CHARLOTTE – We all know that iconic scene from the movie Ghost where Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze work the pottery wheel together. Romance is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to working with clay. Centering the clay on the wheel helps center your soul, bringing peace to the body and mind. It’s a labor of love, of hands molding vessels, of creation. Art Box Ceramics and Canvas are proud to announce the season-opening of its Pottery Pavillion located in the beautiful backyard of Eight Legs Gallery starting March 12th.

Art Box Ceramics and Canvas is offering a Pottery Wheel Throwing Experience, a beginners class for those interested in learning to create pottery. The class, which is 1 ½ hours long, includes a live demonstration followed by instructor-led practice time. Students can expect to create 2-4 small vessels such as soy sauce dishes, bowls, vases, and mugs. The pieces are bisque-fired, which means they are fired one time in the kiln, and they are ready to be painted. 

Classes are held under the lights of the covered pavilion with plenty of music and fresh air. There are six wheels available allowing for up to 12 people per class. Classes are held Friday evenings and Saturdays during the day. Art Box Ceramics and Canvas is offering a new option this year for students who have completed the Pottery Wheel Throwing Experience. Once you have completed the class, you will be allowed to reserve private studio time on the pottery wheel at the only pottery studio in the Waxhaw area. Spots can be reserved online in designated time slots.  

There will be classes offered for kids and teens ages 7 and up under the pottery pavilion this year as well. Pottery classes for kids start April 15th, and teens start April 13th.  All pottery classes will run for 6 sessions. Both will learn the fundamentals of working with clay and the pottery wheel, followed by instructor-led practice time.

Art Box Ceramics and Canvas also partners with the town of Waxhaw to offer classes for individuals and families. Their first class, scheduled for March 18th, is sold out, but they have added two additional dates to accommodate the crowds. The next two classes partnering with the town will be April 15th and May 20th at 6:00 pm. To sign up for classes through the town, visit their website at www.waxhaw.com.

In addition to the opening of the Pottery Pavillion and their current art class offerings, Art Box Ceramics and Canvas is also offering summer camps, birthday parties, and art classes for children. The Fired Arts and Pottery Summer Camp introduces children ages 7-12 to the fired arts and more. They experience ceramic painting, glass fusing, mural painting, pottery wheel throwing, clay sculpting, and mosaic tile art. Classes will run from 10:00 am -1:00 pm with the option to stay until 2:00 pm for a pottery wheel experience camp. Both camps run for 10 weeks from June 7th to August 13th.

The Pottery Wheel Throwing Camp offers students supervised direct experience with the pottery wheel in the Pottery Pavillion. Students will learn pottery wheel fundamentals while getting plenty of instructor-led practice on the wheel. This camp takes place immediately after the Fired Arts and Pottery Summer camp, from 1:00 – 2:00 pm. In addition to these camps, there will be two weeks set aside for teen workshops. The workshops will run June 28th – July 2nd and August 9th – 13th.  

Art Box Ceramics and Canvas is also offering Birthday Party Art Classes for kids. Party-goers can participate in ceramic painting, canvas painting, or pottery wheel throwing. Parties are for children 7 and up and can be booked online. Kids Art Classes are also available for children 7-12 years old and 12-16 years old. Classes include options for children and teen pottery wheel throwing classes, clay sculpting, ceramic painting, canvas painting, and mosaic tile art.  Classes for adults are also always available.

For more information on class offerings and to reserve your spot, please visit artboxceramics.com or call Kristin Mitchell directly at (704) 962-0913.