Beginner Level
Intermediate - Advanced Level
Our Form & Surface courses provide a seductive smorgasbord of activities designed to open your mind to the many possibilities of building forms with clay and embellishing their surfaces.
Beginners & Mixed level: suitable for total beginners and also students with some basic prior experience who wish to expand their skills. Projects are structured for Beginners but allow for development and varied experience. You will be introduced to a range of different clay types and a variety of surface treatments and will also learn to glaze your pieces which we fire and will be finished a few weeks after the end of the course.
Intermediate/Advanced level: suitable for those who have previous experience in ceramics and are very comfortable with basic techniques such as pinching, coiling and slab building. You will work as a group in projects designed to expand your knowledge by experiencing extra technical challenges and varied techniques including glaze testing and development and mould-making. You will be encouraged and assisted to develop a strong personal expression and Robyn will offer tutoring style teaching in support of your own ideas and once projects are under way. You will also have an *extra studio hour to develop your own work.
This course repeats 4 terms per year, 8 weeks each. If you love it you can enrol again and again as a continuing student! We love to help you develop a long journey with clay.
Beginners & Mixed Level: No pre-requisites
- Monday 6.30-8.30pm (Dawn Vachon)
- Tuesday 10am-12pm (Sabrina Talarico) (*Optional free extra hour Studio Access)
Advanced Level: Pre-requisites: minimum two terms in Beginners level
- Thursday 1-3pm (Robyn Phelan) (*Optional free extra hour Studio Access)
“The Form and Surface class is incredible. As someone who started on the wheel, this class opened my eyes to various techniques of manipulating the clay and to different types of clay. It’s expanded my horizons and allowed me to approach my craft differently. I’d recommend this to anyone: beginners looking to try out pottery and to experienced potters looking to explore clay’s potential off the wheel.” Rachel, June 2022
2025 dates:
Term 1: 27 Jan (Mon) – 24 March (Mon)(CLOSED)- Term 2: 24 April (Thur) – 17 June (Tue) (OPEN now)
- Term 3: 13 July 14 (Mon) – 3 Sept 5 (Thur) (some early bird tickets open)
- Term 4: 20 Oct (Mon) – Dec 16 (Thur) (TBA)
Note: No classes on public holidays. Term is extended.
Note: Please choose your time slot carefully. The Intermediate/Advanced level is a separate booking button underneath the Beginner’s/Mixed level button.
No classes on public holidays.
This is a class for people who don’t want to be limited to the concentric! Follow the flow and see where it leads you…
“I had such an amazing time in the beginners hand building course. Robin is absolutely fabulous and such a great teacher. She let’s you explore your own creative expression while giving you practical tips on how to make your clay dreams become reality 🙂 The class was honestly the highlight of my week and I am now hooked on hand building!” (TT, 22/6/24)
Slow Clay Centre aims to provide the best education in ceramics/pottery classes and courses in Melbourne. It is highly regarded as a specialist ceramic education centre established in 2012. We look forward to welcoming you!
FAQs: please read these FAQs and familiarise yourself with our studio guidelines before enrolling.
Transfers: Please choose carefully as we do not offer refunds. We do understand shit happens and life gets in the way so we can occasionally transfer you at short notice if we have someone on the waiting list. If not, please offer it to a friend. There is a $25 fee for all transfers. We do keep cancellation lists so if you miss out please email us and we will put you on a list.
Booking info: Booking buttons appear on the left when we open for new enrolments. Enrolments open half way through a term for the forthcoming term. Some Early-bird tickets are available in advance. Please refresh your browser to keep up with new info.
Fees: 8-week term $625/ $595 (Continuing Students and Concession), $575 (Early Bird). Cost is inclusive of all materials and use of all studio facilities Firing is $20/kg extra. 50% deposit payable on booking. Balance due three weeks before start date.
Studio Access Times (SATs): SATs are 3-hour sessions ($40) available to students to use our facilities, with fully included materials, for some extra making time. Unlimited SATs can be booked for $40 per session. Only available for enrolled students in weekly classes. (ask about our cheaper rate for bundles)
Missed Lesson and FREE SATs: One missed class per term can be replaced by a FREE 3-hr SAT.
*FREE Extra hour SAT: Morning and afternoon students have an option for a FREE one-hour extension SAT after their class. No bookings required however if others have booked a full 3-hour SAT they have priority.
Times and days are subject to change pending studio needs and will be communicated to you each term but generally are available weekdays 12-3pm and Saturdays 9-12.
Except for the free extension hour, bookings are required and you will receive an email at the start of term with a password to access the booking page or you can book through our office.
Please note: Deposits are a commitment to attend. They are non-refundable and the balance must be paid in full three weeks before the start date. When paying by deposit online the balance will be automatically deducted from the same credit card three weeks before the course start date through our booking agency We Teach Me or you will be given a link to click and pay. Please note: due to limited places and high demand, if the balance is not received before the required date we reserve the right to offer your place to someone on our cancellation list.
Refunds
Please choose your classes carefully. Due to our limited class sizes once you've booked and paid either the deposit or the full fee, we will only refund what you have paid if the class is cancelled. If you are unable to attend you may transfer your booking to a friend for no charge or, provided we can fill your place, we can hold your payment in credit for up to 24 months for a future course. Please note: we do not take any responsibility for pre-existing health issues or injuries that may be exacerbated by the activities we teach you. Please seek a doctor's opinion or ask us if you need to know more.