-day class will explore bottles, closed forms, double-walled pieces and more.

The best part? There’s absolutely no pressure to get any of this right - we’ll be focusing on technique only and not actually making any pieces to keep. So get bold and take those advanced forms all the way to the limit!

This class takes place at Groundworks HILL, 1010 Aurora Avenue, Boulder, CO. 

PLEASE NOTE: This one-time class runs for 2.5 hours. 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.

Ages: 16+

Available for registration Friday, May 30th at 8:00am

Hate glazing? You’re not alone. Join us for this special one-time, higher level (intermediate to advanced) class exploring an alternate surface treatment called Terra Sigillata (Sig - pronounced ‘sij’ - for short). Terra Sigillata means “sealed earth” due to it being a super refined slip that leaves your pieces with a silky, smooth finish.

Terra Sig goes on best with bone-dry pieces, so Groundworks will provide flat tiles or cylinders to practice on. We’ll fire them after the class and let you know when they’re ready for pick-up. Come get a crash course in this ancient decoration technique.

This class takes place at Groundworks MAIN, 3750 Canfield Street, Boulder, CO. 

PLEASE NOTE: This one-time class runs for 2 hours. 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.

Ages: 16+ 

Available for registration Friday, May 30th at 8:00am

Summers are always muggy, so why not come learn how to make a beautiful hand-built mug? This adult camp will spend the first part of the week focusing on what it takes to construct a functional hand-built mug. The ins and outs of weight, drinking lips, handle placement and more and how that can affect your finished pieces. The second half of the camp will turn to surface decoration and ways to decorate beyond just glazing. Students will have the opportunity to make 2 or 3 mugs a piece to explore their different ideas and try out the different techniques. Pieces will be fired by the studio and ready for pick up a few weeks after the camp ends. 

This class will take place in the hand-building classroom upstairs at Groundworks Hill, 1010 Aurora Ave. Boulder, CO

Ages 16+

Availble for registration Tuesday, May 27th at 8:00am.

Always wanted to try hand-building, but didn't know where to start? This class is a great intro to the studio in 5 short weeks!

This class is intended to get you familiar with the basics of hand-building. Students will learn techniques like pinching, coiling, and building with slabs. This class is ideal for those who have limited experience, but are looking to learn more with a short instructor demo and hands-on assistance each week.

Please note: This class does not include Open Lab hours or additional clay.

Ages 16+ to register

Class meets weekly on TUESDAYS.

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

Will be available to register on Tuesday, May 27 at 8:00am.

This class will guide you through the fundamental processes of creating a knife, from shaping the initial steel to the final sharpening. You'll learn essential metalworking techniques such as shaping, filing, grinding, and finishing as you craft your own unique knife.

What to Wear in the Metals Studio?

We wish for all students to have a safe and enjoyable learning experience. Proper safety equipment and PPE will be provided for use within the studio.

Please dress safely and appropriately. Arrive for class inall-natural fiber clothing, long pants, and closed-toe, closed-heelshoes with socks that protect up to the ankle. Long hair should betied back. Nylon, polyester, spandex, or other synthetics are notrecommended around machines, equipment, or processes that can producehot fragments, sparks, or flames. Please avoid synthetic blends, as100% cotton is recommended. Layers are encouraged, as the studio canbegin cool then become very hot.

Welding students are recommended to wear long sleeve shirts to preventarc-flash burns (much like a sunburn). 

All students participating in activities involving sparks or hot metal are encouraged to wear leather boots or older shoes.

Please bring a re-fillable water bottle!

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 Wednesday, May 28 at 8:00am.