Your First Creation on the Wheel: Embracing Wabi-Sabi

From your first lump of clay to pieces you’ve thrown yourself.

There’s something almost hypnotic about watching a piece of clay take shape on the wheel – but getting there is a skill. And this course is where you learn it properly.

Starting from the very beginning, you’ll get comfortable at the pottery wheel and gradually build the techniques needed to create your own vessels. You’ll learn how to prepare and centre your clay, open it, pull up the walls and start controlling shape and proportion.

As the course progresses, you’ll move from simply keeping the clay under control to intentionally creating cups, bowls, small vessels and other forms – then refining, trimming and decorating the pieces you want to keep.

It takes patience. Things will wobble. Some pieces might collapse. And then suddenly your hands start understanding what to do – and that’s where the magic happens.

✏️ What to Expect

• Guided demonstrations followed by plenty of hands-on practice
• Your own workspace at the pottery wheel
• A gradual progression from basic exercises to creating your own vessels
• Individual feedback and guidance throughout the course
• Time to repeat techniques, experiment and build confidence
• Trimming, refining and decorating your selected pieces
• An introduction to glazing and finishing your work

🧠 What You’ll Learn

• How to prepare clay for throwing
• How to centre clay confidently on the wheel
• Opening the clay and establishing an even base
• Pulling and controlling walls
• Creating and refining different vessel shapes
• Trimming and finishing your pieces
• Basic surface decoration and glazing techniques
• The foundations you need to continue practising wheel throwing independently

🤔 Is This the Right Course for Me?

This course is for you if you want to actually learn how to throw on the pottery wheel, rather than simply try it once.

You’ll probably enjoy it most if you like learning with your hands, don’t mind repeating a technique several times and find satisfaction in gradually getting better at something. Wheel throwing takes patience – your first bowl might be wonky, your second might collapse, and that’s very much part of learning.

If you’re mainly looking for a relaxed one-time experience and want to try the wheel without committing to learning the technique, our Wheel Throwing Taster Workshop might be a better fit.

But if you want to build solid foundations, understand what your hands are actually doing and gain the confidence to continue practising afterwards, this is your course.

Spin it. Shape it. Love the wonky bits.

Ever dreamed of making your own cup or bowl on the pottery wheel? This is your moment to try – no pressure, no perfection, just you, the clay, and the magic of Wabi-Sabi.

In this relaxed, beginner-friendly event, you’ll learn the basics of wheel throwing, how to center the clay, and how to pull up your very first form – maybe a cup, maybe something totally unexpected (and that’s perfectly okay).

We’ll embrace wobbles, curves, and character, celebrating the Japanese art of Wabi-Sabi – finding beauty in imperfection and joy in the process, not just the result.

No experience? No problem. You’ll leave with a piece that’s 100% yours – shaped by your hands and full of personality.

✨ How PIE Ceramics Events Work

Treat yourself to a hands-on creative moment — where you can sip, snack, and sculpt your way through a fun and relaxing ceramics session. Whether you come solo, with friends, or for a team night out, you’ll enjoy a feel-good atmosphere, great company, and your very own ceramic creation to take home (well… after it’s been fired 😉).

Each event is led by one of our friendly ceramic artists, who’ll guide you step-by-step through shaping and decorating your piece. No pressure, no perfection — just good vibes, creative flow, and the joy of getting your hands dirty in the best possible way.

Most of our events take place in our beautiful, cosy studios in Zürich and Basel — fully equipped, full of charm, and designed to spark your imagination. Every now and then, we also pop up in partner venues like bars, cafés, or sunny outdoor locations.

🏺 What’s Included

• All tools, materials, and clay
• Personal guidance from an experienced ceramic instructor
• One piece included for firing and glazing (extras optional for a small fee)
• A welcoming and inspiring studio space to explore ceramics at your own pace
• The option to return and glaze your piece in one of two ways:
  → Join a glazing workshop at a discounted price
  → Or glaze it yourself in our Creative Café for CHF 20 — walk in or reserve a table during opening hours

🔥 Firing & Pickup

We take care of firing and glazing your ceramic piece after the workshop.
Firing takes approx. 4 weeks – we’ll contact you when your piece is ready for pickup.

📋 Good to Know

• Arrival: Please come 10–15 minutes early to settle in and grab your welcome drink
• Cancellations: Tickets are transferable, but non-refundable within 36 hours
• Rescheduling: Possible up to 72 hours before the workshop
• Pickup: Pieces are ready around 4 weeks after your session
• All levels welcome — no experience needed, just curiosity and a willingness to get a little messy
• Alcohol: Only served to guests aged 18+

👉 Full terms & policies: shop.paintiteasy.ch/en/tickets/terms

Spin it. Shape it. Love the wonky bits.

Ever dreamed of making your own cup on the pottery wheel? This is your moment to try – no pressure, no perfection, just you, the clay, and the magic of Wabi-Sabi.

In this relaxed, beginner-friendly event, you’ll learn the basics of wheel throwing, how to center the clay, and how to pull up your very first form – maybe a cup, maybe something totally unexpected (and that’s perfectly okay).

We’ll embrace wobbles, curves, and character, celebrating the Japanese art of Wabi-Sabi – finding beauty in imperfection and joy in the process, not just the result.

No experience? No problem. You’ll leave with a piece that’s 100% yours – shaped by your hands and full of personality.

A lump of clay. Two hands. Surprisingly many possibilities.

Handbuilding is where some of ceramics’ oldest techniques meet almost unlimited creative freedom. Using pinching, slabs and coils, you can turn clay into everything from cups and plates to vases and sculptural forms.

Throughout the course, you’ll explore the three fundamental handbuilding techniques: pinching, slab building and coiling. Each opens up a different way of working with clay and gives you new possibilities for creating both functional and decorative pieces.

Through a series of guided projects, you’ll gradually build your ceramic toolbox: learning how to construct, join and shape clay, play with textures and surface decoration, and finally glaze your creations.

It’s tactile, playful and wonderfully versatile – with plenty of room to experiment and develop pieces that feel completely your own.

✏️ What to Expect

You’ll explore the fundamental handbuilding techniques through a series of projects:

Pinching – shape your first cup or mug using one of the most intuitive ways of working with clay.

Slab Building – learn to work with rolled clay slabs and transform them into plates and other constructed forms.

Coiling – build upwards with coils of clay to create a vase or taller vessel.

Glazing & Finishing – explore colour and surface to give your handmade pieces their final character.

Throughout the course, you’ll receive demonstrations, individual guidance and plenty of freedom to interpret each project in your own way.

🧠 What You’ll Learn

• The fundamentals of pinch pottery
• How to construct forms using clay slabs
• How to build larger and taller pieces using coils
• How to join clay securely and create stable forms
• How to control shape, thickness and structure
• Surface decoration using textures, patterns and carving
• The basics of glazing and finishing
• How to combine these techniques when developing your own projects

🤔 Is This the Right Course for Me?

This course is a great fit if you enjoy making things with your hands, experimenting with form and texture, and having creative freedom within a guided learning process.

You’ll probably appreciate it most if you’re curious about how objects are constructed and enjoy the process of slowly building something from scratch. Handbuilding allows for precision, but it also celebrates irregularity, character and personal expression – your pieces don’t all need to look identical or perfectly symmetrical.

If you’re mainly interested in learning the technical skill of throwing symmetrical vessels on the pottery wheel, our Wheel Throwing Beginner Course is probably the better choice.

But if you want to build a broad foundation in ceramics, discover several versatile techniques and eventually combine them freely in your own projects, this is a fantastic place to start.

Because your morning coffee tastes better from something you made yourself.

In this 2-hour Shape & Fun ceramics event, you’ll create your very own hand-built ceramic cup — from a soft block of clay to a fully functional mug, tumbler, or teacup (bravery determines size, no pressure).

With the help of our instructor, you’ll learn the basics of shaping, smoothing, and personalising your cup — all in a relaxed, supportive environment. Whether you go for sleek and modern or charmingly wobbly, it’s all about making something uniquely yours.

Not sure where to start? Don’t worry — we’ve got examples to spark ideas, and plenty of guidance to help bring your cup to life.

🎨 Want to decorate it later? You’ll get a discount to join one of our painting sessions and add colour and flair to your handmade creation.
🔥 After the event, we’ll glaze and fire your cup. It’ll be ready for pickup in about 3–4 weeks.

Perfect for absolute beginners, curious creatives, and anyone who’s ever thought:
“I’d love to make something I can actually use.”

✨ How PIE Ceramics Events Work

Treat yourself to a hands-on creative moment — where you can sip, snack, and sculpt your way through a fun and relaxing ceramics session. Whether you come solo, with friends, or for a team night out, you’ll enjoy a feel-good atmosphere, great company, and your very own ceramic creation to take home (well… after it’s been fired 😉).

Each event is led by one of our friendly ceramic artists, who’ll guide you step-by-step through shaping and decorating your piece. No pressure, no perfection — just good vibes, creative flow, and the joy of getting your hands dirty in the best possible way.

Most of our events take place in our beautiful, cosy studios in Zürich and Basel — fully equipped, full of charm, and designed to spark your imagination. Every now and then, we also pop up in partner venues like bars, cafés, or sunny outdoor locations.

🏺 What’s Included

• All tools, materials, and clay
• Personal guidance from an experienced ceramic instructor
• One piece included for firing and glazing (extras optional for a small fee)
• A welcoming and inspiring studio space to explore ceramics at your own pace
• The option to return and glaze your piece in one of two ways:
  → Join a glazing workshop at a discounted price
  → Or glaze it yourself in our Creative Café for CHF 20 — walk in or reserve a table during opening hours

🔥 Firing & Pickup

We take care of firing and glazing your ceramic piece after the workshop.
Firing takes approx. 4 weeks – we’ll contact you when your piece is ready for pickup.

🥂 A Toast to Creativity

Every workshop starts with a complimentary welcome drink to help you settle in and spark your creative side. Choose from:

• A soft drink or hot drink
• A glass of wine, prosecco, or beer
• Or our rotating Cocktail of the Week

Feeling fancy? Upgrade to a signature cocktail, mocktail, or smoothie for just CHF 5–9.

🍴 Hungry for More? (in ZH)

Our Creative Café is open during your session — with wraps, bowls, snacks, sweet treats and more to fuel your inspiration. Additional drinks and food are available à la carte throughout the workshop.

📋 Good to Know

• Arrival: Please come 10–15 minutes early to settle in and grab your welcome drink
• Cancellations: Tickets are transferable, but non-refundable within 36 hours
• Rescheduling: Possible up to 72 hours before the workshop
• Pickup: Pieces are ready around 4 weeks after your session
• All levels welcome — no experience needed, just curiosity and a willingness to get a little messy
• Alcohol: Only served to guests aged 18+

👉 Full terms & policies: shop.paintiteasy.ch/en/tickets/terms

🎡 Just curious? Even better.

This is your chance to dip a toe (or both hands!) into the wild, whirling world of the pottery wheel — no pressure, no experience needed. In this wheel-throwing taster workshop, you’ll learn how to center, pull, and shape clay like a true ceramic boss. It’s messy, magical, and way more satisfying than your average Saturday scroll session.

You’ll get hands-on with the basics of wheel-throwing — and walk away with at least one piece to call your own. Plus, you’ll leave knowing whether this hobby is a fling or the beginning of a full-blown love affair.

No experience necessary. Just bring your curiosity — we’ll handle the spin cycle.