Weekend Clay Plays 

Clay Plays are casual, beginner-friendly pottery sessions where you will learn basic ceramic handbuilding skills to create functional or decorative objects. Ages 10+ with an adult or ages 14+. Pieces are glazed, fired and ready for pick up in 3-6 weeks. Shipping is available for our visiting attendees for $15 plus shipping costs.

Ideas & Inspiration for upcoming Clay Plays

Please email ilwacoartworks@gmail.com to join a waitlist!

Ilwaco Artworks Community Clay Studio – 109 1st Ave N Ilwaco, WA

FRIDAY NIGHT CLAY DATES

A beginner-friendly session, where you’ll learn handbuilding skills to craft a decorative or functional object. Clay Dates are open to solos, duos or friend groups and include a demo, clay, glaze, firing, and plenty of lasting memories for.

Pieces are glazed, fired and ready for pick up in 3-6 weeks. Shipping is available for our visiting attendees for $15 plus shipping costs. Bring friends and enjoy a group discount on additional tickets!

$25.00

This class will prepare you to be self-directed in the ceramics studio, making it ideal for anyone considering a studio membership or punch card! We encourage participants to have taken at least one ceramics class in the past to establish a foundation for this course. You’ll build on your existing knowledge and learn the essentials of studio work, including prepping your clay and workspace, using basic tools, handbuilding techniques, different clay body types, and reclaiming clay. The course also covers moisture content, wrapping and storing, glazing, firing cycles, and finishing your work.

$330.00

Whether you’re new to the wheel or have years of experience, this class is designed to elevate your pottery throwing skills. Each session begins with a brief demonstration, followed by hands-on instruction tailored to naturally advance your abilities toward your personal goals. For advanced students, the projects are open-ended, allowing for creative exploration, while beginners will receive one-on-one guidance to successfully craft chosen objects like cups, bowls, planters, and more. We’ll examine wedging, throwing, trimming, altering, and surface treatment in depth to ensure you develop a well-rounded skill set.

$220.00

Whether you’re new to the wheel or have years of experience, this class is designed to elevate your pottery throwing skills. Each session begins with a brief demonstration, followed by hands-on instruction tailored to naturally advance your abilities toward your personal goals. For advanced students, the projects are open-ended, allowing for creative exploration, while beginners will receive one-on-one guidance to successfully craft chosen objects like cups, bowls, planters, and more. We’ll examine wedging, throwing, trimming, altering, and surface treatment in depth to ensure you develop a well-rounded skill set.

$55.00

Our special projects classes are intended to complement and add to your throwing skill set by focusing on a single advanced technique. To get the most out of this class we ask that you feel comfortable centering and pulling up cylinders before enrolling. 

In this plate project class we will demonstrate, troubleshoot and guide you through throwing and trimming dinner plates, saucers and platters.

SOU’WESTER ARTS WEEK 2025

EMBERS – DARKNESS TO FIRE

PUBLIC PORTION

MARCH 14TH – 16TH

Every March, the Sou’wester hosts over 30 artists and collectives for a weeklong residency, culminating in a weekend of performances, installations, and studio tours — free and open to the public. This annual celebration invites the community to engage with the creative process and connect with artists who bring a new light to the evergreen coast. 

We hope to explore the power of a slow burn—soft yet potent—to illuminate unseen paths and spark transformation in the darkest heart of winter. Art, as a radiant warmth, will draw us closer and inspire renewal as we tend the flames and push forward together.

$55.00

Our special projects classes are intended to complement and add to your throwing skill set by focusing on a single advanced technique. To get the most out of this class we ask that you feel comfortable centering and pulling up cylinders before enrolling. 

In this special project class we will review, discuss and demonstrate a handful of lidded vessel forms. We will spend time on lid fit, lid handles, design, technique and finishing methods.