The Bayanihan Immersion Series (Preview)

A Path to Pottery Mastery

The Bayanihan Immersion Series is a three-phase program designed to guide students from absolute beginner status to confident, independent, and specialized ceramic artists. Rooted in the spirit of communal support, our program ensures a flexible and encouraging path for every student.

Immersion Series Will Start in the Fall of 2026

Immersion Series Will Start in the Fall of 2026

  • Hands shaping clay on a pottery wheel.

    Wheel Throwing Immersion (Beginner)

    This 8-week beginner Wheel Throwing Immersion, part of the Bayanihan Pottery Instructional Series, is designed to foster a spirit of communal learning and cooperative effort as you delve into the art of pottery. With a focus on foundational techniques, you will develop the skills necessary to transform a lump of clay into a finished ceramic piece within a supportive studio environment.

  • Close-up of a person shaping a clay bowl on a pottery wheel, hands covered in wet clay.

    Practice & Refinement (Post-Immersion)

    This 4-week module is the perfect bridge for students who have completed the initial Wheel Throwing Immersion and want to significantly increase their confidence, consistency, and volume before tackling advanced forms. It functions as an extended, guided practice period within the supportive Bayanihan structure.

Hands shaping wet clay on a pottery wheel.

Wheel Throwing Immersion (Beginner)

  • The primary goal of the Bayanihan Pottery Instructional Series: 8-Week Wheel Throwing Immersion is to introduce students to the complete process of creating wheel-thrown pottery and establish a solid, repeatable foundation.

    • Duration: 8 weeks (One scheduled session per week); 3 hours per session. Total of 24 hours of studio instruction.

    • Shared Shelf Space: During your 8 week immersion, you will have an assigned shelf space (24” Depth x 24” Length x 16” Height) to house your pottery pieces as they dry.

    • Focus: Core wheel-throwing techniques, including centering, opening, pulling walls, and shaping basic forms.

    • Unlimited Clay: Practice is essential! You'll have unlimited access to clay throughout the eight (8) weeks, allowing you to experiment freely and maximize your learning.

    • Student Studio Hours (Communal Practice): Enjoy up to 144 free, student studio hours outside of scheduled instruction time. This flexible access, in the spirit of Bayanihan, encourages shared practice and peer support as you develop muscle memory and complete your projects.

    • Finished Work: The average student typically completes 10 to 12 finished pieces over the course of the 8 week course.

    • Firing Included: The Immersion includes free bisque and glaze firing for all your finished work, covering the cost of turning your greenware into durable ceramics.

    • Week 1-2: Foundations: Focus on mastering the most challenging steps: centering the clay on the wheel and learning to create consistent cylinders and bowls.

    • Week 3-4: Refining Techniques: Introduce trimming techniques and focus on creating more complex or varied forms (e.g., mugs, small plates, or altered shapes).

    • Week 4-8: Glazing & Finishing: Learn basic glazing application methods. You will select and apply glazes to your bisque-fired pieces in preparation for the final firing.

    • Enrollment: Students are welcome and encouraged to continue their pottery journey by enrolling in subsequent Bayanihan Series programs to build upon the skills learned.

    • Piece Pickup: If you do not continue with future programs, your finished, fired pieces will be available for pickup approximately 2 to 3 weeks after the final session.

  • $488 for 8 weeks

Close-up of a person shaping a clay bowl on a pottery wheel in a workshop.

Practice & Refinement (Post-Immersion)

  • The primary goal of this module is repetition for mastery. Students will focus on consistency, speed, and size control for the fundamental forms learned in the initial immersion (cylinders, bowls, and basic trimming).

    • Duration: 4 weeks (One scheduled session per week); 3 hours per session. Total of 12 hours of studio instruction time.

    • Shared Shelf Space: During your 4 week immersion, you will have an assigned shelf space (24” Depth x 24” Length x 16” Height) to house your pottery pieces as they dry.

    • Focus: Focused, guided, and independent practice sessions aimed at consistency and volume. Instruction will be tailored to address common post-beginner challenges (e.g., throwing taller, achieving even wall thickness).

    • Unlimited Clay & Studio Access: Continues with the benefit of unlimited clay and up to 72 additional studio hours for maximizing practice time.

    • Firing Included: Includes free bisque and glaze firing for all successful pieces.

    • Instructor Check-ins: Structured time for technical troubleshooting, glaze consultation, and feedback on progress, without the pressure of learning entirely new techniques.

  • Instead of new lessons, the class structure will prioritize throwing time:

    • Guided Warm-up & Repetition: The instructor will lead a quick demonstration focusing on a specific common challenge (e.g., pulling a clean rim or controlling the base width).

    • Independent Practice Block: Students throw for the majority of the time, working on specific repetition goals set for themselves (e.g., throwing 10 identical 5-inch cylinders).

    • Individual Check-ins: The instructor moves around the room, offering personalized feedback and immediate solutions to technical problems.

    • Community Critique: Optional group review of work to identify successes and areas for improvement, leaning into the Bayanihan spirit.

  • Students may enroll in the Practice & Refinement Module multiple times until they feel confident and consistent enough to successfully tackle the more complex technical challenges of the Intermediate Series.

  • $488 for 8 weeks

Mold Our Schedule

Welcome! We're thrilled you are interested in joining the Bayanihan Pottery Immersion Series. To ensure we schedule classes that work best for our community, please tell us a little about your experience, your availability, and what you hope to create. Your input directly helps us mold the perfect schedule!