Top L-R: AOC, Vasti Venter, Sala Mafuatu.
Middle L-R: nn, Joanne Van Vliet, unmarked.
Bottom L-R: BW, unknown, LJ
Hi clay friends!
We're heading into Easter tomorrow, so we'll be closed for a few days, but thanks to our fabulous volunteers, we'll still be open on Saturday for Play with Clay and Members' Open Studio. If you're heading into the studio on Saturday please make sure you give our volunteers some love - we couldn't run this place without them, and you wouldn't be able to pot on weekends and holidays without their contribution. Aroha nui to all our volunteers - superstars! 🤩
School Holiday Pottery Workshops
The first of our School Holiday Workshops starts next week, and it's not too late to sign-up your young potters so they can get creating!
We've got three of these awesome workshops lined up for them - and all of them are full-day, immersive creative experiences, where kids get to rotate around four different activities and make something at each of them. The dates for these are:
Thursday, 9th April
Tuesday, 14th April
Thursday, 16th April
Margaret's Pick of the Month
Margaret has chosen! This is her pick for March - please get in touch if it's yours and collect a $10 firing credit :)
An evening with Ruck Rudd MNZM
Friday 1st May, 6pm onwards
Waikato Society of Potters Studio
Join us for a rare and inspiring evening with Rick Rudd, one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most celebrated ceramic artists.
🍽 Pot Luck kai — Bring a dish to share.
💛 Entry by Koha — All proceeds support the Quartz Museum of Studio Ceramics and its mission to preserve, celebrate, and uplift ceramic art in Aotearoa.
British-born and trained at Wolverhampton College of Art (Diploma of Art and Design, Ceramics, 1972), Rick has been a cornerstone of New Zealand’s ceramics community since settling here in 1973. Over five decades he has exhibited nationally and internationally, received numerous awards, and contributed significantly to the field—including serving as President of the New Zealand Society of Potters (1988–91). In 2020 he was awarded a MNZM for services to ceramic art.
Rick’s works are held in major collections across the motu, including Auckland Museum, Waikato Museum, The Dowse, Te Manawa, Christchurch Art Gallery, MTG Hawke’s Bay, the Sarjeant Gallery, and more.
In 2013 Rick established the Rick Rudd Foundation, gifting his building and extensive personal collection to create a lasting public resource. This vision led to the opening of the Quartz Museum of Studio Ceramics in Whanganui in 2015—the only dedicated museum for studio ceramics in Aotearoa and home to a remarkable collection of around 4,500 works. Quartz continues to grow, inspire, and provide vital support for the next generation of makers.
Come share food, community, and an extraordinary opportunity to hear directly from one of New Zealand’s most influential ceramic voices. We’d love to see you there!
Open Day 2026 will be in November - save the date
You may have been wondering why we haven't been yodelling about Open Day yet... That's because this year we're going to run our big community day on Saturday 7th November.
We've chosen that date so we can run some more School Holiday Workshops in April, and also so we can try to have a Member's Market on Open Day, with the hopes the Christmas crowds will be out looking for pottery pressies :)
So, save the date, as we'll be shouting out for volunteers in due course, to help us run this awesome day! And, if you'd like to take part in the Member's Market, get making all those gorgeous pottery pieces.
2026-2027 Memberships
Memberships for the new financial year opened on Wednesday, so now's the time to renew or sign-up. You can do that online here, or in the studio.
By becoming a member you not only support WSP to keep the doors open, you get all these benefits as well:
Discounted class and workshop fees
Priority enrolments for workshops
Access to our dedicated Members’ Open Studio Sessions. Typically there are an additional 5-7 Members' Open Studio sessions per week
Discounted Play with Clay sessions
Further discounts for Members' Open Studio and Play with Clay sessions when purchasing a Concession Card
Utilising our firing service for pieces made outside of classes and Play with Clay
Entry into the Annual WSP Exhibition at Arts Post
Membership events such as the Mighty Waikato Pottery Throw Down
This is just a heads-up for now, we'll let you know when membership enrolments go live online and in-studio.
Term 2 Classes are selling quickly
Places are filling up in these classes pretty rapidly, so if you're thinking of enrolling it would be a good idea to check out what's on offer soon. You can view the whole range on our bookings page, or click on the individual links below to sign-up.
If the class you want to join in full up already, it's highly recommended to put your name on the waitlist, as we often have withdrawals and those places get offered to those who are officially waiting.
Intermediate Wheel Throwing
Mondays, 9.30am – 12.30pm, for 8-weeks, starting 4th May
More info here
Hand Building
Mondays, 6pm – 9pm, for 8-weeks, starting 4th May
More info here
Beginner Wheel Throwing
Tuesdays, 9.30am – 12.30pm, for 8-weeks, starting 28th April
More info here
Wheel Throwing for All
Wednesdays, 6pm-9pm, for 8-weeks, starting 29th April
More info here
Sculpture Skills
Thursdays, 9.30am – 12.30pm, for 8-weeks, starting 30th April
More info here
The Half and Half - wheel throwing AND hand building
Thursdays, 6pm – 9pm, for 8-weeks, starting 30th April
More info here
T2A Introduction to Pottery
Fridays, 6pm – 9pm, for 4-weeks, starting 8th May
More info here
T2A Wheel Throwing Taster
Sundays, 10am – 1pm, for 4-weeks, starting 10th May
More info here
T2B Introduction to Pottery
Fridays, 6pm – 9pm, for 4-weeks, starting 5th June
More info here
T2B Wheel Throwing Taster
Sundays, 10am – 1pm, for 4-weeks, starting 15th June
More info here
Workshop at Rahu Road Pottery:
Throwing and Altering
Date: 2 May, 9am to 4pm
Bookings open: 4 April 9am
This workshop explores how the wheel can be used to create shapes, raw forms that are then cut, altered and joined in interesting ways. We’ll start with learning ring throwing and then move onto the art of gusset cutting. Some basic wheel throwing skills are required, we'll be using the Leach style treadle wheel. We’ll also be looking at additions, like spouts and handles that can help give a function to the new forms. Please bring your own clay and throwing tools (we will have the standard studio clay available for you to use as well).
Maximum 4 students, $230 (includes refreshments and lunch).
For more information and to book a spot in the workshop (once the bookings open), please click the button to head over to our website.
Studio Schedule
Here's how things are looking so far, but remember to check the online calendar for any changes before you head in.
Friday 3 April
CLOSED for Easter
Saturday 4 April
10am – 1pm: Play With Clay - thanks Teresa & Caitlin! xx
1pm - 4pm: Members' Open Studio - thanks Dave A! x
Sunday 5 April
CLOSED for Easter
Monday 6 April
CLOSED for Easter
Tuesday 7 April
9.30am – 4pm: Members’ Open Studio
6pm - 9pm: Play with Clay - thanks Margaret! x
Wednesday 8 April
9.30am – 12.30pm: Play with Clay - thanks Yasmin, Kristen and Dave! xxx
1pm – 4pm: Members’ Open Studio
Thursday 9 April
CLOSED for School Holiday Workshop
Friday 10 April
9.30am - 1pm: CLOSED for Diploma
1pm - 4pm: Members' Open Studio
6pm - 9pm: Intro to Pottery class
Saturday 11 April
10am – 1pm: Play with Clay - thanks Caitlin! x
1pm – 4pm: TBC Members’ Open Studio - pending a volunteer
Sunday 12 April
10am - 1pm: Wheel Throwing class
