All Classes are held at Main Exhibit Gallery's 
​fully accessible Art Center
301 West Main Street, Ligonier, PA

WHEEL POTTERY FOR BEGINNERS

In this seven-week beginner class, your pottery instructor will teach centering on the wheel and cover basic throwing techniques. No experience needed! You'll explore ceramic forms as you make cups, bowls and other vessels, alter thrown pieces, and make and attach handles to mugs and pots. Instructors guide you in creativity while helping you establish and work towards your individual goals in beginner ceramics.

This class is also perfect if you've already taken a wheel pottery class (here or elsewhere) but would like to review and/or expand your technique. After the 5th wheel session, you'll participate in a trimming class to finish up any pots you've already made to prep for a bisque-firing (first firing) in our kiln. The final session will consist of glazing bisqued pieces. They'll then be fired and ready for pickup, typically in about 2 weeks!

Click on the buttons below to learn more about our available classes and/or register!

Beginner Pottery with Sandra

BEGINNER POTTERY WITH ALEXIS

Beginner Pottery with Cray

 INDEPENDENT WHEEL POTTERY
One Wheel Session,
​ Plus Glazing!
These single session independent studies (no instructor) are for those who are already proficient at centering on the wheel and want to explore on their own. We're now offering Wednesday Night single sessions for $50 each.  A separate glazing session is included. 
Clay may be purchased for $1/lb. or a bag of 25lb. for $20.
Choose a specific date(s) below.

One Day POTTERY Wheel
TRY OUTS


Have you wanted to try the pottery wheel, but can't give up the time for a 6-week class? Here's the perfect way to "get your hands dirty" before pursuing a longer class.  In this 3-hour session, we'll show you how to center clay on the wheel and form it into basic pots. You may or may not not make the best looking pieces on your first try, but you will have some creative fun! After the clay dries (several days) we will put the pieces in a kiln and bisque fire them. We will then glaze them (based on your glaze choices) and fire them again. We'll let you know when they're ready to be picked up during Main Exhibit Gallery’s regular business hours. The firing and glazing process takes about 2 weeks. All workshops are held at Main Exhibit Gallery’s fully-accessible Art Center. Our entrance is located at the lower level rear of the building at 301 West Main Street, Ligonier, PA. Ages 14 and Up.
Available Dates:
Looking for a creative, fun activity to celebrate a birthday, bond with employees, have a family get-together, or some other special activity like a bachelorette party?  This class is available for groups of up to six for $285/group. Call Main Exhibit Gallery for more information and available dates: 724-238-2310.

Meet Our Ceramics Instructors!

Sandra Buerklin

A ceramic maker at Samobue Pottery (Samo-Pots), Sandra earned a studio arts degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a focus on ceramics and continues to grow as an artist through continuing education programs. Sandra currently lives in Greensburg, PA.

Alexis Dillon

Alexis Dillon is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Visual Arts & Photography instruction. She is a member of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh Society of Artists, and the Silver Eye Center for Photography. She taught art, pottery and photography in a public high school for 30 years and now is concentrating on her own work. She has been teaching wheel pottery at Main Exhibit Gallery for the past 3 years.

Cray Charlebois

A native of Rector, PA, Cray graduated from West Carolina University with a BFA, and is a skilled potter both on the wheel and in hand-building. She uses her creative genius to brainstorm classes and projects for our center, hosts private workshops, and enjoys being a mom to 3 creative kids.

Marine Ruth

Marine Ruth, originally from France, lives in Greensburg with her family. She first discovered her love of pottery at the Greensburg Art Center, and now shares her joy through teaching wheel-throwing to others.

Steve Hasley

Steve Hasley, a Bolivar resident, has over 40 years of ceramics experience, and is skilled with both wheel and hand-built techniques. He specializes in wood-fired pottery and teaches our wood-firing courses, partially in our Art Center with a series of kiln firing on his property.

Francis Defabo

Francis DeFabo, a retired physician, is now a professional potter and owns FD Pottery in Pleasant Unity, where he sells his own pottery and other great items. His work has been featured in HGTV Restored by the Fords, as well as numerous magazines. He has taught beginning and intermediate pottery at Main Exhibit Gallery since our Art Center opened in 2014!