Celebrating the beauty of bisque with these lovely pieces. Clockwise from top left: LJ, unmarked, unmarked, EWN, Tim Edwards, Erin
Kia ora tātou
This week has been fantastic! Classes and Kids' Play with Clay started up this week and so we've had lots of new and returning faces coming through the doors. The studio is starting to hum again and the creative energy is as incredible as ever.
We have news this week about classes, workshops, firings and a call for a few more Saturday volunteers - read about all that, plus more, below.
Sculptural Teapots with Rick Rudd, MNZM
We are delighted to bring you this 2-day, weekend workshop with internationally acclaimed potter, Rick Rudd MNZM.
Saturday 2nd May, 10am - 4pm, AND Sunday 3rd May, 10am - 4pm
Membership enrolments for this workshop opened this morning and places are filling up fast! If you're interested in enrolling, we recommend you snap up a ticket quick as you can.
** Please note we are offering spaces to WSP financial members only at this stage. Any remaining tickets will be opened to non-members next week.
Fiona's Fabulous Fauna - animal forms with Fiona Tunnicliffe
A two-day weekend workshop on Saturday 18th AND Sunday 19th April, 10am to 4pm
Also selling like proverbial hotcakes, are the membership tickets for this workshop. Get in TODAY to secure your spot, there are only a few left.
** Please note we are offering spaces to WSP financial members only at this stage. Any remaining tickets will be opened to non-members next week.
Phoenix Wood Firing - March 2026
A limited number of spaces are available to share the use of the kiln on this upcoming wood firing, with Suzy Dunser as your Firemaster.
** Please note, this will be a low-soda firing, so you have the potential to use more glazes on your pot.
The wood will need to be collected, prep'd and stacked a month earlier (end of March) to ensure it is dry on the day. The firing coordinator will be in touch with participants to organise a date for this.
The other dates to be available for prep, firing and unloading are:
Saturday 14th March: Prep day: organise wood, prep shelves and kiln
Saturday 21st March: packing kiln
Sunday 22nd: firing kiln
Saturday 28th March: grinding shelves and unloading kiln
Volunteers for Saturday Members' Open Studio
These Saturday afternoon sessions became very popular last year, giving members an extra opportunity to use the studio each week, outside of working hours.
We'd love to keep this initiative up and running this year, but we do need a few more volunteers on the roster to run the sessions. Volunteers just need to open the studio, do a bit of customer service on the till and EFTPOS machine, and lock up again. There's occasional questions from your fellow potters, but it's okay if you don't know the answer. You're not expected to be an expert, you're there to make the facilities available for our members to use.
In return, you can do your own potting when you're not processing payments etc., and we give you a free session on top of that to use at your leisure, either at Play with Clay or Members' Open Studio.
We will give you a run-through of how everything works, and we can also pair you up with an experienced volunteer on your first session to get you started.
AND... we also offer additional benefits to volunteers who accrue a certain number of hours over the course of our financial year. The hours can be volunteered for any event or work completed (eg. Open Studio, loading kilns, helping at Open Day and working bees etc.), and are conferred at the beginning of the following financial year. It's our way of saying thank you to our incredibly generous volunteer army - we couldn't keep this place ticking without you ❤️
30 hours - complimentary membership
60 hours - discounted firing charges
Serving on the WSP Committee - free 24/7 access to the studio.
Email Libby if you'd like to volunteer, or would like to know more.
4-week taster classes start next week
Our two short-term classes start next week and we still have a few spots available on each of them:
Friday Evening Introduction to Pottery with Dave Austin
4-weeks, starting Friday 13th February, 6pm-9pm
Find more info and enrol here.
Sunday Wheel Throwing Taster Class with Sarah Steed
4-weeks, starting Sunday 15th February, 10am-1pm
Find more info and enrol here.
Taming of the kiln
A Rahu Road Pottery workshop
Dates: 28 & 29 March, all day. Kiln opens on 1 April
Booking opens: 14 February, 9am
This workshop is an introduction to wood firing and the soda glazing process. Based around loading and firing of our wood kiln for a soda firing we will also be covering the principles at work in wood fired kilns. Work for the firing will need to be bisque fired and glazed with suitable stoneware glazes (firing to cone 11, 1300 degrees), loading on Saturday and firing on Sunday. The kiln will be unloaded on the following Wednesday. We have a limited range of glazes and flashing slips available, comprehensive notes will be emailed to you once your booking is confirmed.
Maximum 6 students, $460 (includes refreshments and lunches)
For more information and to book a spot in the workshop (once the bookings open), visit the Rahu Rd Pottery website.
Studio Schedule
Friday 6 February
CLOSED for Waitangi Day
Saturday 7 February
10am – 1pm: Play With Clay - thanks Teresa! x
1 - 4pm: Members' Open Studio - thanks Lydia! x
Sunday 8 February
CLOSED
Monday 9 February
9.30am – 12.30pm: Wheel Throwing Class
1pm – 4pm: Members’ Open Studio
6pm - 9pm: Hand Building Class
Tuesday 10 February
9.30am – 12.30pm: Wheel Throwing Class
1pm – 4pm: Members’ Open Studio
6pm - 9pm: Play with Clay - thanks Margaret and Patsy! xx
Wednesday 11 February
9.30am – 12.30pm: Play with Clay - thanks Yasmin, Kristen and Dave! xx
1pm – 4pm: Members’ Open Studio
4pm - 5.30pm: Kids' Play with Clay
6pm - 9pm: Wheel Throwing Class
Thursday 12 February
9.30am – 12.30pm: Sculpture Class
1pm - 4pm: Members' Open Studio
6pm - 9pm: Wheel Throwing Class
Friday 13 February
9.30am - 4pm: Members' Open Studio
6pm - 9pm: Intro to Pottery Class
Saturday 14 February
10am – 1pm: Play With Clay - thanks Tim! x
1pm – 4pm: TBC Members’ Open Studio (pending a volunteer to run the session)
Sunday 15 February
10am - 1pm: Wheel Throwing Class
