Question for people who do pottery/ceramics.

[ohfook]

Just musing really I’m debating signing up for a beginners pottery course as I’m after a new hobby and it feels like something I would enjoy. I just want something I can do for me not something I’d then go on to try to sell.

I’m just wondering if there’s any point though as once the course is finished would I then be able to continue it at home or would I always be having to sign up to courses and workshops to get any practice.

I’d quite like someone to correct me but my understanding is that if it is something I wanted to just do at home, I’d have to first spend a lot of money of equipment? And realistically what would I make? There’s only so many mugs and things I need!

so I suppose my questions are amateur potters; do you potter at home? What do you make and do you end up giving it away? And was it expensive to get all of the equipment that you need to do it at home?

I know a lady who set up a kiln at her house and has offered for me to use it as I once expressed an interest after doing some at school. I know she uses it a few times a year but suspect she waits for friends to help fill her kiln to justify running it.

I think it is hard to think of things which people find useful and you'd likely end up with a lot of boring commissions if you were trying to make £, unless you are an amazing sculptor. Etsy is good to see what people make - wool holding bowls, paint palettes, dipping bowl and large comfy mugs seem to be the most popular but unless you use very interesting glazes or are really accomplished most look very samey IMO.

My best friend does pottery at home.
She has a kiln, and lots of space for her pieces to dry out before they get fired.
She did the odd craft market. She would make animals mainly. Everyone does mugs etc. For her, it is a hobby and creative outlet. She will never be able make a living off of it.

Some pottery studios let you "rent" a kiln for a firing. I think she paid £25 for her stuff to be fired.

Places that offer taught course might also offer an open atelier where people can come and use the facilities on certain days and times for a set fee. Take a look at the place you were thinking of taking your course.
There are some things you can do at home with little equipment, but a wheel, or especially a kiln is a big investment.
Take the course anyway! Trying something new is not a lifelong commitment. You might not like it, or you may love it and suddenly decide the dining room should in fact be a pottery studio.
As for the problem of the end result and only needing so many mugs, this is a problem with all creative hobbies, but only in so far as we focus on the end result and not the process. I did a pottery course ages ago, and the last few days were spent on the wheel but the end results were not fired and the clay reprocessed and reused. All the things you make don't need to end up as finished items.
Good luck and go for it!

Well, if you’re interested in throwing, you’ll need a wheel at home. Not if you hand build, obviously. But the main thing stopping you would be the lack of a kiln to fire work in.