Classes 2025 - Fireborn Studios

New Opportunities Starting Term F of 2025

Offerings

There are quite a few former Fireborn students who would love to return to our studio to make pots and/or use our glazes and fire here. We have some new opportunities for them:
an independent “class”
glazing and glaze firing
bisque firing

As you read this page, you will learn more. There is also a link below to a google form where you can tell us about your interests and if this works for you.

"Class"

The independent “class” is an opportunity for 10 or 12 former Fireborn Studios students with intermediate to advanced skills, who want to work independently, to form a group that meets for three hours a week at a regularly scheduled time. The exact time will depend on when most people are available, but we are considering Friday and Saturday mornings and afternoons. When you fill out the questionnaire below, you can indicate what times works best for you, and indicate if you want to be kept informed about developments at Fireborn.
The “class” will start Friday, October 31 or Saturday, November 1 (Term F per our usual class calendar). Glazing, glaze firing and bisque firing are available starting now.

Similarities

There will be three-hour time slots. For example, if you attend the Friday Morning “class”, you will come every Friday for eight consecutive weeks, from 9:30 to 12:30.
Twenty-five pounds of clay will be included with your tuition by term.
You may purchase extra clay.
You may not do “production pottery”.
Trimmed pots will dry to bone-dry and be bisque fired as usual.
The flow of work must be maintained, meaning pots can’t sit around on shelves.
You need to trim, glaze, and take home your work ASAP.
You can rollover from one term to the next.

Differences

There will NOT be formal instruction.
You will be responsible for drying your pots to leather hard and storing them on shelves.
There will be new shelf assignments to your facilitate workflow.
You will be collectively responsible for some studio chores: keeping studio clean, wet-mixing glazes, bringing clay into the building, loading the glaze kiln with Dan or Donna, etc.
Two people in your class will be the class “leaders” and will have the door code and give out clay as needed.
Dan and Donna may offer critiques, demonstrations or help occasionally.
Class will be smaller, 10 to 12 people.
There will only be one or two classes offered.
Classes are not open to the general public.
Because there will be fewer students, glaze firings will be less frequent. We fire when the kiln is full. This is could be every 2 to 3 months.
You can bring in work made at home and have it fired for a fee.
An 8-week term will cost less than before. The new price is $310.
Clay Pittsburgh board members get a tuition discount of $50.

Firing Services and Home Studio

Making pots in your own studio and firing at Fireborn may be an option for former Fireborn Studios students and qualified individuals.

There is an application and vetting process to evaluate your needs, knowledge and skills. GO HERE TO APPLY

Glaze firing: ($35.00 / Cubic Ft.) with glazing during a designated time (likely during our gallery hours or during a class)

Bisque firing: Whole Bisque Kiln Only

$40 per kiln for 1027, 7 cubic feet
$50 per kiln or 1231, 9.9 cubic feet

Wheel Rental: Brent C or Big Boss

$75 per week
$125 month
$250 for 3 months
Inquire by email to dan45@fireborn.com

Sharing

You are encouraged to share your knowledge, kindness, and experience.

Things You Should Know

How to Dry Pots

Being able to dry your own pots is a basic skill all potters should have.

All pots need to be partially dried, off the table, and put away by the end of class.

Pots that are leather hard can be put in a designated place on the ware rack.

Any pots not yet leather hard at the end of class can be placed on a small bat, covered with plastic, and put on the wet-pot storage shelves. You will be assigned shelf space. Please provide your own plastic bags, dry cleaner bags, small trash bags, etc.

To dry your pots, put a fan on them. The closer to the fan, the faster they will dry. Rotate your pots so they dry evenly. Cut again and remove from bat ASAP. Turn them upside down ASAP. Continue to rotate as needed. Try not to have the lips turn white and get brittle.

Slow-Dry:

After one week in slow-dry, move your pots to the regular drying rack so they will get bisqued.

Hundreds of Videos

I have created dozens of videos and linked to hundreds more made by others. As independent learners, you should avail yourself of them. Search my website for help pages and blog posts, and use the learners dropdown in the main navigation bar in the header that appears on the top of all pages.
Below are two examples of my videos.
I have a YouTube channel you can visit as well.
Below are a two sample videos