Krista Preparing Blue clay!

Wheel & Handbuilding Blend + Colored Clay
Mix & Marble
Instructor: Krista Cortese

Sundays, 9:00am-11:00am
11 Weeks! Sept 7th-Nov 16th
Class Fee: $485 (does not include clay)

Keep growing your clay skills in this fun and flexible class that blends wheel throwing and handbuilding. Krista will guide you through building your favorite forms while introducing you to the colorful world of pigmented clay.

Yellow Pigmented Clay Cup by Krista

You’ll learn how to mix Mason Stains into your clay body and use that colored clay to create bold accents, subtle inlays, and sculptural details. Whether you're after a marbled swirl or a bright pop of color, this class will help you explore new surfaces and expand your creative toolset.

Eligibility: Recommended for those with one or more throwing classes. You must be 15+ years of age to participate. This class is a great fit for those wanting to grow their skills with an instructor present to ask questions. There is a 15” maximum size, in any direction, when creating with clay at RCC.

Materials: Participants must provide their own mason stains.
Mason stains can be purchased at local clay suppliers. Our favorite is Clay Art in Tacoma WA.
Krista suggests getting 1/2 pound (200 grams) of Mason Stain. This will get you a few small thrown items. Not everything you make will be with colored clay. Mason Stains can be spendy. You may also use colored clay for detail work, rather than making the entire pottery form with the colored clay.

Neriage Pot by Krista

Clay is $40 for new clay or at times we have recycled clay for sale for $20. This is a separate purchase from your class fee. Purchase clay HERE and we will have it ready on your first class.

Bring an apron, comfy clothes, a quart-sized container (like a yogurt container), and a beginner's set of tools to the first class.

Tool kits are available for purchase online or at SPS or CAC. Or here is another option on Amazon. The class fee includes all glazing materials, firings, and generous open-studio access for practice time. All levels welcome - come join the fun!

Krista Cortese, @KristasPots

About the Instructor:
Krista Cortese (she/her)

Krista Cortese has a background in painting, printmaking and sculpture and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Pacific Lutheran University in 2011 with a minor in Art History. In 2016, she immersed herself back into the ceramics community through the Continuing Education program at North Seattle College. A few years later in 2019, looking to grow as an artist and professional, she began an assistantship to Deborah Schwartzkopf at Rat City Studios in Seattle, Washington. Krista currently works full time as a ceramic artist and educator out of her home studio in Lake Forest Park. She is instructing lessons, workshops and teaching classes at Rain City Clay and studios throughout Seattle. She hopes to facilitate a creative environment that is therapeutic, fun and explorative for her students. Krista makes functional pottery that celebrates the rituals of everyday life with an emphasis on joyful, floral compositions with the charm of naivety.

Class refund policy:

Cancellations must be made via email to info@raincityclay.com
If you want to cancel your class, you may request a refund based on the bullet points below. Then you may rebook yourself for a class that fits better into your schedule. Last-minute cancellations in classes are difficult to fill - please double-check your schedule before committing to an event. Refunds take several business days to process from the date we receive the email request.

  • 100% of tuition (less a $15 processing fee) will be refunded if a student elects to drop a class no later than 10 days before the first class meeting.

  • 80% of tuition (less a $15 processing fee) will be refunded if a student drops a class within 7 days before the first class meeting.

  • 50% of tuition (less a $15 processing fee) will be refunded if a student drops a class within 3 days before the first class meeting.

  • 0% of tuition is refunded if cancellation is made within two days of class for any reason except for documented medical emergencies. (providing a doctor's note). There are no other exceptions to this policy.

  • No refunds or credit will be given for missed classes. Students currently enrolled in 10-week classes may practice during open studio time to build skills even if a class is missed. One-day clay events and lessons do not come with open studio time.

  • We reserve the right to cancel a class or workshop up to 3 days in advance of the first class due to insufficient enrollment. If a class is canceled, you will be offered the option of another class or a full refund.