ABOUT OUR CLASSES
KC Clay Guild offers pottery classes for all skill levels in a welcoming, hands-on environment. Students can choose between hand-building techniques like pinching and coiling or wheel-throwing on the potter’s wheel. Classes run for four weeks, meeting once a week, and include 25 lbs of clay, glazes, firings, and studio access (for adult students). Our skilled instructors guide students through the creative process, making ceramics fun and accessible for everyone. |
Sunday Pottery Classes |
Our Sunday Pottery Classes are one-time, three-hour sessions designed to introduce adults to the potter’s wheel in a fun, casual setting. Held Sunday evenings from 5–8 PM, these small-group classes (limited to 8 students) provide hands-on experience in throwing clay and creating a few small pieces. Students will focus on making pottery while enjoying a relaxed atmosphere. Our staff will handle glazing and firing, with finished pieces available for pickup a few weeks later. Due to high demand, registration is recommended about a month in advance. |
4-Week ClassES |
Hand-Building Classes Discover the art of hand-building, a versatile and traditional approach to working with clay. In these classes, students explore fundamental techniques such as pinching, coiling, extruding, and molding to create unique and expressive ceramic pieces. Hand-building is ideal for those who enjoy a more sculptural, hands-on experience without using a potter’s wheel. Wheel-Throwing Classes Learn the fundamentals of wheel throwing in our hands-on classes designed for beginners through advanced potters. Using the potter’s wheel, students develop essential skills to shape clay into functional and decorative forms, guided by our skilled instructors. |
Details Classes run Monday - Thursday and Saturday and are open to all skill levels. Each four-week session includes:
Pricing
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Class Schedule |
Adult Wheel Throwing Classes (open to all skill levels): Mondays from 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM with Abby Callaghan Registering for October Mondays from 6 PM - 9 PM with Alex Watson FULL* Tuesdays from 10 AM - 1 PM with Alex Watson FULL* Tuesdays from 6 PM - 9 PM with Alex Watson FULL* Wednesdays from 10 AM - 1 PM with Louis Reilly FULL* Wednesdays from 6 PM - 9 PM with Kelly Daniels FULL*
Thursdays from 10 AM - 1 PM with Cathy Broski FULL*
Saturdays from 10 AM - 1 PM with Sam Sequeira Registering for September Adult Hand Building/Sculpture Class: Mondays from 10 AM - 1 PM with Amy Meya FULL*
Thursdays from 6 PM - 9 PM with Huey Hyuk Lee FULL*
Saturdays from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM with Naomi Peterson Registering for August Saturdays from 1 PM - 4 PM with Naomi Peterson FULL* Youth Wheel Throwing Classes (ages 8-12): Saturdays from 1:30 PM - 3 PM with Kelsie Herron Registering for August Youth Wheel Throwing for Homeschoolers (ages 8-15): Fridays from 10 AM - 11:30 AM with Sam Sequeira Registering for March *FULL means that this class is currently maintaining a full roster of students that return each month. Please contact us (edco@kcclayguild.org) to be added to the waitlist for the class that you are interested in. |
Instructors |
| Abby Callaghan Amy graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute in 2017 with a BFA in ceramics and art history. In 2019 she received her MAT from the University of Central Missouri. She has been working with clay for 15 years and teaching ceramics at the Clay Guild for 7 years. She has also been serving on the KCCG board as Education Chair since 2020. Having set up her home studio in 2024 she currently makes most of her work from home, focusing on functional wheel thrown and slip cast work. Abby teaches the adult wheel class on Monday nights. To see more of Abby's work, check out her instagram or website! |
| Alex Watson Alex graduated with a BFA in Ceramics from Utah State University in 2005. After graduating, he taught ceramics classes and managed the ceramics department at a small school in the Berkshires. In 2008, Watson moved to Colorado, where he lived and worked until 2013. He was an artist in residence at the Carbondale Clay Center and Studio for Artists Works. In 2010, he was a visiting artist at Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute in China. Upon returning from China, Watson became a full time studio potter. He is now in Kansas City, MO and is a founding member of the Kansas City Urban Potters. You can see more of Alex's work at kcurbanpotters.com. |
Amy Meya Amy is primarily a self-taught ceramic artist, education includes living and working in The Netherlands for five years, and extensive travel throughout Europe. Limited formal education through the KC Art Institute, and Longview Community College. A six year exhibitor at the Buyer's Market of American Craft in Philadelphia, from 2008-2013. Check out her website. |
Cathy Broski My work is steeped in archetypal and personal symbolism. Figures, houses, boats and pottery are all vessels to contain things we hold dear, and sometimes those things we would cast off. I chose these forms to work with because they have several levels of meaning I find intriguing to explore. The surfaces reflect my experience and attitude. I love the idea of found objects, because of their wear and marks of their journeys. I see people in much the same way. When I go to a museum or a home and see these objects put into a special environment they are reborn. To accomplish this in my own work, I use a layering technique. By using the figure as a three-dimensional canvas, the eye will travel completely around the surface. This helps to enhance the pattern or surprise in a story. Each piece begins on the potter’s wheel or with slabs. The pieces grow with the application of coils or additional slabs. When each piece is completed, I carve the surface and let it dry. The base color is applied and fired. Once the first firing is complete, I apply and wipe off a combination of terra sigilattas, slips, stains and glazes, then fire again. This process is repeated until I achieve the desired effect. Since receiving my BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1990, I have worked in the ceramics field in many capacities. Presently I am represented by numerous galleries, teach many pottery classes, instruct workshops, sell at art fairs, and have been published in several ceramic periodicals. In 2000, my husband and I built my studio right outside our backdoor. You can view her work on her website. |
| Huey Lee Huey is a ceramic artist from South Korea who has dedicated his career to exploring the expressive possibilities of clay. After completing his training as a traditional Korean ceramic artisan, Lee honed his skills working at various pottery and ceramic studios. During this time, he had the privilege of studying under renowned ceramic artists such as TaeGon Kim, Inchin Lee, and the late Gil-bae Kim, who imparted their knowledge of technique, form, and aesthetics. In pursuit of further artistic growth and new experiences, Lee relocated to Athens, Georgia, where he received a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Georgia. Here, he has continued to refine his craft and expand his artistic vision through experimentation with form, texture, and glaze. Lee's work is characterized by a deep sensitivity to the emotional and psychological resonance of form and material and a commitment to exploring the expressive potential of clay as a medium. Lee's work has been featured in numerous exhibitions and venues both nationally and internationally. He has received critical acclaim for his innovative approach to form and his ability to evoke complex emotions through his work. In addition to his creative pursuits, Lee is also an experienced and dedicated educator, passionate about sharing his knowledge and skills with the next generation of ceramic artists. Through his teaching, he strives to instill in his students a sense of curiosity, wonder, and reverence for the expressive potential of clay. |
 | Jacqueline Kaplan Jacqueline as born and raised in Kansas City. She is a self and locally taught ceramic artist who recently graduated with her associate degree and esthetics license from Johnson County Community College. She has been working with clay for six years and began selling her work two years ago. Jacqueline has been a monitor for the Guild for about a year but recently began teaching and really enjoys getting to know people through her private lessons. She is involved in many local pop-up events and was recently recognized as Mug of the Month at Belger Arts. Jacqueline is primarily a wheel-thrower but also enjoys the endless possibilities of handbuilding and sculpture. She enjoys connecting with people, whether that be through her makeup artistry, teaching pottery classes, or volunteering at the KCCG. When she’s not working, she enjoys spending time with her boyfriend and their cat and finding fun places to eat! |
| Kelly Lynn Daniels A California native, Kelly moved to New Bedford, MA where she received her MFA in Ceramics from UMass, Dartmouth. In 2016, following graduation, she accepted the Red Star Residency in Ceramics at Belger Crane Yard Studios in Kansas City, MO. In 2018 her residency was completed and Kelly decided to stay and put down roots in the wonderfully supportive art community. Kelly divides her time between her home studio, KC Clay Guild, and Belger Crane Yard Studios. She draws inspiration from flora and fauna, memory, and the passage of time. When she isn’t making pottery, she spends time foraging for mushrooms, working in her garden and playing with her dog and three cats. |
| Kelsie Herron Kelsie came to KC Clay Guild as a resident artist in fall of 2017 after receiving her BFA from University of Missouri. During the second year of her residency she joined the Board of Directors and have worked as Workshops Chair and currently as Publicity Chair. She enjoys engaging with the KCCG community through social media, promoting our events, building relationships with people in the arts community, and highlighting the work of our members. She have worked as the Saturday Kid’s Class instructor since 2018 and when she is not teaching, firing the community soda kiln, or doing board member activities, she works as a barista at The Roasterie. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, practicing martial arts, and trying(!) to have a more regular studio practice of her own. |
| Louis Reilly Louis is a studio potter and Studio Director of KC Clay Guild. His studio practice focuses on soda fired functional pottery. Louis has taught ceramics at art centers and universities for 15 years. He holds a MFA from Utah State University and a BFA from University of Missouri-Columbia. Louis lives with his wife and son in Lee's Summit, MO. Check out his Instagram. |
 | Naomi Peterson Naomi creates cute objects that invite consideration beyond the inanimate. She mixes bright colors and soft patterns with hard materials to investigate the emotive potential of functional things. Using her traditional ceramic background as a lens to view material and process, she builds forms layer by layer, often integrating analog and digital methods. Naomi received her MFA in ceramics from the University of North Texas (2021) and her BFA in ceramics at the University of Wyoming (2017). She has been an artist-in-residence at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and participated in the annual, short-term, Neltje artist-in-residence program in 2018. With over 6 years of teaching experience, Naomi has taught at various institutions such as the Glassell School of Art and Art League Houston as well as teaching workshops online and in person. Naomi was selected as a 2024 Emerging Artist by Ceramics Monthly and is currently an artist-in-residence at KC Clay Guild. https://www.instagram.com/n.ceramic (@n.ceramic) https://www.naomipeterson.com/ |
| Sam Sequeira |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSLearn pottery techniques in a structured, hands-on class tailored for all skill levels. | YOUTH SUMMER CLASSESOffering fun, hands-on wheel throwing and hand-building experiences for young students! | OPEN STUDIOWork on your clay projects independently with full access to studio equipment. |