Intro Wheel Workshops
Saturday, Mar 7 6–8pm, with Rebecca Li
Saturday, Mar 14 6–8pm, with Abbey Eaton
Learn how to make a handmade pot in this fun and informative 2-hour workshop. Our expert teachers will guide you in the basic techniques of ‘throwing’ on the pottery wheel. If you would like to keep the piece you make, we will trim, glaze, and fire it so that you pick it up within a few weeks. All this for $95. Please note: 1) Not everyone ends up with a piece that is worth keeping – this is first and foremost a learning experience. 2) Participants must be 18 or older. 3) There is a cancellation/refund fee of $20.
Intro Hand Building Workshops
Saturday, Feb 28 5:30–7:30pm, with Isabella Jansen
Saturday, Mar 14 5:30–7:30pm, with Isabella Jansen
Learn to make functional or sculptural ceramic art in this fun and informative 2-hour workshop. The class will begin with a short demonstration followed by guided instruction for you to make your own unique piece(s). Register with friends or come alone for this joyful, relaxing class. If you would like to keep the piece you make, we will trim, glaze, and fire it so that you pick it up within a few weeks. All this for $95. Please note: 1) Not everyone ends up with a piece that is worth keeping – this is first and foremost a learning experience. 2) Participants must be 18 or older. 3) There is a cancellation/refund fee of $20.
Body Mechanics on the Wheel
Sunday, April 12th, 12–3pm
$95/person
This is an interactive workshop on how to use your body effectively for less pain and more success while throwing on the wheel. HanaKyle will guide you in aligning your whole body and effectively engaging muscles to leverage the strength you already have while throwing and in associated tasks, including wedging. All levels of experience are welcome.
In this 2.5-hour session, we will:
- practice specific stretches and mobility moves to prepare for and/or counteract the physical patterns of wheel throwing
- discuss areas of concern in the body and relevant anatomical details, with plenty of time for Q&A
- explore the details of how we use fingers, hands, wrists, neck, back, and shoulders in this work
- try out ergonomic variations of common techniques and get feedback in the moment
You’ll learn:
- How to use leverage to minimize fatigue
- Stretches to do before, during, and after a session on the wheel
- How to arrange your body to decrease pain or discomfort
- Mindfulness to apply to every moment of your clay practice
HanaKyle Moranz is a massage therapist and personal trainer of over 20 years, and returned to the wheel in 2022 after a long hiatus. She’s enthusiastic to share details about anatomy, physiology, and using our bodies in optímal ways for longevity, both on the wheel and in everyday life. Learn more about her at www.hanakyle.com.
Registration will open soon.
Valentine’s Clay
Saturday, February 14, 2026
Wheel Workshop 1: 11am–1pm
Wheel Workshop 2: 6–8pm
Hand Building Workshop: 5:30–7:30pm
Cost: $200 per couple per workshop
Try something new with someone you love. Enjoy a two-hour workshop of guided instruction in either hand building or wheel throwing. No experience necessary. We will glaze your finished work of art and it will be ready for pick-up four to six weeks later.
Wine will be available to toast your valentine (evening workshops).
Super Bowl Workshop
First Down: Throwing Intensive
Sun, Feb 8, 10am–2pm. $200 per person
Second Down (optional): Trimming Afterparty
Sun, Feb 15, 10am–1pm. $150 per person
Get ready for a hands-on, high-energy throwing intensive that’s all about practice, analysis, and friendly challenge. This Super Bowl–themed workshop is designed to push your skills, sharpen your technique, and help you learn by doing — and sometimes by cutting your work in half.
Throwing Intensive
Game Plan
- Live demos throughout the session
- Multiple throwing rounds with focused goals
- Cross-section analysis (cutting pieces in half to assess form, thickness, and structure)
- Skill challenges designed to test consistency, control, and confidence
- Group feedback and discussion
Workshop Challenges Include
- Throw » Cut » Assess: Throw a bowl, cut it open, and analyze what’s happening inside
- Second-Chance Bowl: Apply what you learned — optionally cut it open (or keep it if it’s too good to sacrifice!)
- 2 lb Bowl Challenge: A timed throwing challenge to test control and efficiency
- Final Bowl Throw: Put it all together and finish strong
This workshop is ideal for potters who want to see what’s really happening in their work, troubleshoot common issues, and build better habits through repetition and feedback.
Please note: 1) Only current La Mano members and students may keep their pieces. 2) This workshop is for potters with some experience.
Trimming Afterparty
Prerequisite: Participation in the February 8 Super Bowl Workshop
Think of this as the post-game analysis and victory lap — with a twist.
This follow-up session focuses on trimming skills, decision-making, and trust through a mix of demos, drills, and a collaborative challenge.
After Party Highlights
- Trimming points demo
- Trim one bowl with guided feedback
Blindfold Bowl Challenge
- One potter throws blindfolded while their teammate(s) act as their eyes
- 2–2.5 lb clay ball
- Timed exercise (approximately 10 minutes)
- If time allows, teammates switch roles
- The blindfold challenge is all about developing touch, reducing overthinking, and strengthening communication — for both the thrower and the guide.
Why Take Both?
The Super Bowl Workshop builds the foundation; the After Party refines and reinforces it. Together, they’re a full-cycle learning experience — from throwing and analysis to trimming and teamwork.
Rainstick Workshop
Saturdays, November 8 + 15
4:30–7:30pm
Get ready to make it rain — ceramically speaking! In this playful two-evening workshop, the wonderful Isabella Jansen will guide you through the process of creating your own hand-built clay rainstick that mimics the soothing sound of falling rain.
Whether you’re new to clay or looking to expand your skills, you’lll learn hand building techniques and leave with a unique functional piece that sings when you shake it. Pieces will be glazed, fired, and ready for pickup a few weeks after class.
Price: $300 per person plus firing fees (5 cents per cubic inch).
Only 10 spots available — so don’t wait to claim yours! Register Now »
Make an Ocarina
Saturday, September 27
5:30–8:30pm
Cost: $170
An evening workshop taught by Isabella Jansen. We’re going to unlock the secrets of making whistles and ocarinas that work beautifully. Uncover how the size and position of the hole can change the pitch, and watch as adding more holes brings more notes into the mix. Let your creativity run wild, transforming your whistle into a whimsical animal or embellishing it with unique patterns and textures. Let’s dive into the process of creating music with clay!
The cost covers the firing fees for one ocarina that you’ll create. Your masterpiece will be fired, glazed, and ready for collection approximately three weeks after the workshop.
So, what are you waiting for? Let’s make some music!
Luster Fire Workshop
Sunday, October 5th 11:30am–2pm
Join expert ceramicist Lynn Goodman for a shimmering deep dive into the world of lusterware! Learn how to apply real gold, white gold, platinum, and mother of pearl accents to your glazed pieces in this small-group outdoor workshop.
Workshop includes instruction, materials (excluding lusters), and access to future La Mano luster firings (5¢/cubic inch). All work painted by workshop participants will be fired at 5 cents per cubic inch.
Firing of workshop pieces will take place at La Mano shortly after the workshop and will be available for pickup within 2 weeks.
Purchase lusters onsite: Premium Gold (2g): $60 / White Gold (2g): $40 / Mother of Pearl (15mL): $20
Bring your own finished glazed work to transform—space is limited, so don’t miss your chance to make it shine!
Participants must be 18 or older. Participants must bring already glaze-fired handmade ceramic pieces. $150/person + materials
Space is limited, so register now!
Silver Clay Workshops
Friday Feb 28
Friday March 28
Friday May 9th
5–8:30pm / Cost: $200
Precious metal clay, or silver clay, is made of pure silver mixed with water and an organic binding agent. You can mold it into an endless number of shapes and designs. When fired, the binding agent burns off, resulting in original fine silver jewelry — 99.9% pure. Learn the basics of how to work with silver clay. This 3.5 hour session covers rolling, stamping, and other methods of creating texture and all the finishing techniques you will need. Pieces will be fired during the workshop, so you can wear your creation home that day.
Precious metal clay is an additional cost and can be purchased at La Mano — $55 for a 15g packet. The workshops will be limited to 8 students.
Valentine’s Clay Date
Saturday, February 15
Hand Building Workshop: 5:30–7:30
Wheel Workshop: 6–8
Cost: $200 per couple
Try something new with someone you love. Enjoy a two hour workshop of guided instruction in either hand building or wheel throwing. No experience necessary. We will glaze your finished work of art and it will be ready for pick-up four to six weeks later.
Wine will be available to toast your Valentine.
Super Bowl Workshop
Perfect your bowl skills so you can make your own super bowl!
Sunday, February 9
10:30am–1:30pm
Fee: $150
On Super Bowl Sunday, join a group of experienced potters who want to up their bowl making game. Super Bowl expert Marianne Kerry will lead this three hour workshop. Learn how to make bowls you love — by design, not by default.
Throwing Off the Hump
Saturday, November 16, 2024
5:30–7:30pm
Cost: $100
Learn to throw from the hump in this 2-hour workshop with Abbey Eaton. This technique is useful for throwing multiple pieces in one sitting, including small items and lids. This is a workshop for potters with experience. Being able to center is a prerequisite. Note: pieces will not be saved.
Anatomy of a Lamp
Saturday, November 9, 2024
5:30–7:30pm
Cost: $100
Learn how to wire a ceramic lamp in this 2-hour workshop with David Hollingsworth. From traditional table lamps to illuminated sculptures, we will discuss how to design ceramics for successful lamp-making. David will demonstrate how to wire a lamp and there will be several handmade lamps for participants to assemble themselves. By the end of the evening, participants will have the skills and confidence to wire their own ceramic creations. Participants will be able to consult with David in the months following the workshop for help sourcing and selecting the right parts to assemble their own lamps. We will not be working with clay during this workshop, it will focus on design and wiring.
How To Make the Perfect Bowl
Wednesday, August 28, 2024 / 6–9pm
An evening workshop taught by Marianne Kerry
Cost $150
The objective of this workshop is to create beautiful, well-balanced wheel-thrown bowls.
Learn tips & techniques on what makes a bowl elegant yet functional. This is a hands-on workshop with plenty of demonstrations and explanations on how to throw a bowl that has a beautiful slope, sits level, feels balanced, and is neither bottom or top heavy. A Trimming demonstration will also be included.
Notes: 1) This workshop is for potters with some experience. 2) As this is a skill-building session, work produced during the workshop will not be saved (unless you are a current studio member or student).
Luster Workshop
Sunday, June 23, 2024 / 11:30am–2pm
Join us for an in-depth workshop on luster firing.
Expert ceramic artist, Lynn Goodman, will instruct a small group in all aspects of this amazing technique. In lusterware, liquid metal luster is applied over vitrified pieces that have already been glazed and fired. They then undergo a third special firing which results in a metallic iridescent final look.
Gold Luster is made of particles of real gold suspended in a liquid medium. This organic binder burns off in the firing, providing beautiful gold accents on your glazed work. Other luster metals can also be applied in the same way — such as platinum, white gold , and mother of pearl (an iridescent raku-like finish).
Workshop participants will receive instruction on several different application techniques as well as safety and health protection issues. To ensure proper ventilation, this workshop is held out of doors directly in front of the studio. Workshop participants are invited to bring their handmade glazed and fired ceramic work to paint during the workshop. Firing of workshop pieces will take place at La Mano shortly after the workshop and will be available for pickup within 2 weeks.
All work painted by workshop participants will be eligible for La Mano’s special luster firings at a standard fee (5 cents per cubic inch). Subsequent to the workshop, all workshop participants will be eligible to have their work fired at La Mano whenever luster firings are scheduled.
Included in the price of the workshop is a pouch containing the materials (except the precious metals) that you will need to apply the luster. You can pre order one or more jars of luster through La Mano at our special price for workshop participants OR you can bring your own. Please specify which metal(s) you would like to purchase at time of registration. (Note: availability of some metals may be limited, so we will honor pre-orders as they are received.)
Registration and fees
2 and 1/2 hour workshop – $150/person
Luster Prices
Premium Gold – 2 g: $60
White Gold – 2 g: $40 (results are silver-like)
Mother of Pearl – 15 mL: $20 (iridescent raku-like finish)
Refunds + Cancellations
In order to receive a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the start time of the workshop — there is a $20 processing fee. There are no partial refunds or credits on workshop fees. There are no refunds within 24 hours of the workshop start time.