Pottery Classes in Fort Worth
At American Ceramic Supply Company at 2442 Ludelle Street in Fort Worth (1-866-535-2651) all classes are on-site. If you are out of town and unable to pick up supplies a list may be mailed to you with your deposit so you are able to prepare the pieces. The staff will also recommend any lodging. They have a fridge, microwave, and toaster oven in the classroom for your convenience. For prospective students in low population areas unable to come to Fort Worth for classes and without access to an educational distributor you can contact the Company for their traveling teacher program. They also have a two-day Contemporary Studio Apprenticeship Program.
At the LMRA Pottery Studio you can take Beginning Wheel Throwing, Hand Building, and Wheel Throwing. The studio is available for LMRA Pottery Club members and use of the facility is limited to amateur and hobby activity. Memberships are bought at the reception desk of the Lockheed-Martin Recreation Association. Lockheed Martin employees and associates pay $65 per year and guests pay $130.00. All active employees and retirees of Lockheed and Affiliated Organizations and immediate family members 18 or older are eligible for membership. Guest memberships are extended to non-employees who are sponsored by any person eligible for employee membership. For more information, go to lmrapotterystudio.com.
At Hart Street Pottery at 6346 Hart Street in Fort Worth (817-429-7222) they offer pottery instruction and pottery retail. The staff and students recently helped with the Tarrant Area Food Bank’s Annual Empty Bowl Fundraiser to benefit the needy. Guests numbered 1,100 this year.
Pottery Pad at 4818 Camp Bowie Boulevard in Fort Worth was chosen as best art experience for kids by a local paper recently. You can paint your own pottery there, too.
Pottery Making Illustrated is a must-have for those serious about pursuing pottery long-term. There are various glazes used in pottery from Raku to High-Fire and many different kinds of kiln washes. Electric kilns have to be vented.
You can also join a potter’s association or a ceramics group to learn more about the craft. Major universities also offer pottery classes.
As for how to dress when working with clay, Jeff Zamek, a pottery artist, recommends using safety.
“Learning from one’s personal experience can be a painful and costly endeavor,” he said. Safety in the ceramics studio hits home hardest when there is a price to pay for inattention.”
Zamek said the choice of correctly fitting clothing for working around clay, mixing machines, or pug mills helps prevent accidents.
Whenever mixing any dry or wet glazed material potters should also use respirators and before using any hand-held power drills and mixing attachments wear protective glasses to protect eyes from getting sprayed when mixing glazes. Keep hands away from sharp moving blades during mixing or cleaning of the equipment.
