If you’ve been thinking about trying pottery but have absolutely no idea where to start, you’re definitely not alone.

One of the things we hear most often from people coming into our Chichester pottery studio for the first time is some variation of:

“I’m not very creative…”

Closely followed by:

“I’ve never done anything like this before.”

The good news? Neither matters.

Most of our pottery classes and workshops are designed to help complete beginners get their hands on some clay, switch off for a while and discover just how enjoyable making something from scratch can be.

The only tricky bit is deciding which pottery class to try first. So, here’s where we’d start…

If you want a relaxed introduction: Clay Café

Our newly refreshed Clay Café is probably the easiest way to dip your toe into pottery without committing to a full course.

Each session is based around a monthly or seasonal theme, so rather than handing you a lump of clay and saying “make anything!” (which can be mildly terrifying 😂), you’ll have plenty of inspiration and guidance.

Using a simple pinch-pot technique, we’ll help you create your piece while you settle in with a tea or barista coffee.

No wheel, no previous experience and absolutely no expectation of perfection.

If you really want to try the wheel: Pottery Throwing Taster

Been watching The Great Pottery Throw Down and quietly thinking “I reckon I could do that…”?

Our Pottery Throwing Tasters are your chance to find out.

You’ll get behind the wheel and learn the basics of throwing with guidance from our team. It’s a brilliant first step if wheel throwing is the part of pottery you’re most curious about, without jumping straight into a longer course.

And yes, it’s every bit as satisfying as it looks!

If you want to properly immerse yourself: Day of Clay

Sometimes a couple of hours simply isn’t enough.

Our Day of Clay gives you the opportunity to spend a full day in the studio, slow everything down and really get stuck into making.

With a very small group and plenty of guidance, there’s more time to explore techniques, ask questions and see what you can create.

It’s a lovely option if you want more than a taster but aren’t quite ready for a regular weekly commitment.

If you’ve caught the pottery bug: Weekly Classes

This is where things can get slightly addictive. 👀

Our weekly pottery classes in Chichester & Selsey give you regular studio time to develop your skills, work on your own projects and become more confident with clay.

Rather than everyone making exactly the same thing each week, you’ll have the opportunity to explore your own ideas with a teacher there to help you develop them.

They’re ideal if pottery has become your weekly switch-off - or you’d quite like it to.

And when you’re ready to learn more…

Once you’ve got some experience under your belt, our specialist workshops and masterclasses give you the opportunity to go deeper into particular techniques, from throwing to surface decoration.

There’s always something else to learn with clay - which is part of the reason we love it so much.

So if you’ve been waiting until you feel “creative enough” to try pottery, you can stop waiting.

You don’t need to know what you’re doing before you arrive. That’s what we’re here for!