Frequently Asked Questions

No – you don’t need any previous experience to join our One Day Throwing Course or Two Day Raku Making and Firing Course. Both of these are suitable for complete beginners.

The One Day Throwing Course is a great introduction to throwing – you will spend a whole day at the wheel with expert tuition and are guaranteed to be throwing unaided by the end of the day.

On the Two Day Raku Making and Firing Course you’ll be introduced to a wide range of making and decorating techniques. This will include pinch pots, slab building and sculpting plus the opportunity to have a go on the wheel if you would like.

Our One Day Throwing Course is a great experience if you are looking for your first taste of pottery or would like to give this as a gift. Unlike some pottery experiences, on this course you’ll have a whole day at the wheel rather than a few hours. You’ll be part of a small group with one-to-one expert tuition and be amazed at what you’ll produce by the end of the day. You’ll make around 10 pots which will then be fired and glazed by Bill ready for you to collect 4-5 weeks later.

Yes you can book someone onto a Clayability course as a gift – whatever the occasion (including for a 9th Wedding Anniversary which is the gift of pottery!)

The best way to do this is to choose the course you think they would like and then choose and book an available date for them. During the booking process you’ll be asked if you’re booking this as a gift and if you are we’ll send you a Gift Card to print and give. The recipient does then have the option to move to a different date if one is available by contacting us via email up to four weeks before the course. Book a course.

You can find out more about each of our courses, including the price, on our course pages:
One Day Throwing Course
Two Day Throwing Course
Three Day Throwing Masterclass
Two Day Raku Making and Firing Course

You will be taught by masterpotter Bill Moore. Bill has over 30 years experience as a professional maker and for much of that time has also enjoyed sharing his skills with students as a teacher. He is particularly known for his ability to teach throwing with patience and humour! He teaches using a mix of demonstrations, sharing tips of the trade and offering lots of one-to-one support.

We deliberately keep our courses small to ensure you get plenty of one to one tuition.

There are a maximum of 6 students on the One Day and Two Day Throwing Courses and up to 7 students on the Raku courses. The Three Day Masterclass is smaller with only 5 places to give you more personalised tuition and support you with more self-directed projects.

No, all of our courses are for those aged 18 and over.

Check availability and book directly through our Booking page. Payment is taken via bank card as part of the booking process and you will receive an automated Booking Confirmation email.

Full details on cancellations and changes can be found on our Terms and Conditions page.

No — your course price is all-inclusive, covering tuition, materials, firing, and food for the day, so there are no hidden extras to budget for.

Yes — hot drinks and refreshments are available throughout the day as well as a communal home-cooked lunch. We’ll check with you in advance about any dietary requirements you may have.

You are welcome to bring lunch with you if you would prefer. There are no shops within walking distance but you can reach one by car within 10 minutes

Courses take place at The Pottery, Elm Farm, Duck Lane, Langford, North Somerset, Bristol, BS40 5EY. Map
Free on-site parking is available, and courses start at 10am.

The Clayability studio isn’t located directly on any public transport routes but the U2 bus travelling between Bristol and Weston-super-Mare stops nearby in Langford. From here it’s a 15 minute walk or we can arrange to collect you. Map

The nearest train station is at Yatton which is a 15 minute taxi ride from Clayability (pre-booking required).

We can also help to coordinate potential car-sharing between students.

Yes the studio is wheelchair accessible. Our toilet is usually accessed down a step but if you contact us in advance we are happy to discuss your accessibility requirements can make adaptations.

On the One Day Throwing Course, you’ll typically produce around 10 pots.

On the Two Day course you’ll also produce around 10 pots but you’ll be taking them to the next level of finish by adding handles and turning your bowls.

On the Three Day Masterclass you’ll be working on more advanced pieces like lidded pots, pots with handles and maybe even a teapot!

Yes – if you’re already throwing at the wheel and are self taught or have had lessons elsewhere then Bill is very skilled at helping you improve your technique, build your confidence and iron out any bad habits that might have crept in. You’re welcome to come to the One Day Throwing Course to cover the foundations of throwing or if you are already able to throw a cylinder you could sign up to the Two Day Throwing Course to learn new skills and tips.

Our throwing courses are designed to help you progress and develop increasing skills and confidence over time.

If you’ve enjoyed the entry level One Day Throwing Course then the Two Day Throwing Course is the perfect next step. You’ll further finesse your technique and learn new skills like making and adding handles and turning your finished pots.

Beyond this is the Three Day Throwing Masterclass and opportunity to take your throwing to the next level learning new skills and adding a professional level of finish to your work. You’ll also have the chance to make a teapot!

Raku is a traditional Japanese firing technique which takes place outside. You can read more about the process itself on our Raku course page.

Our course is unusual and rather special because you get to make your own pieces on Day 1 and then return a week later to decorate and fire them on Day 2. You are hands on with the whole process – from the bag of raw clay all the way through to washing the soot off your finished pieces and seeing the stunning effects appear. Then you get to take them home at the end of the firing day

During the making day of the Raku course you’ll usually make around 8–10 pieces — typically three on the potter’s wheel and the rest hand-built. Bill often describes this course as being like attending a 10-week hand-building course in a single day because he demonstrates so many different techniques throughout the day!

If you’re already confident on the wheel you’re welcome to spend more of your time there. If you’re not familiar with throwing you’ll have the opportunity to have a go with Bill’s one-to-one support.

Wear old comfortable clothes and shoes that you don’t mind getting a little messy — clay comes out easily with water, but splatters happen. Aprons are provided to help. The studio floor can be chilly in winter so we recommend warm socks then.

We also recommend removing any large rings before the course and also trimming long fingernails short for easier clay handling. It’s also best to tie back long hair.

No — aprons and all the tools you need are provided, though you’re welcome to bring your own if you prefer.

After a throwing course Bill will glaze your pots for you. He’ll show you a small selection of in-house glazes including a cream off-white and the workshop favourite, a pale blue-white.

On the Raku course you will decorate your own pots using our two great in-house dipping glazes – copper green and tin white – and a few other paint on glazes.

After a throwing course your pots will be dried, biscuit fired, glazed and fired again before they will be ready for you to collect and take home. This process will take 4-5 weeks and we’ll contact you via email to let you know when they’re ready.

If you have access to glazes or a kiln then you can ask to collect your work unglazed after the biscuit firing stage. This will usually be 3 weeks after the course.

Your pots are usually ready to collect 4-5 weeks after your course. We’ll contact you via email to let you know when they are ready to collect.

On the Raku course you get to take your stunning raku pieces home at the end of the second day – fresh from the firing!