Pottery

The COMO offers a vibrant array of adult pottery programs designed to inspire creativity, enhance skills, and foster a sense of community among participants. Our pottery classes cater to various skill levels, from beginners to seasoned potters, providing a welcoming environment for all. Participants will have the opportunity to learn techniques in ceramics, including wheel throwing, hand-building, and glazing, while creating unique, expressive works of art.

• INTRO TO POTTERY WITH EMMA [Ages 16+]​
  Mondays, 5-7:30 p.m.
  January 5 – February 23
  *No class Jan. 19th (MLK Day) and Feb. 16 (President’s Day)

  This class is devoted to the understanding and practice of the joys of ceramics. Open to all. No experience is required. The instructor will teach according to each student’s skill level. You will learn the fundamentals of throwing on the wheel, hand-building, and glazing; so that by the end of the class you will have a portfolio of finished work. The main goal of this class is to create, as well as appreciate, expressive and beautiful three-dimensional clay forms. Finished pottery pieces are available to pick up 1-2 weeks after the last class, between 9-1pm M-F, after which they will be donated.
  
  6-Week Session:
  Member: $215.00
  Non-Member: $245.00

• POTTERY WITH JUSTIN [Ages 16+]Tuesdays, 3-5:30 p.m.
  January 6 – February 24
  March 10 – April 28

  Tuesdays, 6-8:30 p.m.
  January 6 – February 24
  March 10 – April 28

  Thursdays, 12-2:30 p.m.
  January 8 – February 26
  March 12 – April 30

  This class is devoted to the understanding and practice of the joys of ceramics. Open to all. No experience is required. The instructor will teach according to each student’s skill level. You will learn the fundamentals of throwing on the wheel, hand-building, and glazing; so that by the end of the class you will have a portfolio of finished work. The main goal of this class is to create, as well as appreciate, expressive and beautiful three-dimensional clay forms. Finished pottery pieces are available to pick up 1-2 weeks after the last class, between 9-1pm M-F, after which they will be donated.
  
  8-Week Session:
  Member: $315.00
  Non-Member: $345.00

• INDEPENDENT POTTERY
  Offered year-round, Independent Potters are selected capable potters who work on their own in the studio with access to the studio at a wider variety of times during the week and on weekends when classes aren’t in session. The COMO Pottery Studio is designed to engage and support both the student and experienced potter as hobbyists, not commercial production. As a nonprofit organization that subsidizes the operations of the studio in order to keep the art form of ceramics affordable and accessible to the community, production with the intent to sell outside of the COMO umbrella changes the independent potter’s hobbyist status to a licensed vendor. Licensed vendors who utilize the studio’s resources to generate wares for private sales are cost-prohibitive to the COMO making commercial production prohibited.

Bring your favorite wine or brew and sip through a professional wheel-throwing demo. Then, receive instruction on how to throw your own creation on the pottery wheel or by handbuilding. Clay and firing for three pieces included. Ages 21+ only.

Fridays, 6 – 8 p.m.

Click Date to Register: Oct 24 | Nov 7 | Nov 21 | Dec 5 | Dec 19 | Jan 9 | Jan 23 | Feb 6 | Feb 20

Member: $63.00
Non-member: $70.00

Jealous of your friends with handmade mugs? Tired of store bought ones that everyone owns? Come join us for the COMO’s mug making workshop where you will be instructed on how to make your very own mug! You’ll learn all about working with slabs of clay, making handles, and decorating your mug to be completely your own. This class will be led by pottery instructor Emma Pons. Participants at the end of the session will have one mug in the size and glaze of their choice to be picked up 2-4 weeks after the workshop.

Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Click Date to Register: Nov 1 | Dec 6 | Jan 3 | Feb 7

NEW! SEASONAL WORKSHOPS

• GARLIC GRATER DISH [Ages 16+]
  Sunday, November 2, 12 – 2 p.m.

  Whether you’re dipping bread in fresh garlic and olive oil or grating garlic for a feast, cooking with handmade pottery makes everything greater. Join us in the COMO pottery studio where you will be instructed how to form your own dish from a slab of clay and carve grating grooves just in time for all your holiday dinners! This class will be led by pottery instructor Emma Pons. Participants at the end of the session will have one garlic grater dish in the size and glaze of their choice to be picked up 2-4 weeks after the workshop.

  Pottery will be fired and glazed by the instructor and are available for pick up four weeks later. You will receive an email when your items are available for pickup! Items will be picked up from COMO Thrift located at 45 Cutler St. in Stonington, CT.

  Member: $31.00
  Non-member: $35.00

• HOLIDAY ORNAMENT WORKSHOP [Ages 3+]
  Wednesday, December 3, 4-7 p.m.

  Join us in the COMO pottery studio for a festive evening of ornament making! Create a custom ornament to be hung on your holiday tree for years to come. All ages and skill levels are welcome! This workshop has an extended timeframe to allow individuals or families to drop in during the event. Individuals will be able to come and make one unique holiday ornament to be fired and glazed for pick-up by Dec. 17th. Bring your own or use any of our studio cookie cutters for custom shapes then custom paint or pick any of our colorful studio glazes!

  Individuals can purchase additional tickets to make the corresponding number of ornaments. Adults can purchase ornament tickets for children/families under one name. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult (even if only the child is making an ornament). Participants at the end of the session will have one ornament per ticket in the size and glaze of their choice.

  Pottery will be fired and glazed by instructor and are available for pick up by December 17th. You will receive an email when your items are available for pickup! Items will be picked up from COMO Thrift located at 45 Cutler St. in Stonington, CT.

  Member: $12.00 per ornament
  Non-member: $15.00 per ornament

• REUSABLE “STICKY NOTE” FRIDGE TO-DO BOARD [Ages 12+]
  Saturday, January 10, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

  New year = new resolutions and daily goals! Join us in the COMO pottery studio to make your own reusable sticky note board to hang on your wall or stick to your fridge. Templates and examples will be provided, but each piece can be customized to suit how you like to make lists the most.

  Learn how to roll out the perfect slab of clay with instructor Emma Pons, then receive a guided demo on turning a simple rectangle of clay into the neatest to-do list that will actually get you excited to cross off your goals/chores- or even a grocery list! Pieces will then be fired and glazed by the instructor to be picked up 2-4 weeks after the workshop.

  Participants at the end of the session will have one “to-do” board that can be used with dry erase markers to be picked up 2-4 weeks after the workshop.

  Member: $32.00
  Non-member: $35.00

• SUPER BOWLS (CHIP & DIP BOWLS) [Ages 16+]
  Sunday, January 25, 12-2:30 p.m.

  Getting excited for the Super Bowl? Football fans and chip enjoyers are all welcome in our Chip and Dip Bowl workshop in the COMO Pottery Studio! Recieve a guided demo by instructor Emma Pons on forming your own bowl out of draped slabs and attaching clay together to form your own bowl for your favorite chip and dip combo. Pick a single glaze or custom paint your chip and dip bowl to make it a truly custom piece of functional art! Pieces will then be fired and glazed by the instructor to be picked up 2-4 weeks after the workshop.

  Participants at the end of the session will have one custom chip and dip bowl to be picked up 2-4 weeks after the workshop.

  Member: $37.00
  Non-member: $40.00

• LOVE LETTER ENVELOPES [Ages 12+]
  Saturday, January 31, 4-6 p.m.

  Create a lovely clay envelope that is as beautiful and long lasting as the love notes you hope to store to read again and again! Love deserves to be celebrated and what better way is there than to display them in a handmade clay envelope?! Join instructor Emma Pons in the COMO pottery studio as she walks you through rolling out clay and using templates to form the perfect place to store paper mementos like letters and ticket stubs (or perhaps a cuter space to place your spam mail) with all of the tools you need to customize your envelope to be as special as the letters you keep. Participants will have the choice of adding the ability to hang their piece on the wall or make the envelope to sit on any surface. Pieces will then be fired and glazed by the instructor to be picked up 2-4 weeks after the workshop.

  Participants at the end of the session will have one custom clay envelope and letter to be picked up 2-4 weeks after the workshop.

  Member: $32.00
  Non-member: $35.00

• PAL-ENTINE’S DAY CHARM MAKING WORKSHOP [Ages 12+]
  Friday, February 13, 6-8 p.m.

  Gather your favorite gals and pals for an evening of charm making in the COMO pottery studio! Make up to five charms out of clay just for you or to share with your friends to add to any necklace, bag, or bracelet for an extra pop of whimsy! Pieces will then be fired and glazed by the instructor to be picked up 2-4 weeks after the workshop. Lobster clasps will be attached to all charms by the instructor after firing.

  Participants at the end of the session will have one custom clay envelope and letter to be picked up 2-4 weeks after the workshop.

  Member: $32.00
  Non-member: $35.00

• VALENTINE’S DAY DATE NIGHT (AKA SIP ‘N’ SPIN) [Ages 21+]
  Saturday, February 14, 4-6 p.m.

  Bring your favorite wine or brew and sip through a professional wheel-throwing demo with a loved one (doesn’t have to be a date!). Then, receive instruction on how to throw your own creation on the pottery wheel or by handbuilding. Clay and firing for three pieces included. Pottery will be fired and glazed by instructor and are available for pick up four weeks later. You will receive an email when your items are available for pickup! Items will be picked up from COMO Thrift located at 45 Cutler St. in Stonington, CT. Space is limited!

  Member: $63.00
  Non-member: $70.00