weyceramics.co.uk

Pottery is the craft of shaping clay into objects and then firing them in a kiln so they harden permanently. You can start with very little: a bag of clay, a few hand tools, and access to a kiln through a class or a local society. The main decision for a beginner is whether to learn through a structured course, a one-off workshop, or a membership group that offers demonstrations and firing access. The right choice depends on how much space and equipment you have at home and whether you want to make functional domestic ware, decorative pieces, or sculpture.

Pottery and ceramics: what the words mean

Pottery usually refers to vessels and functional or decorative objects made from clay. Ceramics is the broader term covering pottery plus sculptural work, tiles, and other fired clay objects. A local group such as Wey Ceramics Society describes its members as makers of "domestic, decorative and sculptural ceramics" — a useful reminder that the field is wider than bowls and mugs.

Clay bodies fall into a few broad families, and the choice affects firing temperature, strength, and finish:

Raku is best understood as a process rather than a material. It produces striking surfaces but is generally treated as decorative rather than food-safe tableware, so keep that distinction in mind when choosing what to make.

The basic ways to make a pot

Beginners usually meet two families of technique:

• Hand-building — pinching, coiling, and slab work. Low equipment needs, good for learning how clay behaves, and the route most people take to sculpture.
• Wheel-throwing — centring and pulling clay on a spinning wheel. It rewards repetition and is usually taught in classes because it is hard to learn from video alone.

Most beginners benefit from trying both before committing to a direction. Hand-building teaches you about joins, thickness, and drying; throwing teaches control and consistency.

Firing and glazing: why the kiln matters

Greenware (unfired clay) is fragile and will return to mud if wetted. Firing changes the clay permanently. A typical sequence is:

1. Bisque firing — the first firing, which hardens the work so it can be glazed.
2. Glazing — applying a glaze layer. Glaze is glass-forming and gives colour, texture, and a wipeable surface.
3. Glaze firing — a second firing that melts the glaze onto the body.

Some processes, such as raku, use a single rapid firing with the piece removed while hot. Pit firing, another low-tech method, fires work in a pit with combustible material. Both are dramatic and are often run as group events rather than solo home projects, because they involve smoke, open flame, and safety considerations.

The practical point for a beginner: you need kiln access, and kiln access is the main reason people join a class or a society rather than working entirely at home.

How beginners actually learn

Three routes work, and they suit different situations:

• A term-length class gives structured teaching, wheel time, and firing included. Best if you are starting from zero and want feedback.
• A one-off workshop suits people testing whether they enjoy clay before committing. Raku and pit-firing workshops are common entry points.
• A society membership suits people who already make, or who want to watch and learn. Wey Ceramics Society, for example, lists demonstrations by other potters and sculptors, exhibitions, and an annual membership fee of £25, and welcomes members with a general interest who are not active makers. Its diary includes pit pot preparation, an AGM, a pit firing event, a workshop with Pascale Wilson, and a raku firing — the kind of programme that gives a beginner exposure to techniques without buying equipment.

If you are unsure, a workshop first and a society membership second is a low-risk sequence: you learn what you enjoy, then plug into a community that keeps you making.

Finding a group and what membership usually offers

To find a local ceramics society or class, search for your county plus "ceramics society" or "potters" and check the group's events page for demonstrations and firing days. When comparing options, look at the same few things:

• Whether firing is included or charged separately
• Whether there is open access to wheels and kilns, or only taught sessions
• The event calendar — demonstrations, workshops, and group firings
• The annual fee and what it covers
• Whether non-makers are welcome

A society is not a substitute for a class if you have never touched clay, but it is a good way to meet makers, see techniques demonstrated, and exhibit. For a beginner, the most useful first step is usually a single workshop where you make and fire one piece — you will learn more from that than from any amount of reading about clay.

A pot is a vessel shaped from clay and hardened by firing, and the four types most people encounter are earthenware, stoneware, porcelain and raku. The right choice depends on what the pot must do: earthenware suits decorative pieces and gentle indoor use, stoneware is the practical all-rounder for domestic ware, porcelain rewards precision and suits fine tableware, and raku is for display rather than daily use. If you want to learn to make pots rather than buy them, a local ceramics society is one of the cheapest routes in — Wey Ceramics Society, for example, charges a low annual membership fee of £25 and gives members access to demonstrations, exhibitions and shared practice.

The four main types of pot

The differences come down to clay body, firing temperature and how porous the finished pot is.

A useful rule of thumb: the higher the firing, the tighter and more durable the pot. Raku sits outside that logic because the dramatic cooling that creates its look also leaves it fragile and unsuitable for holding food or liquid.

Matching a pot to its purpose

Before choosing or making a pot, decide where it will live and what it must survive.

• Food and drink: choose stoneware or porcelain with a food-safe glaze. Avoid raku and unglazed earthenware for anything eaten or drunk.
• Plants: earthenware and stoneware both work; porous earthenware dries out faster, which suits plants that dislike wet roots. Check for a drainage hole.
• Outdoors: frost resistance matters. Dense, high-fired stoneware copes best; thin or porous pots can crack in a hard frost.
• Display and sculpture: raku and heavily textured earthenware are the natural choices, since durability is not the point.
• Oven and microwave: only use pots explicitly made and glazed for it — do not assume stoneware qualifies.

Common pot forms and what they suit

Domestic, decorative and sculptural ceramics overlap, but the form usually signals the job:

• Open bowls and dishes — serving, mixing, display.
• Cylinders and mugs — drinking vessels; handle attachment is the weak point, so check the join.
• Closed forms with narrow necks — bottles, vases, jars; harder to throw, better for keeping contents contained.
• Planters and garden pots — heavier walls, drainage, frost tolerance.
• Sculptural vessels — form over function; often earthenware or raku.

How pots are made

There are two main making routes, and both end in firing and glazing.

1. Hand-building — pinching, coiling or slab-building. Start with a soft clay body, join pieces with scored and slipped seams, and dry slowly and evenly before firing to avoid cracks.
2. Wheel throwing — centring the clay on a spinning wheel, opening it, then pulling up the walls. Expect to practise centring far longer than anything else; it is the step most beginners underestimate.
3. Drying — the slowest and least glamorous stage. Uneven drying is the most common cause of cracked pots.
4. Bisque firing — a first firing that hardens the pot so it can be glazed.
5. Glazing and glaze firing — applying glaze and firing again to melt it into a glassy surface. Glaze thickness and kiln temperature decide the final colour and finish.

The verification step is simple: after firing, check for cracks, crazing in the glaze, and whether the base rings cleanly when tapped. A dull thud can indicate a hairline crack.

Learning locally: societies, demonstrations and workshops

For beginners, a ceramics society offers structured exposure without the cost of a kiln. Wey Ceramics Society, based in Surrey and covering adjoining counties, welcomes makers and non-makers alike — teachers, professional ceramicists, enthusiastic amateurs and people with a general interest in ceramics.

Membership brings friendship, exchange of views and practice, access to demonstrations by other potters and sculptors, and the chance to take part in exhibitions, for a low annual membership fee of £25. The society's diary shows the kind of hands-on learning on offer: a pit pot prep session in August, an AGM in September, a pit firing event on 19–20 September, a workshop with Pascale Wilson on 25 October, a raku firing on 31 October, plus other demonstrations through the year.

Practical points to check before joining any society: whether membership includes kiln access or firing fees, whether workshops are extra, and whether you need your own tools and clay. The Wey page lists events and a "Join the Society" section with its Data Privacy Policy, but does not state firing costs or class fees — ask directly.

Making the decision

• Buying a pot for daily use: stoneware or porcelain, food-safe glaze, no raku.
• Buying for the garden: high-fired stoneware with drainage; avoid thin earthenware in frost.
• Buying for display: raku and earthenware give the most character.
• Starting to make pots: try a taster workshop or demonstration first, then consider society membership if you want regular practice and a community. At £25 a year, Wey Ceramics is a low-risk way to test whether the craft sticks.

Sculptors in a ceramics society are makers who work clay into three-dimensional forms rather than domestic ware — and they sit alongside potters, teachers and non-making enthusiasts rather than in a separate group. At Wey Ceramics Society, members "produce domestic, decorative and sculptural ceramics," and the society explicitly names "potters, sculptors and lovers of all things ceramic" as its audience. If you make or want to make sculptural ceramics, or simply want to be near people who do, a local society like this is a low-cost way in: the annual membership fee is £25.

What "sculptural ceramics" means here

The society's own description draws a line between three kinds of output, not between three kinds of person:

• Domestic ceramics — functional pots and tableware.
• Decorative ceramics — objects made primarily to be looked at.
• Sculptural ceramics — work where form and expression are the point.

The same member may move between all three. The society lists earthenware, stoneware, porcelain and raku among its keywords, so sculptural work is not tied to one clay body or one firing method. A raku-fired figure and a thrown stoneware bowl can come out of the same membership.

Sculptor vs. potter: a distinction of output, not status

The site describes members as "teachers, professional ceramicists or enthusiastic amateurs" — a mix of roles, not a hierarchy. A sculptor in this context is simply a member whose work is sculptural. There is no separate sculptor track described, and no requirement to sell or exhibit to count as a maker.

Who the society is for

The membership description covers two broad groups:

1. Makers — people actively producing domestic, decorative or sculptural ceramics, at any level from amateur to professional.
2. Non-makers — people with "a general interest in ceramics" who do not actively make.

That second group matters for sculptors-to-be: you can join to watch, learn and talk to makers before committing to your own practice. The stated reasons to belong are friendship, exchange of views and practice, access to demonstrations by other potters and sculptors, and taking part in exhibitions.

What members actually get

The event calendar for 2024/2025 and 2026 lists Pit Pot Prep (11 August), the AGM (September), a Pit Firing Event (19–20 September), a workshop with Pascale Wilson (25 October) and a Raku Firing (31 October), plus other demonstrations throughout the year. For a sculptor, the pit and raku firings are the entries most likely to matter, since both produce surface effects that suit sculptural work.

Is it worth joining as a sculptor?

Join if you want regular contact with other clay people, access to demonstrations, and a route into exhibitions without setting up your own network. The £25 annual fee is the only cost stated on the page; the site does not describe any additional charges for events, so confirm that with the society before assuming the calendar is included.

Consider skipping it if you need studio access, kiln time or structured teaching — none of these are mentioned. The society describes itself as a group for exchange, demonstration and exhibition, not a course provider.

A practical check before you join

• Look at the Members' Work section to see whether sculptural pieces are represented.
• Check the Events page for the next demonstration or firing, since the listed dates are fixed points you can plan around.
• Read Join the Society for the membership process and the Data Privacy Policy referenced there.

If your interest is specifically sculptural, the clearest signal is the work on display and the demonstrators booked — both are visible before you pay anything.

The Minnesota Peony Society (MPS) is a regional peony society based in Minnesota. Its stated mission is to promote interest in and appreciation of growing peonies, through educational programs and events for both members and the public. If you grow peonies in Minnesota or want to learn more about peony culture, MPS offers educational resources, an annual events calendar, and membership that includes a newsletter and member-only events.

What MPS Offers

The society's website organizes its content into several areas:

• Peony Culture — growing information, including a page on Winter Loss In Minnesota and one on 2025 Peony Leaf Curl
• Resources — MPS Exhibition Results, APS Awards, Peony Growers Handouts, Peony Societies, and MN Regional Societies
• News and Events — the annual calendar plus posts on past activities
• Membership — details on joining
• Volunteer — ways to help the society

The site also links to social media and notes that all are welcome to become members.

Annual Events

MPS publishes a calendar of events. The 2026 calendar listed on the site includes:

The fall root auction is described in detail: at 11:15 a.m. there is a fall peony care session with a peony dividing demonstration, then the auction starts at 1 p.m. The auction is open to all, and a link to the final auction list is available in the Events section. The society describes it as a chance to bid on new peonies for your garden.

How to Get Involved

1. Become a member. Membership includes a newsletter subscription and special member events, per the site. The Membership page is the place to start.
2. Attend a public event. The cut flower show and the fall root auction are open to all; the picnic and garden tour is members only.
3. Use the educational resources. Peony Culture pages, grower handouts, and exhibition results are available on the site.
4. Volunteer. The site has a Volunteer page for those who want to contribute to the society's work.

Where to Find More

• Exhibition results: Resources page → "MPS Exhibition Results"
• Regional societies: Resources page → "MN Regional Societies" and "Peony Societies"
• Grower handouts: Resources page → "Peony Growers Handouts"
• Event details and auction lists: the Events section

The site footer is dated © 2020 Minnesota Peony Society, and recent posts include 2025 Art In Bloom and summaries of past fall root auctions.

Wey Ceramics Society is a membership group for ceramics enthusiasts in Surrey and adjoining counties, open to makers and non-makers alike. If you live in or near Surrey and want to spend time with people who share an interest in clay — whether you throw, sculpt, teach, or simply enjoy ceramics — it is worth considering. Membership costs £25 a year, and joining is handled through the society's "Join the Society" page, where its Data Privacy Policy is also published.

Who the society is for

The society describes its members as people who "enjoy the world of clay." That covers a wider range than a typical studio potters' guild:

• Makers — members who produce domestic, decorative and sculptural ceramics.
• Teachers and professional ceramicists — people working in ceramics who want contact with peers.
• Enthusiastic amateurs — hobbyists building skills and confidence.
• Non-making enthusiasts — people with a general interest in ceramics who do not actively make work.

The last group matters. The society explicitly welcomes members who appreciate ceramics without producing it, so you do not need a wheel, a kiln or a portfolio to belong.

Who should join — and who might not

What membership gives you

The society lists five reasons to belong:

1. Friendship — a social group built around a shared interest.
2. Exchange of views and practice — comparing techniques and approaches with other members.
3. Access to demonstrations by other potters and sculptors.
4. Taking part in exhibitions — a route to showing work publicly.
5. A low annual membership fee of £25.

The fee is the only cost the society states. It does not publish separate charges for individual events, so if cost matters to you, ask about any event fees when you enquire about joining.

The events calendar

The society runs a programme of demonstrations and hands-on firing events across the year. Its published dates for 2024/2025 and 2026 include:

• Pit Pot Prep — 11 August
• AGM — September
• Pit Firing Event — 19–20 September
• Workshop with Pascale Wilson — 25 October
• Raku Firing — 31 October
• Other demonstrations throughout the year

Two things stand out for anyone deciding whether to join. First, the programme mixes preparation sessions with the events themselves — pit firing, for example, involves making or preparing pots beforehand, so participation is more than turning up on the day. Second, the range of firing methods (pit firing and raku alongside demonstrations) suggests members get exposure to techniques beyond standard electric-kiln work.

How to join

1. Go to the society's website at weyceramics.co.uk.
2. Open the "Join the Society" page.
3. Read the Data Privacy Policy published there before submitting your details.
4. Complete the joining process described on that page and pay the £25 annual fee.

The site does not publish an online payment platform or a list of accepted payment methods, so confirm payment arrangements through the contact details on the site rather than assuming an online checkout.

A practical way to decide

If you are unsure, treat the events list as a trial run: attend a demonstration or firing event as a visitor if the society allows it, and see whether the group's mix of professionals, teachers and amateurs suits you. For makers, the exhibition opportunity and technique demonstrations are the clearest draw; for non-makers, the friendship and exchange of views are the point. At £25 a year, the commitment is small — the real question is whether you can get to events in Surrey and the surrounding counties often enough to take part.