Intensive week/weekend courses in the US

[Hannahcuk78]

I am originally from the UK and living out in the states and have been working on my own pottery at home. I am trying to find places I can go to for intensive weekend/week classes to further progress my work and learn more about glazing/kiln building/throwing different forms etc. I follow with envy the work that clay college does in stoke on Trent England which is based at the heart of pottery in the UK. It seems to do some fantastic courses and I just cant seem to find anywhere that is an equivalent over here. Does such a place exist? I am on the west coast (Los angeles) but willing to travel a little for the right place.  Hope someone can help! Thank you.

[Hulk]

Hi Hannah!

Looks like there are dozens of pottery studios/classes/events in and around LA basin, e.g. Sunset Rooftop "Sip, Smoke and Paint" ...err, that's painting, looks like fun anyway (see also "Puff and Paint" lol!).

Perhaps someone will share their particular experiences and/or make suggestions.

There are a few choices in our area (Central Coast o' CA). I went with two full semesters at the local JC ceramic lab - Wheel I and Wheel II - which offered two evenings per week with short discussion/lecture/demonstration and then practice, practice, practice, with opportunity to use the lab during ample open studio time as well as available space during other classes. I wanted time at the wheel, and exposure to glazing, firing, hand building, and that's what I got, however, HowEver, also got to see many others* working and, And, I looked over all the in progress and finished work every week - a very slow tour of the entire space, twice a week. 

*folk in the studio included accomplished/expert guests, aspiring grad students tuning up they portfolio, longtime potters, rapidly improving beginners, fumbling beginners, stuck beginners, pottery as therapy types (serious stuff), counterclockwise types, clockwise types, so strong and mighty folk, eighty pound great grandparents, sculptors, big pot potters, tiny pot potters, sloppy messers, fastidious spotless-es, kick wheelers, reduction junkies, know it alls, givers, thieves, some very kind folk, runnin' off to Italy for an eight thousand dollar pottery classers, ...an' me. 

[oldlady]

hanna,  in the US, we have colleges, universities and what are known as Junior Colleges.  some of them are called Technical colleges and those seem to be the ones more likely to have various ceramic classes you might attend.   you do not have to sign up for enough classes to earn whatever they give if you graduate, some places just let you pay for a semester of classes over and over again.  try looking for technical colleges nearby.   tom's experience seems to be fairly typical, he was wise enough to learn what was not being taught by the instructor alone.

there are also "workshops", the intensive kind given by recognized experts in their fields.   someone else, please help here.

if you want to try the big boys, look up the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana.   you might also check out the huge convention called NCECA.  see lots about the one coming up in Sacramento, california in march.  look at the headings you see on this website, i am computer illiterate, somebody help here, please.