Dig your hands into clay, work some throwing magic at the wheel, construct forms with hand building methods or dive into more detail-oriented sculpture. The Ceramics studio provides all the tools you need to create functional and sculptural art. Whether you’re a complete beginner or you have years of experience, workshop instructors can help develop and guide your personal techniques.
Tools Available
- Stoneware and porcelain clay
- Throwing wheels
- Slab roller
- Extruder
- Hand building areas
- 2 electric bisque kilns
- High fire (cone 10) gas kiln
- Colored slips
- Food-safe glazes
- Plus many tools to craft ceramic objects
Open Studio Hours
Open Studio hours are available for participants who have completed an orientation or studio approval process.
Hours are subject to change and may vary from week to week.
Week One (March 30 - April 5)
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 12pm - 8:30pm
Thursday: 12pm - 8:30pm
Friday: 12pm - 5:30pm
Saturday: 12pm - 4:30pm
Sunday: Closed
Week Two (April 6 - April 12)
Monday: 12pm - 8:30pm
Tuesday: 12pm - 4pm
Wednesday: 12pm - 4:30pm
Thursday: 12pm - 8:30pm
Friday: 12pm - 5:30pm
Saturday: 12pm - 4:30pm
Sunday: Closed
Week Three (April 13 - April 19)
Monday: 12pm - 8:30pm
Tuesday: 12pm - 4pm
Wednesday: 12pm - 4pm
Thursday: 6pm - 8:30pm
Friday: 12pm - 5:30pm
Saturday: 12pm - 4:30pm
Sunday: Closed
Week Four (April 20 - April 26)
Monday: 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Tuesday: 12pm - 4pm
Wednesday: 12pm - 4pm
Thursday: 6pm - 8:30pm
Friday: 12pm - 5:30pm
Saturday: 12pm - 4:30pm
Sunday: Closed
Week Five (April 27 - May 3)
Monday: 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Tuesday: 1pm - 4pm
Wednesday: 12pm - 4pm
Thursday: 6pm - 8:30pm
Friday: 12pm - 5:30pm
Saturday: 12pm - 4:30pm
Sunday: Closed
Week Six (May 4 - May 10)
Monday: 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Tuesday: 12pm - 4pm
Wednesday: 12pm - 4pm
Thursday: 6pm - 8:30pm
Friday: Closed
Saturday: 12pm - 4:30pm
Sunday: Closed
Week Seven (May 11 - May 17)
Monday: 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 12pm - 4pm
Thursday: 6pm - 8:30pm
Friday: 12pm - 2pm
Saturday: 12pm - 4:30pm
Sunday: Closed
Week Eight (May 18 - May 24)
Monday: 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Tuesday: 12pm - 4pm
Wednesday: 12pm - 4pm
Thursday: 6pm - 8:30pm
Friday: 12pm - 5:30pm
Saturday: 12pm - 4:30pm
Sunday: Closed
Week Nine (May 25 - May 31)
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 12pm - 8:30pm
Wednesday: 12pm - 8:30pm
Thursday: 12pm - 8:30pm
Friday: 12pm - 2pm
Saturday: 12pm - 4:30pm
Sunday: Closed
Week Ten (June 1 - June 7)
Monday: 12pm - 8:30pm
Tuesday: 12pm - 8:30pm
Wednesday: 12pm - 8:30pm
Thursday: 12pm - 8:30pm
Friday: 12pm - 2pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Finals Week (June 8 - June 14)
Monday: 12pm - 4:30pm
Tuesday: 12pm - 4:30pm
Wednesday: Studio Closed (Project pick-up 12pm-5pm only)
Thursday: Studio Closed (Project pick-up 12pm-5pm only)
Friday: Studio Closed (Project pick-up 12pm-5pm only)
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
The Craft Center will be closed for from June 13 through July 5. We will reopen for Summer Term on July 6. Staff will not always be present on-site during that time. For questions, please email craftctr@uoregon.edu.
Studio Information
Bisque Firing Schedule (Schedule to Subject to Change)
The bisque kiln will be loaded every Monday during Winter Term with unload happening Thursday.
Glaze Firing Schedule (Schedule to Subject to Change)
The glaze kiln will be loaded every Monday during Winter Term with unload happening Thursday.
Ready to start creating?
To sign-up for orientations, click here!
To register for workshops, click here!
E-Newsletter
To stay up to date about upcoming events, workshops, and studio announcements at the Craft Center, sign up for our e-newsletter here.
Ceramics Studio Orientation Information
Studio Orientations
Please visit the Craft Center home page to view registration dates for orientations including Ceramics Orientations (Wheel Throwing and Hand Building). To register, visit myemu.uoregon.edu.
You must have previous experience to take a Ceramics Orientation.
For wheel throwing, that experience must include the following:
- Ability to center clay on the wheel.
- Familiarity with basic forms like cylinders and bowls.
- Knowledge of trimming techniques and when to trim.
- Understanding of how to prepare and finish pieces for firing.
- Ability to thoroughly clean wheel.
- Preferred knowledge of high temperature glazing processes, however, if you are unfamiliar, please plan to attend a Glaze Power Hour.
For hand building, that experience must include the following:
- Knowledge of clay properties, including proper thickness to avoid cracking.
- Understanding of techniques like coiling, slab building, and pinching.
- Proficiency in slip and score methods for attaching pieces securely.
- Awareness of drying stages and how to prepare work for firing.
- Preferred knowledge of high temperature glazing processes, however, if you are unfamiliar, please plan to attend a Glaze Power Hour.
Ceramics Studio Policies
Orientation Required: First-time users need to complete a studio orientation to review tools, safety, and cleanup procedures.
Clay & Projects: All clay must be purchased at the Craft Center. Clay pricing includes the cost of glazes and firings. No outside materials are permitted. The work being fired at the Craft Center must have been made in the Craft Center.
Studio users will be issued a tray for storing all work, and a designated area to store clay. Two trays may be checked out at a time. All trays must have a "Name Tag" attached and updated every two weeks with the current date. Your name/initials should be signed on each piece for easier identification. Your bag of clay must have your first and last name written on it.
To support smooth workflow and ensure adequate space for all, studio users are encouraged to work efficiently and complete projects in a timely manner. Please note that bats should not be stored on personal trays. To conserve space, transfer your works to the appropriate firing shelves or consolidate them onto a single tray when possible.
Ceramic projects will be moved with the tray through bisque firing. After unloading, you can retrieve your tray and place it back on the greenware shelf to continue using or return it to the front desk.
The Craft Center maintains a strict policy against the making of drug paraphernalia.
Respect Shared Space: Working with clay in a shared studio can present unique challenges. Pieces may occasionally be bumped, moved, or mistakenly glazed. To help maintain a respectful and organized environment, please handle only your own projects and avoid uncovering or touching anyone else’s work. While every effort is made to process and fire pieces with care, many factors can influence the final results. If you find that the shelves are full, please ask the Ceramics Studio Coordinator or a Ceramics Studio Assistant for assistance in creating storage space. Thank you for helping keep our studio a positive and collaborative space!
End of Term Clean Up: After Week 10 of the current term all clay and greenware, even if labeled, will not be saved for the following term. It will be recycled. Studio clean out will happen during Finals Week of the current term.
Clean Your Workspace: Users are responsible for cleaning any materials and surfaces they use, disposing of trash in designated bins, and leaving the space ready for others.
No Food or Drink: For safety reasons, no food or drink is allowed in the studio. Lidded containers are fine.
Closed-Toe Shoes: The Craft Center requires closed-toe shoes to be worn in every studio. If you do not have proper footwear, you will be turned away.