Handbuilding

Handbuilding

Sessions Offered Daily

Hearts, skulls, candlesticks. You pick, you sculpt, we fire.
$35.00

Per Project

Come solo, bring your partner, or round up your friends for a night of clay and good company.

Grab a drink, get your hands in the clay, and sculpt your own folk art piece: a sacred heart, a flower-crowned calavera, or a ruffled candlestick. No experience needed. We guide you through it and fire it for you. Bring a friend, make something beautiful, and leave the cleanup to us. No wheel, no experience needed — just seasonal spirit.

No experience needed. BYOB 21+

AGE

21+

LEVEL

No Experience Needed

TIME

1.5 hours

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Sip + Sculpt

What You'll do

In this 1.5-hour handbuilding session, you'll sculpt a folk art piece guided by your instructor. Work at your own workbench to shape a sacred heart, calavera, or candlestick, adding texture, stamped details, and flourishes that make it yours. Learn handbuilding techniques while you sip, chat, and create.

You will handbuild your pottery at a workbench.

Pick Your Piece

Choose your project: a sacred heart with a flame crown, a flower-crowned calavera, or a ruffled candlestick. Your instructor helps you plan a piece that matches your style and skill level.

Sculpt + Detail

Shape your piece using pinching, slab, and coil techniques, then bring it to life with carved lines, stamped dots, petals, and ruffles. Pour a drink and take your time.

We Fire, You Collect

Leave your piece with us. We'll fire it and let you know when it's ready for pickup, usually in about 2 weeks.

Add Seasonal Colors

Return to glaze your fall pottery in colors that bring the season to life. Glazing provides a glossy, finished look that makes your seasonal decor ready to display or gift.

THINGS TO KNOW
What's Included?
  • 1.5 hours of guided handbuilding instruction
  • Clay, all tools and supplies
  • Bisque firing (initial firing to harden your piece)
  • Work at your own workbench using small-batch pottery tools — no pottery wheel use.
  • Color + Shine glazing is $16.50 per piece and includes a second firing for a glossy, finished look.
What Should I Wear or Bring?

You will get messy from the elbows down. So short sleeves or sleeves you can roll up are recommended. Don't wear watches or bracelets, rings are ok.

Clay doesn't typically stain clothes but we do have a limited number of aprons available if needed.
When Do I Get My Pottery?

MAKING HANDMADE POTTERY TAKES TIME AND THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES!

Smashed Clay projects and experiences are designed using our proprietary method, techniques and tools to help jumpstart your project.

However, it takes years to learn the art of handmade pottery. While we hope your finished project turns out exactly as you envisioned, there is no guarantee that your handmade pottery will make it through the entire process and/or result in what you set out to make.

Thick pottery may take longer to dry. Pottery that is too thick, too thin or constructed in a manner that creates stress during the drying or firing process may crack, break or explode. Pottery can take 2-3+ weeks to dry, prepare and bisque fire. You can monitor the status of on our website.
Do I Have to Glaze My Pottery?

Any pottery that will come in contact with food or drinks would need to be glazed and fired to seal the bisque and create a food and dishwasher safe finish. If you intend to use your pottery to hold water or if it will be exposed to the weather, you may also want to glaze your pottery.
What If I Arrive Late?

Because our classes are group classes, you must arrive on time to fully participate in the experience.  If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, we will be unable to integrate you into the class.  Our late arrival policy is as follows:

If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, you can either:

  • Join the class at the midway point.  You acknowledge that your time will be limited to the remaining class time.  If you are participating in a couples challenge, you will only be able to make one project.  No refunds will be given.
  • Reschedule for another time when seats are available.  No refunds will be given.
Do You Offer Refunds?

Our studios have limited seating, so when you book an experience at Smashed, we hold the seat for you.  We are a small business and depend on full classes to operate.  We are unable to fill seats when customers cancel with short notice or don’t show up.  For that reason, we cannot provide refunds if you do not show up or for appointments cancelled within 24 hours of your booked appointment.

Please review our refund policy here.

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