Try Your Hand at Clay: Thoreson Farm & Oliver Art Center Offer Ceramics Classes Open to All
By Marla Miller
The picturesque backdrop of Sleeping Bear Dunes has lured artists, potters, and crafters here for a century, creating a vibrant arts scene in the quaint coastal communities up and down the Lake Michigan coast.
But you don’t have to be a professional artist to find inspiration among the water and the woods or take a turn at the pottery wheel. Two community ceramics studios are among the many hidden gems in the region.
Whether you’re here for a week, a few months or year-round, you can learn to hone your skill — and your patience — by working with clay. Plus, you get to take home a unique and functional piece of art with your name on it!
Pottery classes in a pastoral setting
Glen Arbor Arts Center’s Thoreson Farm campus offers summer art classes and camps, a pottery studio, and work space for visiting artists. The farm, located in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, provides a peaceful and serene setting for creative experiences.
The arts center leases a barn at the back of Thoreson Farm that has space for both pottery wheel classes and hand building class, says Kristie McCaw, GAAC’s program manager.
Working on the wheel can be tedious and more time-consuming, so there are options to craft clay by hand or glaze already-made pieces.
“The Thoreson Farm property has been a wonderful place for us to be able to expand our programming for ceramics,” McCaw says. “The space out there is just beautiful, and I think people appreciate having a very different kind of experience, even from Glen Arbor.”
GAAC formed a partnership with the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to restore this historic farm back in 2000. Building on an initiative developed by the art center’s founding members, GAAC volunteers helped restore some of the buildings that had fallen into disrepair, according to the GAAC’s website.
Thoreson Farm is part of the Port Oneida Rural Historic District on Thoreson Road, a couple of miles north of Glen Arbor and about one mile west of route M-22. The pastoral setting is also popular for outdoor art classes, including plein air painting, nature journaling, and other programming.
“It is a barn so we open the doors and you’re right out there in nature,” McCaw says. “You can’t really beat the ambience. The ceramics program itself is very popular.”
GAAC’s Clay Cubs summer youth ceramics camps fill up quickly, and a lot of people on vacation do sign up for classes.
Something new this year is a date night pottery class, where you share the experience with your spouse, sister, or friend—any duo is welcome. “You share the wheel and have a date night experience,” McCaw says. “You can have a picnic or go to the beach afterwards.”
Another new class is a family mug workshop, which focuses on hand-building with clay as opposed to being on the wheel.
A Raku class, offered on Saturdays throughout the summer, is a bit more beginner and vacationer friendly. Raku firing is a Japanese form of firing pottery. The pieces are already made, so all you have to do it glaze it.
“They are completely unique the way the heat marks the outside of the pieces and those pieces can be taken with you,” McCaw says. “It’s a really good group activity because it’s kind of interactive and also inexpensive.”
The open pottery studio is for people who have some skill on the wheel and includes clay, glaze and kiln firing of your pieces. “You do need to know what you are doing. It requires you connect with our studio manager,” McCaw says.
GAAC also hosts an Artist-in-Residence program, so visiting artists use part of the barn for their studio space in the spring and fall.
The farm is open into the fall, so even if you haven’t signed up for a class, visitors can stop by observe. You may spot the ceramics manager putting pieces in the kiln or a visiting artist working on a painting.
“There are classes scheduled there at least through September,” McCaw says, adding September is going to be devoted to Creative Wellness. “All of the classes will be tied to wellness through creativity and many of them will be held at Thoreson Farm.”
Upcoming classes include:
June 15-Sept. 21: Pottery Open Studio
Held on Saturdays, 1-4 p.m.: Raku Firing Saturday 3
July 28-Aug. 1: Kurinuki: Japanese Carved Pottery 2
Aug. 4-25: Pottery on the Wheel Session 2
Aug. 5: Date Night Wheel Throwing
Aug. 11-15: Lids and Handles: Problems and Solutions
Aug. 18-22: Soft-Slab Built Pitcher and Tumblers
Sept. 4-25: Pottery on the Wheel Session 3
For a complete list of classes, visit glenarbor.org/classes
Oliver Art Center offers ‘studio with a view’
Oliver Art Center’s waterfront setting serves to inspire creativity regardless of the season.
Housed in a historic 1934 Coast Guard building on the channel, the Frankfort community art hub is known for its year-round art exhibits and community classes. But Oliver also includes a professional ceramics studio in one wing of the building.
“Our year-round ceramics program is held in our ‘studio with a view’ on the shores of Betsie Bay and Lake Michigan,” says Executive Director Tamara Hoffbauer.
The ceramics studio features seven pottery wheels, two electric kilns, a slab roller, a full complement of tools and glazes, and ample work tables and prep stations.
Courses range from one-day workshops to six-week sessions, catering to people of all skills and abilities. Students can explore wheel throwing, hand building, sculpture and more under the direction of skilled instructors.
"Our ceramics program has really developed a strong following in the last few years, with students traveling from as far as Northport to Cadillac to participate in classes,” Hoffbauer says. “We are thrilled to host one of the best ceramics programs in the region, and are excited to be expanding our workshop offerings over the coming months.”
In the summer season, Oliver Art Center offers Clay Camp for kids aged 6-12, providing an opportunity for kids to learn wheel throwing and hand building in a fun and interactive environment.
The Ceramics Exploration series with instructor Steve Cline is designed to allow students to learn at their own pace while exploring projects of their personal interest. Each session is comprised of three-hour classes that run for six weeks.
The studio offers a welcoming environment with changing scenery to inspire you when you’re working on the wheel. Whether you’re vacationing in the area or living like a local, you can learn to love clay at OAC!
Hoffbauer says “there's a wonderful accessibility to working with clay.” Plus, you learn patience, challenge yourself, and leave with something tangible.
“I think it appeals to a wide range of people because you can achieve good results even as a beginner to the process,” she says. “We have students ranging in age from 6 to 85 years of age, and of all abilities. We know that getting your hands into wet clay is therapeutic as well as just great fun!"
Upcoming classes include:
Ceramics Exploration Session 5 with Steve Cline: Explore making vessels, tiles, and sculptures with slabs, or work on the wheel. All skill levels are welcome, age 18+. Multiple days and times offered. New sessions start in August.
Ceramics Exploration 5E Tuesday 6-9pm
Ceramics Exploration 5A Wednesday 12-3 pm
Ceramics Exploration 5B Wednesday 6-9 pm
Ceramics Exploration 5C Thursday 10am-1pm
Ceramics Exploration 5D Thursday 3:30-6:30pm
Clay Date - Wheel Throwing with Steve Kline
Grab a friend, gather a group, or set a date with someone special for our Saturday afternoon “wheel throwing for two” sessions! All levels welcome, age 18+. Multiple days offered, 3-6 p.m.
Finishing Like a Pro - Ceramics Workshop with Kathy DeVine
Clay Time - Hand Building with Steve Kline
This exploratory class is perfect to share with a friend or date on a fun night out! Students will explore working with clay slabs, coils, and texture tools to create a mug or bowl. All levels are welcome, age 18+. Multiple dates offered, 3-6 p.m.
Your Slip is Showing! - Ceramics Workshop with Kathy DeVine
This workshop will introduce students to the magic of colored slips and underglazes. Learn when and how to use them, including techniques and tools for application, as well as what types of overglazes to use for the final glaze firing. August 25, 10 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
Visit the OAC calendar or classes for a complete list of upcoming classes.
Marla R. Miller is a freelance travel writer, blogger, and content writer who enjoys exploring the Sleeping Bear area. Visit her website at marlarmiller.com.