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.

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.

In this Level II class students will learn about the magic of soda firing. This is the process of creating a special kiln environment which involves introducing soda ash into the kiln to make an atmosphere that will add glaze to the pieces. Since larger forms tend to warp in the soda kiln, this class will focus on creating smaller to medium sized pieces that have a better chance for survival. No large plates or bowls will be allowed in the firing due to their higher fail rate and the need to prioritize kiln space for smaller pieces. Larger pieces can still be fired in the normal cone 6 reduction kilns. Special attention will be paid to the process of atmospheric firing and how to plan accordingly throughout the class.

The firings throughout this class will be ^10 soda firings.

Ages: 16+

Class meets weekly on THURSDAYS

Note: This class will meet at the MAIN location at 3750 Canfield St. You will only have open lab aaccess at the same studio as your class.

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

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

In this course, students will learn to bend and shape steel. Students will practice traditional blacksmithing techniques, such as tapering, bending, twisting, and punching; using the forge and anvil. This class will cover shop safety, fire management, tools and equipment, and the appropriate use of the various parts of the anvil. Students will leave with valuable skills in blacksmithing while gaining self-confidence with completed projects such as a bracelet, hook, fork, or spoon.

What to Wear in the Metals Studio?  

Please dress safely and appropriately. Arrive for class in all-natural fiber clothing, long pants, and closed-toe, closed-heel shoes with socks that protect up to the ankle. Long hair should be tied back and synthetic hair should be covered with all-natural fiber fabric.  Nylon, polyester, spandex, or other synthetics are not recommended around machines, equipment, or processes that can produce hot fragments, sparks, or flames. Please avoid synthetic blends, as 100% cotton is recommended. Layers are encouraged, as the studio can begin cool then become very hot.

Welding students are recommended to wear long sleeve shirts to prevent arc-flash burns. Additional protective gear shall be provided as needed. 

Personal Property: 

Personal materials will need to go home with you at the end of each class. We do not provide storage. 

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

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

Are you wanting to forge ahead in a new art form, but not sure where to start? Forging Fundamentals is here for you! This hands-on course explores several fundamental forging processes that shape metal through movement and manipulation. Students will develop essential blacksmithing skills by learning to move metal in various directions using traditional forging techniques. 

Over the course of four weeks, you’ll learn the basic principles of shaping metal such as heating, hammering, compressing, and indenting metal to create shapes. Through guided exercises, students will gain a deeper understanding of how metal responds to force, heat, and tooling. This course emphasized working with - not against - the material, helping you build the intuition and skill necessary for more advanced blacksmithing projects.

This class has no prerequisites and is specifically set up for absolute beginners to this art form. 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. 

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

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. 

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

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