SUMMER COURSES & BENCHTIME SESSIONS 2024

RAKU & Hiro's Quick & Easy Sawdust Firing with Hiro Takahashi £175.00 (+ weigh & pay)

8 places only

3 x days – August 17th, 24th & 31st 10am – 5pm

Course Description:

This course is suitable for students with some pottery experience.

Please bring: An apron, lunch, a drink and a snack if required.

July & August Benchtime Sessions with Roz Dunwell

Max 10 students per session
Gives potters with some experience the opportunity to develop their skills in a supportive environment.   These are not taught sessions.

DAY DATE TIME COST
Monday 22nd July 13:00 – 16:00 £18.00
Tuesday 23rd July 13:00 - 16:00 £18.00
Wednesday 24th July 13:00 - 16:00  £18.00
Thursday 25th July 13:00 - 16:00 £18.00
Friday 26th July 13:00 - 13:00 £18.00
Saturday 27th July 10:00 - 16:00   full day only £36.00
Sunday 28th July 10:00 - 16:00   full day only £36.00
Monday  12th Aug 10:00 - 13:00 £18.00
Monday 12th Aug 13:00 - 16:00 £18.00
Tuesday 13th Aug 10:00 - 13:00 £18.00
Tuesday 13th Aug 13:00 - 16:00 £18.00
Wednesday 14th Aug 10:00 - 13:00 £18.00
Wednesday 14th Aug 13:00 - 16:00 £18.00
Thursday 15th Aug 10:00 - 13:00 £18.00
Thursday 15th Aug 13:00 - 16:00 £18.00
Monday 19th Aug 10:00 - 13:00 £18.00
Monday 19th Aug 13:00 - 16:00 £18.00
Tuesday 20th Aug 10:00 - 13:00 £18.00
Tuesday 20th Aug 13:00 - 16:00 £18.00
Wednesday 21st Aug 10:00 - 13:00 £18.00
Wednesday 21st Aug 13:00 - 16:00 £18.00
Thursday 22nd Aug 10:00 - 13:00 £18.00
Thursday 22nd Aug 13:00 - 16:00 £18.00
Tuesday  27th Aug 10:00 - 13:00 £18.00
Tuesday 27th Aug 13:00 - 16:00 £18.00
Wednesday 28th Aug 10:00 - 13:00 £18.00
Wednesday 28th Aug 13:00 - 16:00 £18.00
Thursday 29th Aug 10:00 - 13:00 £18.00
Thursday 29th Aug 13:00 - 16:00 £18.00

Your tutor will fire made items (to be collected on a later date). There will be an additional cost for all items made through 'Weigh & Pay' so the heavier your 'creations' the more you pay!  Please bring an apron and something to eat/drink.

N.B. THERE WILL BE NO REDUCTION FIRING FOR BENCHTIME.

Enrolment is now open …. Please ctrl+click on the link below to take you to the FCE Pottery Shopify site - click on 'Bench Time & Summer Courses' (at the top) - click on the picture of the Course or benchtime session you wish to enrol onto – click add to cart – click checkout then make payment.  

Summer Courses & Benchtime – Frome Community Pottery (fromepottery.co.uk)

Pottery classes have been running in Frome since the 1940s, so the Frome Community Pottery is the latest incarnation of a strong tradition.   There are currently 11 classes a week and four different tutors, so hopefully there is something for everyone.    

Frome Community Pottery is housed in the Art Department at Frome College.   The Pottery is at the top (north) of the campus.   The entrance is on Bath Road just below the junction of Gypsy Lane and Cuckoo Lane.   There is parking just outside the pottery.   Please DO NOT park in the Merlin Theatre/Leisure Centre car park as there is no way through to the pottery.

Autumn 24 Pottery Classes

Code Time of Day Day Time Weeks Start Date Cost Tutor
AUPT13 Evening Monday 19.00-21.00 12 16-Sep £180 Hiro Takahashi
AUPT21 Morning Tuesday 10.00-12.30 12 17-Sep £225 Craig Eyles
AUPT23 Evening Tuesday 18.30-21.00 12 17-Sep £225 Andrew Eddleston
AUPT31 Morning Wednesday 10.00-12.30 12 18-Sep £225 Hiro Takahashi
AUPT32 Afternoon Wednesday 13.30-15.30 12 18-Sep £180 Hiro Takahashi
AUPT33 Evening Wednesday 18.45-21.15 12 18-Sep £225 Craig Eyles
AUPT41 Morning Thursday 10.00-12.30 12 19-Sep £225 Russell Coates
AUPT42 Afternoon Thursday 13.30-15.30 12 19-Sep £180 Russell Coates
AUPT43 Evening Thursday 19.00-21.00 12 19-Sep £180 Russell Coates
AUPT51 Morning Friday 10.00-12.30 12 20-Sep £225 Andrew Eddleston
AUPT52 Afternoon Friday 13.30-16.00 12 20-Sep £225 Andrew Eddleston

Students on the Pottery courses have their place for 3 terms (if they want it).   A few spaces become available in January and April and names are put forward from our waiting list.   In July, all places are available for classes starting in September and people on the waiting list are informed of the enrolment date.   Join our waiting list to receive this information.

Click on this link and add your name to the classes that you could attend.

With new kilns (gas and electric), 7 wheels and plenty of tables for modelling and hand-building, the Pottery is impressively equipped.   Tutors Andrew Eddleston, Craig Eyles, Hiro Takahashi and Russell Coates bring an incredibly wide range of skills and, with each class open to all abilities, students can follow individual projects or tutor led assignments.

Pottery is a mucky craft, so wear clothing that you don't mind getting dusty!  Bring an apron if you have one.   Also, bring a flask with your choice of refreshment.   All tools and materials are provided.   A charge is made for finished articles. Your place is for the academic year (if you wish) payable termly.   Places do become available throughout the year and are allocated on a first come, first served basis to those on our waiting list.

Your tutor will fire made items (to be collected on a later date). There will be an additional cost for this through 'Weigh & Pay' so the heavier your 'creations' the more you pay!

PLEASE BRING ALONG AN APRON AND SOMETHING TO EAT/DRINK.

 

Tutor Profiles

Russell Coates has taught pottery in Frome since 1988.   At one time Russell taught all the classes, ran study trips to Morocco and Crete, and built a wood fired snake kiln in the College grounds.   Russell teaches three classes on a Thursday when he also fires the gas kiln, enabling students to experience Stoneware Oxidation and Reduction firing.   He offers instruction in a wide range of pottery projects and help with individual areas of interest.

Hiro Takahashi has been teaching pottery more than 30 years to many different groups, ages and abilities.  Hiro teaches design, wheel based work, hand building and sculpture and especially glazing.  Hiro is a member of The Craft Potters Association of Great Britain and is our specialist in Raku. 
Andrew Eddleston is another multi-talented potter and artist who also works as the Pottery Technician.   Producing his own domestic and decorative pottery and sculpture, Andrew works with many artists and groups in the area.   Andrew organises our annual exhibition of student work at The Black Swan and teaches most of our summer courses.
Craig Eyles is the newest of our tutors, starting with Frome Community Pottery in 2018.   However, as a trained teacher, Craig has been teaching pottery for twenty years and also produces his own work which is sold through outlets across the south-west.

Roz Dunwell has been a pottery student both here and in Australia, and has taught for many years.   Roz also started with us in 2018 and runs the "Bench Time" workshop that began in the summer of 2019.

How to find us

The Pottery is housed in the Art Department at Frome College.   This is at the top (north) of the campus.   The entrance is on Bath Road just below the junction of Gypsy Lane and Cuckoo Lane.   There is parking just outside the pottery.   DO NOT park in the Merlin Theatre/Leisure Centre car park as there is no way through to the pottery.

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