A pottery class is a room of neighbors side by side at the wheel, most of whom have never done this before. Nobody is good at it yet, and that’s exactly what makes it easy to belong.
If you typed something like pottery classes Oxford MS into a search bar, here is the short answer. April Dupuis of The Potter’s Hands Studio teaches in person in Oxford a few different ways: small-group classes at the Powerhouse, a six-week evening class and private group classes at her own studio, and an online community you can join free.
Below is what each one looks like, who it suits and how to sign up. For Powerhouse class dates, see current dates on the courses page.
Why a class is about more than clay
You can learn a lot from a video. What a video can’t give you is the person at the next wheel laughing because her cylinder just folded too.
Clay is humbling in the best way. Everyone’s hands get dirty, every first pot wobbles, and nobody can fake it. That levels a room fast. You might find yourself trading tips across the worktable with someone you’d never have met otherwise.
The courses page describes the room simply: hands, clay, and a table full of people who mostly hadn’t done this before. That’s the community we mean. It isn’t built on skill. It’s built on showing up and starting.
Scripture puts it gently: “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (Hebrews 10:24, KJV). The next verse speaks of not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. It was written to the church, but something of it is true in any room where people show up week after week and cheer each other on.
Anyone who has watched a pot collapse and started over knows a little about the potter and the clay, too.
Classes at the Powerhouse
April teaches in person at the Powerhouse, 413 South 14th Street in Oxford, through the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. Groups are small, the wheels are real and you leave with a finished piece.
- Clay in the Day. A six-week course on Tuesday afternoons. Wheel throwing and hand-building are taught side by side, at a pace that suits beginners without boring anyone who has done this before.
- Sip & Pottery. One evening, one piece, no commitment. Bring a friend, bring a drink and make something with your hands for two hours. For adults, and no experience is needed. It’s the easiest way to find out whether clay is for you.
Registration and payment happen on the Arts Council site, and each session has a limited number of spots. See current dates on the courses page. Pieces are fired and ready for pickup 5 to 7 weeks after the class ends, because firing and glazing take time, and rushing either one is how pieces crack.
Clay in the Night at the studio
If evenings suit you better, Clay in the Night is a six-week class April teaches at the studio, 68 County Road 154, Oxford. Each class runs two hours, and the current session meets on six evenings between October 7 and November 9, 2026.
You’ll work on wheel throwing, hand-building, and glazing and finishing, with tips and creative guidance along the way. The $450 class fee includes clay, tools, glazes and firing.
It’s meant for beginners and experienced makers alike, and for anyone who wants a relaxed, creative evening and a chance to meet fellow artists. Six weeks with the same faces is long enough for a group to become a group.
You pay for your seat with Cash App or Venmo at checkout. Your seat is held while April confirms payment, and you’ll get a confirmation email once it’s received.
Private classes for your group
Some of the best community is the one you bring with you. A private pottery class is a session just for you and your people at the studio, made for girls’ nights, date nights, church groups, birthdays and team building.
- Choose one hour to make one piece, or two hours to make two or three.
- Everyone hand-builds a piece after a lesson. No experience is necessary.
- All materials, tools and firing are included. April glazes and fires your pieces so they’re ready to pick up later.
- A one-hour class for one person is $125, and the class page lists pricing for larger groups.
- During your workshop you can tour and shop The Potter’s Hands Gallery, with over 500 pieces available.
Full payment is due at booking. You pick a preferred date and time, and April will reach out to confirm. Questions can go to (901) 330-6039.
If you’re not close to Oxford
April also teaches online through a course community on Skool. The Foundations track is free when you join and stays that way. Membership is monthly and opens the wheel forms and surface decoration tracks, including the sgraffito carving she has spent two decades refining. If you’re curious about that technique, here’s what sgraffito is.
The group is small enough that questions get real answers. A wobbly first cylinder is welcome there, not something to hide.
Questions people ask
Do I need experience to take a pottery class in Oxford?
None. The classes are designed for first-time potters and welcome complete beginners. Clay in the Day and Clay in the Night also suit people who have thrown before.
Where are the pottery classes held?
Arts Council classes meet at the Powerhouse, 413 South 14th Street, Oxford, MS. Clay in the Night meets at the studio at 68 County Road 154, Oxford, and private classes are held at the studio as well.
When do I get my finished pieces?
Powerhouse class pieces are fired and ready for pickup 5 to 7 weeks after the class ends. For private classes, April glazes and fires your pieces so they are ready to pick up later.
Pick the class that fits your week, and bring a friend if you can. Current dates, registration links and the free online track are all on the courses page.