Across 2024 – 2025 the Leach Pottery is undertaking capital building works to improve the site for future potters. Find out more here

During the building project aspects of the Adult Learning programme will take place at the Newlyn School of Art. Courses will continue to offer supportive teaching sensitive to the Leach ethos in the beautiful equipped studio at Newlyn School of Art.

Cylinder throwing is frankly an exercise, and a very essential one, but it will soon develop into a progressive exploration of form as soon as the student is able without difficulty to make small cylinders, truly centered, and with walls of equal thickness. A Potter’s Book. Bernard Leach. 1940

Whether you are a student potter, keen amateur, improver or a complete beginner, a throwing course with the Leach Pottery ensures you consolidate essential techniques and explore new approaches. Enjoy dedicated time and space to develop your practice.

Overview
This is a 3 Day practice-based throwing course aimed at beginners who would like to learn basic throwing skills, and for those who have some experience of throwing and intermediate students who would like to further develop their skills. This is an opportunity to learn new skills and brush up on essential techniques. The workshop includes an introductory assessment of needs, plus one-to-one tuition with one of our professional potters.

The course covers:
Clay preparation: wedging techniques, centering clay on the wheel and throwing basic cylinders
Different forms: bowls, mugs and jugs etc.
practicing your preferred form, throwing to specific measurements, repeat throwing, turning and finishing, pulling and attaching handles and decorating techniques.

When: Please see dates and availability for each location
Where: Newlyn School of Art or Bernard’s Studio at the Leach Pottery, (Unfortunately, courses held in Bernard’s Studio are inaccessible for wheelchair users).
Places: 5 Newlyn School of Art or 4 in Bernard’s Studio
Cost: £450
Duration: 3 days. Core teaching hours: 10am - 4pm and 10am – 3.30pm on the last day. Please arrive at 10am on the first day of your course.
Newlyn School of Art: please arrive ready for a 10am start on the first day of your course.
Bernard’s Studio Leach Pottery: please arrive at 9.30am on the first day of your course if you would like to take part in a tour of the museum.

Equipment & materials: clay and a basic tool kit is provided. We focus on building core skills and working directly with the clay to get the most from a core selection of tools. Please bring additional tools if you wish to use them along with an apron and hand towel.
You will leave with: one piece that will be fired & posted to you* up to 12 weeks after the course has finished. This piece needs to be within the footprint of 20 x 20 x 20cm. You are welcome to take one or two pieces of unfired work home if you wish. Please bring boxes and packaging for safe transport. 
Level: beginner & intermediate

 *if the address that you would like your work posting to is non-UK, extra postage will apply.

We are delighted to offer a 10% discount in our Shop for 14 days from the start of your course.

Any questions? Please visit out FAQ — The Leach Pottery.

Due to a high demand of orders please allow up to 10 days for confirmation of your booking.

Terms & Conditions — The Leach Pottery
Please be aware, only assistance dogs are allowed in the Learning spaces.

Our courses are popular, we do our best to add more dates when we can.
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