At Turning Arts Studio in Bowdoinham, Maine, we offer hands-on pottery workshops and private clay lessons for all skill levels. Many of our workshops are hosted through Merrymeeting Adult Education, providing accessible, community-centered creative experiences for people from Brunswick, Portland, and the wider Midcoast region. Stay tuned for our upcoming schedule and join us to explore your creativity in a welcoming, supportive space.

Zachary Fields wheel throwing pottery at Turning Arts Studio in Bowdoinham, Maine.

Private Offerings

With decades of teaching experience between us, we love sharing our joy of working in clay. Whether you are looking to master a technical skill or gather friends for a creative escape, we offer two distinct private studio experiences tailored to your path. You'll have full access to our professional studio tools, including Shimpo Whisper wheels, a slab roller, and an extruder.

  • Private Pottery Wheel Lessons

    Best for individuals or duos who want deep, focused instruction on the wheel or advanced handbuilding.

    Private lessons are highly tailored, 1-on-1 or 1-on-2 intensive sessions with Zachary designed to build your foundational skills, troubleshoot techniques, or explore specific forms.

    • Rate: $75 per hour (2-hour minimum). Bring a partner or a friend for a creative dual-session—the second person receives a 50% discount.
    • Capacity: Limited to a maximum of 2 participants to ensure undivided attention and a dedicated wheel.
    • Materials & Firing: Studio clay and tools are fully included for practice. If you choose to have Zachary trim, glaze, and fire your finished pieces to keep, a $20 finishing fee applies for up to 2 pieces.

  • Private Group Workshops

    Best for friend gatherings, family milestones, or small team-building events (4+ people).

    Looking to create together? Our private group workshops focus on beautiful, approachable hand-building and surface decoration techniques (such as tile-stamping or slab-built forms). These sessions prioritize the slow, grounding joy of making an object from start to finish in a relaxed, communal setting.

    • Rate: $350 flat rate for up to 4 participants (2-hour workshop). Additional guests are $75 per person.
    • Capacity: Best suited for groups of 4 to 6.
    • Materials & Firing: Completely all-inclusive. Price includes all instruction, clay, studio glazes, and kiln firings for everyone to take home a finished, cherished piece.
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Workshops

  • Three ceramic vases with abstract multicolor designs on a wooden surface outdoors.

    Raku Firing

    In this two-part workshop, you’ll explore the dramatic and hands-on process of raku firing. In Part 1, you’ll sculpt a piece in clay and watch a live raku firing demo. Three weeks later in Part 2, you’ll glaze and fire your own work using the raku method—removing red-hot pieces from the kiln and placing them into combustibles for stunning, unpredictable results. This class will be taught by Zachary Fields. No experience necessary. All tools and materials provided. $20 materials fee payable to the instructor. Finished pieces will go home after the second session.

    July 25 and August 1, 1-4 pm

    (Fall workshop coming soon!)

    Register Here 
  • Finished pottery from a Sip & Sgraffito workshop by Janna DeWan and Zachary Fields at Turning Arts Studio, Bowdoinham Maine

    Sip & Sgraffito

    Enjoy a relaxing evening sipping hot chocolate or tea while carving thoughtful designs into pre-made pottery by Janna and Zachary. Learn the sgraffito technique—scratching through colored slip to reveal the clay beneath—and leave your piece for firing. Finished work ready for pickup two weeks later. All tools and materials provided. $20 materials fee payable to the instructor. No experience needed.

    August 7, 7:00 - 9:00 pm

    (Fall & Winter dates coming soon!)

    Register Here 

Past Workshops

  • Monoprinting on Clay

    Learn how to transfer hand-drawn imagery onto clay using monoprinting techniques with slip and underglaze. Explore layering, line work, and expressive surface design. Bring leather-hard pots if you’d like, or use provided slabs. All materials included; $20 materials fee payable to the instructor. No experience necessary.

    Spring Session: Saturday, April 18th, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

    Summer Session: Friday, June 19th, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

    Register Here 

  • Build a Berry Bowl

    Create a beautifully functional berry bowl just in time for strawberry season. We’ll explore hand-building techniques using slabs and coils, then shape and perforate the form so your freshly picked berries can rinse and drain right in the bowl. Add surface design with texture and underglaze to make it unmistakably yours. Glazing will be done later by Janna, and will be ready to pick up two weeks later. All materials included; $20 materials fee payable to the instructor. No experience necessary.

    June 13

    Morning Session: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

    Afternoon Session: 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm