Pots to enhance the ceremony of eating and drinking
Monday 17th - Friday 21st November 2025
SUMMARY
This will be an intensive five-day throwing workshop designed to build fluency and efficiency in repetition throwing, making a range or pots to enhance the ceremony of eating and drinking.
THE COURSE IN DETAIL
Tom will lead an intensive throwing workshop to develop the skills of competent throwers. The course will build progressively from repetition throwing in small batches to make a select range of table and serve-ware at the beginning of the week, progressing to larger statement kitchenware to practise throwing larger, more challenging, forms.
Throughout the week students will focus on clay preparation, design considerations, throwing efficiency and the relationship between form and function. Each day will follow a similar pattern of discussion, demonstration, practical and review.
This is an intensive making and refining course and there will be no specific kiln firing during the week, however, we will encourage students to keep, and finish, a few carefully selected pieces. These will be fired and be ready for collection a few weeks later.
Each student will have their own wheel and will receive plenty of individual attention.
Please note, there will be a small additional firing charge for final pieces. Please see our Student Contract (below) for details.
Course Breakdown
Day 1 - Cups
The course will start with clay selection & preparation. Tom will demonstrate and lead a batch throwing warm up using a throwing gauge. Students will throw dipping bowls, off the hump, and water cups.
Day 2 - Bowls
On the second day students will learn to cut and wedge hard and soft clay. Tom will demonstrate and students will batch make breakfast bowls and pasta bowls. Tom will give further throwing demonstrations and show students how to create reusable chucks. Students will then review and turn their thrown pieces from the previous day.
Day 3 - Flatware
Tom will give throwing demonstrations and students will batch make side plates and main plates. Students will then review and turn their thrown pieces from the previous day.
Day 4 - Cookware
Tom will give throwing demonstrations and students will batch make baking dishes and casserole dishes. Students will then review and turn their thrown pieces from the previous day.
Day 5 - Serveware
Tom will demonstrate and students will create statement serveware for communal eating. Students will review & turn thrown pieces from the previous day and finish off any thrown work from the final day.
FIRING
This is an intensive making and refining course and there will be no specific kiln firing during the week, however, we will encourage students to keep, and finish, just a few carefully selected pieces.
Please note, there will be a small additional firing charge for final pieces. Details of our firing charges can be found in our Student Contract.
Please read our Student Contract here.
Please also note, we do not offer a glazing service.
About TOM
Tom Knowles Jackson trained under Steve Sheridan as a schoolboy at Bryanston School in Dorset. Careers in the Army and in business in the Middle and Far East finally surrendered to Tom’s inexorable call to ceramics.
Tom now works in South Gloucestershire where he has established a brace of open access ceramic makerspaces; The Clay Loft near Stroud and Clay@The Fold between Malvern and Worcester.
Tom makes a range of functional cook and serveware for the table and home. His work is high fired stoneware, using a small range of his own glazes derived from iron, copper and wood ash.
Tom says that he enjoys making simple enduring forms that have function and purpose and that can bring joy to the daily routines of eating, drinking and sharing.
Tom is a thrower, making all of his pots on a McMeekin momentum wheel. He makes functional stoneware for the table, oven and sideboard with an emphasis on the ceremony of eating and drinking.
Tom’s work is focused on creating beautiful, usable ceramics; Vessels, containers and forms that have a robust yet refined aesthetic. His work is high fired in gas reduction using a simple pallet of wood ash, white and tenmoku glazes often with expressive slip decoration.
THE SCHEDULE
DAY 1 - Arrive 9am Monday 17th November
Welcome Breakfast (from 9am - 10am). The session will start at 10am and will finish at 5pm. Students may continue to use the facilities until 7pm.
DAY 2 - Arrive 9:30am Tuesday 18th November
On the second day the session will start at 9:30am and will finish at 5pm. Students may continue to use the facilities until 7pm.
DAY 3 - Arrive 9:30am Wednesday 19th November On the third day the session will start at 9:30am and will finish at 5pm. Students may continue to use the facilities until 7pm.
DAY 4 - Arrive 9:30am Thursday 20th November On the fourth day the session will start at 9:30am and will finish at 5pm. Students may continue to use the facilities until 7pm.
DAY 5 - Arrive 9:30am Friday 21st November On the final day the session will start at 9:30am and will finish at 4pm.
A two-course lunch is provided every day. Please inform us of any special dietary requirements at the time of booking.
PAYMENT
This cost for this five-day course is £1,000 This cost includes all necessary materials, tools, refreshments, a superb two-course lunch every day and a Welcome Breakfast on the first day.
You can pay in full or pay a deposit by clicking on the ‘Book Now’ button above. If you choose to pay a deposit we will contact you to arrange paying the remainder of your balance in instalments.
Before you book a course, please make sure you read our terms and conditions page here.
Please also read our Student Contract here.
TRAVEL & ACCOMMODATION
The Ceramic Studio is located on a beautiful orchard in Brenchley, and there are lots of lovely surrounding towns and villages offering numerous places to stay.
We are happy to arrange transits to and from your accommodation to the studio for the duration of your course. Please get in touch to arrange this. Please email the office team at info@theceramicstudio.co.uk. To see examples of local accommodation, click here.
“I recall my teacher and friend, Steve Sheridan, saying to me; “be careful to clean the clay from under your nails, or it’ll get stuck there for ever...”. It took me a few years to fully appreciate his meaning but I do now. ”
Date: Monday 17th - Friday 21st November 2025
Duration: Five-day workshop
Venue: The Ceramic Studio (Brenchley)
Class Size: Maximum 10 students
Level: Intermediate - Advanced
Clay type: Stoneware
Cost: £1,000 (pay in full or instalments)
