Build-Your-Own Mug Workshop

About this workshop

Logistics

  • Price: 50 per person

  • Duration: 2-3 hours

  • Location: Abby Seltzer Ceramics at 2223 Darwin Rd, Madison, WI 53704

Preparation

  • No Prior Experience Needed: just bring yourself and enthusiasm to make some pottery! We will walk you through everything you need to know to make your pottery vision come true.

  • Wear Comfortable Clothing and Remove Jewelry: pottery making can get messy, so we recommend you wear clothing you don’t mind getting dirty, and remove any rings or bracelets before the class. And don’t worry if you do get a bit messy- clay comes right out in the wash!

Workshop Overview

Our instructors will walk you through the entire process with you. Starting with…

  1. Preparing the Clay: each participant will be provided with slabs of clay suitable for hand building and will be shown how to compress and smooth these slabs for optimal results.

  2. Forming the Pot: with your clay prepared it’s time to start forming your pottery! Instructors will will through the process with you, providing hands on guidance and assistance as you bring your vision to life.

  3. Decorating: once your pottery has taken shape you’ll have the opportunity to add texture and designs to personalize your creation! From carving to sculpting, our instructors will share tips with you to help you make whatever decoration you wish.

  4. Finishing Touches: after you decorate, our instructors will show you how to smooth rough edges and refine your pot for a polished result.

  5. Choose a Color: after putting on the finishing touches, choose a glaze color out of our custom glazes for your piece to be finished in. After the workshop, our studio will transform your pot into durable, functional ceramic pottery and notify you when your pottery is ready for pickup.

Collecting Your Finished Pottery

  • We will notify you when you’re piece is ready to be picked up.

  • Come back to the workshop to pick up your piece for free, or opt to pay a shipping fee to have your work shipped to you.

Brown ceramic mug with two handles, decorated with raised grapevine and grape cluster designs.

Made by Tahani M.

A red ceramic mug with a textured surface featuring rounded bumps.

Made by Emy M.

Made by Pierce V.

A ceramic mug with a textured rocky pattern and a heart-shaped handle
A room decorated with leafy wallpaper and wooden paneling, featuring framed photos of coffee cups and a person making a pottery bowl. There is a whiteboard with drawings and instructions, a table with pottery and ceramics, and plants in the room.

Introducing The New Studio!

I’ve renovated the studio to make a comfortable, welcoming space.

Inspired by my love of nature, I added the textures and colors of trees to make the room feel like a magical forest.

Looking forward to creating more art in this new space with you all!

-Abby :)

Testimonials

A ceramic mug with carved designs of dragons, placed on a surface with a cloudy sky pattern, with office supplies and notes in the background.

“"Thank you for such a fun learning experience! My friend and I were not expecting the one-on-one guidance while making mugs - this really was such a special treat. Abby’s space is inviting and she’s an excellent teacher. I hope to take more classes in the future! See you at the farmer’s market, Abby :)”

Chloe: Google Review

A LEGO floral arrangement of a red rose and small green flowers in a textured ceramic mug, alongside a green apple-shaped LEGO container and a yellow clock with black hands showing approximately 11:00, all on a wooden surface.

“My friend and I first found Abby at a Farmers Market where we saw her beautiful ceramic pieces. We stopped and chatted and I noticed she had a sign about workshops. Within a couple weeks, we planned to attend her Mug Making Workshop!! As soon as we arrived Abby was welcoming and super excited to have us. This was our first time making anything with clay and she was so helpful and informative throughout the entire process. I would highly recommend attending one of her Workshops!”

Kaitlin: Google Review

Book your workshop here!