Special Topics: Altered Forms and Surfaces

Tuesdays & Thursdays
February 25 – March 13

Ages 18+
Experience Level Advanced intermediate and up. Previous experience with the pottery wheel required.*


Class Description

Welcome to a “special topics” ceramic class! This abbreviated class format delves deeply into a specific topic not usually covered in Intermediate or Advanced classes. Special Topics classes are a great way to try new approaches to making pots, expand your technical repertoire, and take risks.

Altered Forms and Surfaces explores some of the many ways potters alter, accent, and decorate wheel thrown forms and clay surfaces. We will cover a range of techniques which may including faceting, under glazing and decals, ovalizing and squaring, slip decorating, mark making and stamping.

Each class time will be spent discussing and demonstrating a new technique, followed by work time. Students are encouraged to consider an Open Studio membership to continue their discovery of these techniques in their own independent work.


Materials Needed

Students will be provided with
•  Fresh clay, slips, underglazes and decals
•  Access to traditional throwing and trimming tools
•  Space in our kilns to fire pots
•  Use of shop glazes

Additional materials are available for a fee.


Ceramics Open Studio

Monthly passes are available for experienced students to access the ceramics studio for independent outside-of-class worktime. Contact Maxwell at [email protected] to learn more.


Maxwell Starr

Maxwell Starr

Pottery Instructor & Program Associate @languidstokes

[email protected]

About the Instructor

Maxwell Starr was born and raised in a small town outside of Philadelphia and has been a life-long visitor to the Adirondacks. Maxwell first learned to throw on the wheel over a decade ago from his father, who was himself a recreational potter. In the years since, he has been involved in academic programs, arts centers, and both public and private kiln firings. After graduating from Skidmore College in 2021, he spent a year working for the national renowned graduate program in Ceramics at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania before moving full-time to Lake Placid. Maxwell’s own ceramic work focuses on traditional pottery forms fired in atmospheric kilns. His other areas of interest and experience include natural draft kiln design and construction, glaze and clay chemistry, and wood firing kilns.

ClayIn-PersonMulti-DayAdvancedIntermediate

Questions? Know you may need to miss class sessions? *Unsure if this class is the right fit for you? Contact [email protected].