My One Day Pottery Making Workshop in London Experience

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I was very excited when I first started planning my solo trip to London. Usually I travel with my husband, or I go to places where I know people. This time, the plan was to attend a pottery making class in London. Pottery is a big thing in my home country, and so I was looking forward to discovering more about this ancient artin one of the most cosmopolitan cities of the world. I saw it as a chance to educate myself, learn new things, and have great fun, all at the same time.




The first step was to locate suitable tuition. I contacted a company to search through potential offerings. It was quite simple to enter keywords like “pottery making class London”, “pottery lessons London” and “pottery throwing classes London”. A few alternatives came up, and it was fascinating to see the range of arts and crafts activities available. In the end, I opted for a one-day pottery making class in London. I set off with a great sense of anticipation, because I have always wanted to learn how to throw pottery.




The London transport system is easy to navigate, and so I had no trouble finding the venue. The teacher was an expert in ceramics who had trained at one of the big British arts schools. She had her own workshop, and the class took place there, alongside all her half-finished pots and other works in progress. I was very impressed with the whole set-up. There were only four other people attending the workshop, and we each had a table to work on, and a chair to sit on. It was a bit crowded in the small studio area, but it was interesting to see how everyone else was doing.




The first thing we learned, was how to prepare the clay to achieve the right consistency for modelling. Then the teacher demonstrated how to use the wheel, and we all made an attempt to throw a simple pot. This was quite fun, even though my effort was a small, squashed object that didn’t look anything like a pot. Eventually, with a bit of help from the teacher, I managed to make a small, shallow dish that could be used as a snack tray, or a plant holder.




I thought the job was done, at that point, but we were told that it was incredibly important to finish off the surface of the clay, so that it would look professional. All kinds of decorative effects can be added before firing, such as patterns traced into the clay, or glazes painted on top. We used a metal spoon to pat the clay and make it perfectly smooth. This means that the glaze would be even, and the pot would be shiny. I had no idea that a simple pot would take so long to make!




The next step was to learn about pottery painting. I was fascinated to see all the different chemicals that are used to create wonderful colours. It was not possible to paint our own pots, because they have to dry out thoroughly, before you can do that. Fortunately, I had a chance to try pottery painting on some bowls that the teacher had made earlier. It’s really hard to keep a steady hand while the bowl is spinning round, and you are trying to add a stripe on the side!




It takes a couple of days to fire the pots, and so we couldn’t take our works of art home with us. If it survives, my pot will be dispatched to me by post, and so eventually, I will have a permanent souvenir of this fascinating experience.




I will certainly go back to this workshop again, if I am planning another trip to London in the future. You can make candles, design silver jewellery, or learn about digital photography. It’s a wonderful way to see the world and improve your talent by joining an art class.

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