ASL / Deaf / HH : Book a Pottery Wheel Throwing Workshop

Pieces require 4-6weeks to dry, fire, glaze and undergo a second  firing. We are a small and busy studio so please wait the full 6 weeks before contacting the studio about your piece. We will contact you as soon as it is ready for pick up!

These workshops are designed for Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Our goal is to provide more accessible events to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community.

As our small business grows we will be offering more regular workshops WITH professional interpreter and workshops with Melba.

Melba is a hearing person and has been learning ASL with her children (3&5years) old since birth. Her signing isn’t great but she wants to create a more inclusive community.

She works in collaboration with other businesses to have more accessible opportunities. Our friends at Italiano Please are an inspiring business that employs and implements accessible opportunities in their workplace. 

Melba has worked in various industries and has been teaching skills to people of all ages and abilities most of her life, so she has the tools to adapt and accommodate to all types of people and develop solutions to make every experience rewarding! 

Melba’s ASL & Accessible workshops are different because:

- More time is allotted for communication and learning. 

- ASL is used as much as possible (please be patient with Melba as she works hard to improve and learn so your experiences are equally wonderful!) 

- Written and visual materials are provided to allow for better communication and learning. 

** A professional interpreter can be hired with group bookings of 6+ pottery guests. 

About the Pottery!

Pottery is therapeutic in so many ways. We literally use the term “centering,” when throwing on the wheel and just like life- when we can center ourselves it shows in our work and in our clay…

It also teaches us how to let go and deal with loss and failure and that is something so many of us struggle with.

When you learn pottery from Melba, it’s more than just playing with clay- it’s a chance to get to know yourself better and explore those parts that need a little TLC.

The Process

🔥Pottery pieces require 1 week to dry and 2  kiln firings. The first round is fired in a bisque firing and the second a  glaze firing before ready for pick up. Please allow 2-4weeks for turnaround of final product.

Expectations

‼️Pottery is a fine art and pieces do not always turn out as expected and there is always risk of breakage during the process. The workshop are intended to be an experience for the guest and though we try our best for the successful outcomes of pottery pieces, guests are not 100% gauranteed a complete piece. 

🌿All sessions require guests to clean the studio and put away equipment when done as this is a shared and sacred studio space.  

*Prices are PER guest*

**1-2 guests per booking for 90 minute sessions.

*** 3-4 Guests per booking for 2.5hr sessions

**** 5-6 guests per booking for 3.5hour sessions.

Try a wheel throwing class, where guests learn how to wedge and prepare clay for the wheel, how to learn the basics of centering clay on a wheel and creating basic forms. Workshops are flexible to cater to the learning pace of the guests and will be modified as needed. 

Don’t see an available session? Select and purchase a workshop session and please email BownessSoapworks

🫧➡️Soap Club Members get up to $75 off annually towards workshops - Join the Soap Club today and get those member perks!