Dassett Pottery Studio

Welcome to our studio – a brief escape A very modern studio in an ancient building steeped with history

About Our Studio

We pride ourselves in providing the highest quality materials and equipment. Our passion is pottery and providing the best facilities and materials possible. With an excellent selection of clays, tools, glazes, slips and underglazes, we offer a modern facility with Shimpo wheels, Rhode pugmills and equipment to help you achieve your outcomes. Our studio contains HEPA 15 air purifying equipment and air quality monitoring.

Facilities To Help You Enjoy Your Stay

We have a large KITCHEN with plenty of tea and coffee on hand. For potters staying for a longer session we have a fridge and cooking facilities (microwave and oven) to heat food. We are located above a Heart of England co-operative store for convenience food.

The kitchen also houses lockers for personal belongings.

There is a lovely big sofa in the REST AND RESOURCE room where you can stop for a break or browse our library of books and magazines for inspiration, glaze recipes and know how.

…and yes we have a loo.

Throwers Room

We have a dedicated throwers room housing our fleet of 12 modern wheels.
1 Brent CXC for the big big throwing, 7 Shimpo whispers, 1 Shimpo RK-3E, 2 Shimpo RK 55, 1 Frema

We also have a portable Shimpo Aspire for home use.

With shelving for work, tools, batts, plentiful pugged clay and a weighing bench we’ve got everything you need for throwing pots.

Hand Building Room

Housed in the extended pottery our hand building room comfortably accommodates 6-8 potters on a large work bench. We have plentiful tools, rolling sticks and a wall mounted extruder.

Our facilities are suitable for sculpture, coiling, slab building and pinching techniques.

Glaze & Decoration Room

We know that glazing can be a little messy when you’re dipping so we have an open area to glaze your work. We make and supply slips and underglazes for our potters to use. We supply Scarva mid and high temperature transparent glazes. A range of brush on Mayco and Amaco glazes are also supplied for sale from our gallery.

For those of you who like to experiment we have a supply of raw materials, oxides and stains so that you can mix your own glazes. We all love an experiment!.

Kiln Room & Clay Recycling Room

Our kiln room houses 2 Rhode kilns. An MCC 75+ 135L and a 60L Ecotop.

Firing is included in our courses and workshops but we also offer a kiln firing service for potters who have home studios.

We recycle all of our clay using a pug mill – we don’t limit the amount of clay that you can use.

The Gallery

We have a small gallery which houses our collection point and from where we support local artists and our own potters.

As our potters develop we are very happy to offer a point of sale.

We also supply additional potters specialist glaze and clay supplies.

Happy Students

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I went on the beginners’ course recently and got hooked – I’m now a member and loving it!

Dassett Pottery Clay Club has great facilities and great people!

- Eva Williams

Thursday Evening Hand Builders

Our evening class is a relaxed session. Potters explore their own creativity under the guidance of Rebecca Strefford. Relaxed fun is the theme for Thursday evenings. Whether sculpting, coiling, slabbing or pinching, try out new textures and decorative effects. Potters can explore clay for their own development and share experiences. For beginners hand building is a great pace to start in understanding the properties and nature of clay. Potters can move between our throwing and hand building facilities. Membership options are available for this session Firing allowance of 300g per session. Additional firing is charged at our current rates Unlimited use of house clays (KGM, Terracotta, Millenium White) Unlimited use of slips, underglazes and transparent glazes. We have a good stock of Amaco and Mayco cone 5/6 glazes available for purchase in the gallery.
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4-Week Intermediate Wheel Throwing Pottery Course

Our Intermediate I throwers course is designed for potters who have undertaken our 6-week beginners course although it is also suitable for potters stuck in a beginners throwing rut.

We have a real focus on centring and opening up. You will throw with larger amounts of clay and try different types of clay. We’ll encourage you to cut work for closer examination of what is happening and throw a 1lb slipped terracotta kitchen bowl with a pouring lip.

Unlimited clay and slip for decoration.
Expert tuition
Glazing and firing included. We will glaze and fire your bowl.
2 hours studio time each session. Clean up takes around 20 minutes so plan this in your timings.

‘It’s great to throw something that is useful, and you actually use at home. I love to use this bowl in the kitchen.’

Course Outline
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Thursday Evening Throwers

Our evening class is a melting pot of creativity and experiments. Relaxed fun is the theme for Thursday evenings. Who doesn’t love an experiment! Whether it’s mixing your own exciting glaze recipe or trying a new technique we’re all curious to see the outcome. Potters move between our throwing and hand building facilities. This session can be utilised for our flexi 6-week beginners throwing course Membership options are available for this session Firing allowance of 300g per session. Additional firing is charged at our current ratesUnlimited clay (KGM, Terracotta, Millenium White) Unlimited use of slips, underglazes and transparent glazes. We have a good stock of Amaco and Mayco cone 5/6 glazes available for purchase in the gallery.
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Thursday Morning Throwers

Join us for Thursday morning Throwers! Break the week with some clay therapy. Whether you are a beginner or an improver this is a fun, relaxed throwing session. Share your experience, get additional support, request demonstrations, develop your skills and experience or work on a project. Our Thursday morning throwing time is for you. This session can be utilised for our flexi 6-week beginners throwing course. Membership options are available for this session. Firing allowance of 300g per session. Additional firing is charged at our current rates. Unlimited clay (KGM, Terracotta, Millenium White). Unlimited use of slips, underglazes and transparent glazes. We have a good stock of Amaco and Mayco cone 5/6 glazes available for purchase in the gallery.
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Relaxed Sunday Morning Throwers

What a great way to start your Sunday mornings! Whether you are a beginner or an improver this is a relaxed throwing session. Share your experience, get additional support, request demonstrations, develop your skills and experience or work on a project. Our Sunday morning throwing time is for you. This session can be utilised for our flexi 6-week beginners throwing course. Membership options are available for this session Firing allowance of 300g per session. Additional firing is charged at our current rates Unlimited clay use (KGM, Terracotta, Millenium White)
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Family & Group Parties

Our family and group throwing parties are for everyone and designed for fun. Whether it is a celebration or a relaxing afternoon with a friend we can cater for your needs.

For groups of 2-12. Your group will have our undivided attention.

We’ll show you how to centre, open up and get height into your pot.

You’ll chose your favourite pot which we will glaze and fire.

Unlimited clay
Expert tuition
Glazing and firing included
Free refreshments – we have kitchen facilities for you to bring your own celebratory cakes.
2 hours studio time. Clean up takes around 20 minutes so please allow for this in your planning.

TO BOOK email: [email protected]

‘We had so much fun, and you were so patient. Thank you!’

Open Access Throwing

Whether you are on one of our courses, self-learning, would like to practice your skills or are working on a project, our open access time is for you.

Potters can access the studio at times to suit. Sessions include unlimited KGM, Terracotta or Millenium white clay.

Firing is charged separately for any work that you wish to keep (see our firing charges)

Potters using open access facilities must have undertaken an induction and have knowledge of clay preparation and basic throwing skills

Free induction to the studio

Unlimited clay use (KGM, Terracotta, Millenium White)

‘This is such a great facility with the flexibility for me to develop my practice when I can fit around my own commitments. It works around me. I can grow at my own pace and there are some great resources in the R&R room’

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Beginners Flexi 6-Week Wheel Throwing Mug Making Course

Our flexi 6-week beginners workshop is designed for potters who cannot commit to 6 consecutive weeks. We’ll give you the same course programme but work through it when you can attend sessions. We are flexible to work around the dates when you can attend our Sunday and Thursday sessions.

A skilled packed course taking potters though the fundamentals of clay preparation, centring, opening up, getting height, knuckling up, linear pulled handles and slip decoration.

The course goal is to make 4 slip decorated mugs.

Our aim is to teach you how to be self-sufficient as a potter for your onward development and progression.

Unlimited clay and slip for decoration.
Expert tuition
Glazing and firing included. We will glaze and fire your decorated mugs

2 hours studio time each session. Clean up takes around 20 minutes so plan this in your timings.

‘Throwing is such an immersive experience – the worries of the world disappear’

‘The flexibility of this course has been great. I’ve finished my course but now have the confidence to go to the studio when I can as an open access thrower. I’m always welcomed’

Course Outline
Contact Us To Book

Beginners 6-Week Wheel Throwing Mug Making Course

Our 6-week beginners workshop is a skilled packed course taking potters though the fundamentals of clay preparation, centring, opening up, pulling height, knuckling up, linear pulled handles and slip decoration.

The course goal is to make 4 slip decorated mugs.

Our aim is to teach you how to be self-sufficient as a potter for your onward development and progression.

This course is a great introduction if you are thinking about pottery as a longer-term hobby.

Unlimited clay and slips for decoration
Expert tuition
Demonstrations
Glazing and firing included. We will glaze and fire your decorated mugs.

2 hours studio time each week. Clean up takes around 20 minutes so plan this in your timings.

“It’s great that by the end of this course you are self-sufficient. Cathy and Nick teach you how to prepare your clay. This is an invaluable lesson – there are no mysteries – I’m ready to work on my own”

Course Outline
Book Thursday 10am-12pm
Book Sunday 12pm-2pm

Wheel Throwing Taster Workshops

Our throwing workshops are designed for newbies to give you a taste of throwing on the wheel.

You may be looking for a one-off experience or would like to see if you would enjoy throwing before booking on a course or self-learning.

We look at the fundamentals of centring, opening up and pulling height into your pot. We’ll explain why preparing your clay is so important to the throwing process to get the best outcome.

You’ll chose your favourite pot which we will glaze and fire.

Unlimited clay
Expert step by step tuition
Demonstrations
Glazing and firing included

2 hours studio time. Clean up takes around 20 minutes so please allow for this in your planning.

‘I’m drained after that…drained of a lot of stress 😊’

Book Sunday 9am-11am
Book Tuesday 10am-12pm
Book Thursday 10am-12pm
Book Thursday 7pm-9pm
Book Friday 1:30pm-3:30pm