Elevate your hand-building practice with an exploration in abstract forms—functional or decorative. Slabs, extrusions, coils, and pinching will get you started, then surface treatments are wide open to all the possibilities. 

Come to class with your inspirations, sketches, and a rough plan. Then, be ready to challenge the clay to become something more beautiful than you ever thought possible!

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

This class meets weekly for 8 weeks on THURSDAYS.

Class does NOT include additional open lab time or clay. All work must be completed during class time. 

Ages: 16+

Will be available to register on Monday, July 27 at 8:00am.

This class focuses on a Japanese method of throwing porcelain off-the-hump. Each gesture is designed to maximize efficiency to create beautiful tableware. The sequence of movements becomes almost meditative as you work through the clay. It’s a great class to unlearn bad habits and develop deeper intuition and confidence in your throwing.

Ages: 16+

Class meets weekly on THURSDAYS

Note: This class will meet at the MAIN location at 3750 Canfield Street. 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

Will be available to register on Monday, July 27 at 8:00am.

Level I Hand-building for students wanting to explore the basic techniques for hand-building functional, sculptural, or decorative pieces.

Learn about the various hand-building tools, and the three basic hand-building techniques: pinching, coiling, and slab rolling through a series of self-guided projects.

Ages: 16+

Class meets weekly on FRIDAYS for 8 weeks

Note: This class will meet at the new Main location at 3750 Canfield Street in NE Boulder. 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

This class is Pay What You Can with a suggested price of $290

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

Will be available to register on Monday, July 27 at 8:00am.

Have you ever wanted to make your own underglaze transfers? This is the class for you!  

We will learn a great deal about how to make screens for screenprinting, how to use them and how to create images for the screen. We will then take our screens to the Clay studio and print both directly onto clay and use transfers. 

This class will offer some instruction for hand-building, but the main focus will be learning how to print on clay. As such, we recommend that only folks with previous hand-building experience sign up. Print newbies are encouraged!

Ages: 16+

This class meets weekly on FRIDAYS.

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. 

Registration will be available Monday, July 27 at 8:00am

Designed for advanced, self-motivated printmaking students looking for studio access and minimal guidance. This class is intended to provide our experienced print students open lab time without registering for a specific class, and will not have an active teaching component. Students should understand that their work will be largely, if not entirely, self-guided.

Independent study students will have a designated time slot on Friday afternoons that is not open to other students. Week 1 will serve as an orientation session, where students should be able to demonstrate readiness to use the studio independently. After the first week, Independent Study students may attend any open lab during the week -- but keep in mind that regular open lab is first-come, first-served.

Students in Level III: Independent Study should meet the following requirements:

• Demonstrate ability to appropriately retrieve, apply, and clean up ink
• Demonstrate ability to use screens or electrolytic etching baths if using
• Demonstrate ability to safely and appropriately operate the press and/or screen printing equipment
• Demonstrate ability to safely use carving tools and/or drypoint tools
• Demonstrate ability to clean up and discard of waste appropriately.

This class comes with 3 hours of "class time" every Friday, plus an additional 3 hours of open lab, for a total of 6 hours each week.

Ages: 16+

All supplies and materials will be provided.

Will be available to register on Monday, July 27 at 8:00am.

This class is great for students who already have some experience with clay and are looking to take the next step.

The demonstrations for this class go beyond the basics. Students will learn how to make more complex forms and techniques including: altered forms, lidded jars, throwing off-the-hump, sgraffito, and more.

Ages: 16 and above

Class meets weekly on FRIDAYS

Note: This class will meet at the MAIN location at 3750 Canfield Street. 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.

Will be available to register on Monday, July 27 at 8:00am.

No, this isn’t a spell that you can cast in Dungeons & Dragons - it’s so much cooler (well, hotter, actually). This introductory four-week class will teach you how to use a torch to sculpt and manipulate hot glass into beads, small figurines, and other exciting creations.

Come learn and explore the basics of using and caring for the equipment, glass color and all of the steps of prepping, shaping, and finishing heated glass with hand tools. If you’re looking for a fun, entry-level class to start your glassworking journey, look no further!

This class has no prerequisites and is specifically set up for absolute beginners to this art form. Our Glass Studio does have some safety basics that must be met 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 closed-toe and closed-heel shoes, and natural material clothing, i.e. cotton or linen; long pants are recommended
• 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, but if you have your own and would like to bring them, please do!

Ages: 16+

All supplies and materials will be provided.

Will be available to register on Monday, July 27 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+

Class meets weekly on SATURDAYS

Note: This class will meet at the MAIN location at 3750 Canfield Street. 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.

Will be available to register on Monday, July 27 at 8:00am.