Adult Continuing Education Classes

Join us for a class at The Bray!

Whether you’re a total beginner or looking to inspire your existing studio practice – The Bray offers Adult (16+) continuing education classes for all ages, abilities, and backgrounds! *NEW IN 2024* Our Continuing Education Classes are now 10 weeks long and meet for 3 hours once a week! Students are taught by professional artists and have access to open studio time 7 days a week from 8am-10pm (outside of other scheduled classes) to practice what they're learning.

We offer 2 sessions annually, Spring and Fall. General registration typically opens 6 weeks prior to the start of classes, with early member registration opening a week before general registration. Become a member today to receive access to early registration!

DISCOVER BELOW:

Upcoming session information
Our current class offerings
Frequently asked questions
Our current classroom policies, details on experience levels, and our online classroom calendar!

Upcoming Session Information

Fall 2025 Classes run from September 15th – November 22nd
Fall 2025 Early Member Registration opens Tuesday, July 29th at 10:30am (via an emailed link)
Fall 2025 General Registration opens Tuesday, August 5th at 10:30am (via this webpage)

For questions, email our Education Manager at education@archiebray.org

Ceramics Form and Space

Mondays 6-9pm, September 15 - November 17
Instructor: Lexus Giles

Develop foundational hand‑building techniques like pinching, coiling, and slab construction, along with basic modeling and carving while cultivating your creativity. With guidance from Resident artist, Lexus Giles, students will be encouraged to explore your own personal style and translate conceptual ideas into tangible clay forms. Learn how to apply design principles such as proportion, balance, volume, and spatial relationship to inform your clay making endeavors, functional or sculptural! Engage with surface through practical experience in glaze application and discovery in how color, texture, and finish evolve during the firing process. Discover more about Lexus here.

*A minimum of 6 is required to run this class

Level: Beginner

Cost: $385
Please see FAQ section at bottom of page to see what's included with your registration fees.

Class in session- Registration closed

Surface Seconds

Tuesdays 6-9pm, September 16 - November 18
Instructor: Eliza Weber

This 10-week class will focus on ceramic surface and decoration techniques. Demonstrations will include a variety of additive and subtractive processes at greenware, bisque, glaze, and post fire phases of the ceramic process. Surface techniques will be shown on both functional and sculptural forms to provide inspiration and information in the many methods of working with clay. The class will allow time for making but will focus on decorating. Learn more about Eliza here.

*Some experience in clay is required. This class will include all new surface decorations from the 2025 spring class!

*A minimum of 6 is required to run this class

Level: Intermediate - Advanced

Cost: $385. Please see FAQ section at bottom of page to see what's included with your registration fees.

Class in session- Registration closed

Embracing Clay

Wednesdays, 9:30am-12:30pm, September 17 - November 19
Instructor: Jason Lee Starin

This class will focus on exploring the possibilities and limitations of clay, with an emphasis on hand-building techniques used in pottery and sculpture. Students are encouraged to bring sketches and photos of ideas they would like to interpret in clay. Your instructor, Jason, will provide demonstrations to the group and work one-on-one with each student, exploring design and concept considerations for their ideas. Learn more about Jason here.

*A minimum of 6 is required to run this class

Level: All levels welcome!

Cost: $385. Please see FAQ section at bottom of page to see what's included with your registration fees.

Class in session- Registration closed

Give It a Spin: Beginner Wheel

Wednesdays, 6-9pm, September 17 - November 19
Instructor: Marian Draper

Looking to try the pottery wheel?! Give it a spin in this beginner level wheel throwing class! Covering basic techniques and forms, students will be exposed to a wide variety of processes such as wedging, centering, throwing, trimming, glazing, and a few surface applications. All are welcome in this entry level class! Learn more about Marian here.

*A minimum of 6 is required to run this class

Level: Beginners!

Cost: $385. Please see FAQ section at bottom of page to see what's included with your registration fees.

Class in session- Registration closed

The Rhythm of Form

Saturday's 10am-1pm, September 20 - November 22
Instructor: Jake Brodsky

Dive in and focus on making intentional work in this intermediate-advanced wheel class. Jake will get you thinking about your work in a new way — through basic principles of pattern, repetition, and math! We will talk about addition (stacking and combining pieces), subtraction (carving and taking material away), and study the geometry of forms. Through weekly demonstrations, feedback sessions, and an immersive atmospheric firing during week 8 of the session (November 8-9), you’ll broaden your understanding of working with clay! Learn more about Jake here.

*Participation in the atmospheric firing will be granted to students who have attended 6 or more classes at the time of firing to ensure the learning objective of the class firing is achieved.

*A minimum of 6 is required to run this class

Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Cost: $415. ($385 +$30 Lab Fee for atmospheric firing) Please see FAQ section at bottom of page to see what's included with your registration fees.

Class in session- Registration closed

Experience Levels

Beginner

My experience in clay is limited or long ago, and I'm not very comfortable working independently. I'm seeking to learn basic clay techniques and am excited to have a good time while learning something new!
Intermediate

My understanding of clay basics is strong but I still have lot of questions. Having taken multiple classes before, I feel comfortable working independently but I'm ready to expand my knowledge and advance my skills!
Advanced

My clay knowledge is expansive! I have taken classes while exploring clay independently for years. At this stage, I am looking to challenge myself with new perspectives, insights, and understandings in clay!

FAQ

Do I have to take a class to use the space?

Yes. We do not offer any drop-in or studio rental options.

The Bray's Education and Research program offers unique educational opportunities for many student types through a variety of class formats. Continuing Education Classes are one component of our extensive programming.

We are not intended to function as a maker space or collective studio. However, Helena is home to a wonderful collective clay studio space The Clay Arts Guild, and we encourage you to check them out online or call to see if they're a good fit for you!

What do the registration fees include?

Included in your registration fee are:

30 hours instructional time
25 pounds of clay (clay type TBD by instructor)
All class firings (additional, individual or group firings can be purchased)
Studio access for the duration of the class
Personal studio shelf for works in progress, clay, etc.
Locker for personal items, tools, etc.
Access to the John C. Board Research Library, including check-out rights

Classes are subject to Lab Fees when applicable. Any lab fees will be listed with class listing, and will cover class materials that are not otherwise supplied.

How do you determine your registration fees?

Registration costs are calculated by factoring in:

Competitive Instructor Pay
- we pledge to increase instructor pay annually to begin to address the significant cost of living increase our instructors face
Cost of Materials
- clay, glazes, & other studio supplies
Cost of Energy Usage for Firings
- gas & electric
Use and Maintenance of Space & Equipment
- wheels, kilns, etc.
Processing Labor
- loading kilns, mixing glazes, etc.
Administrative Labor
- coordinating & developing classes, updating website, registration, etc.

Curious to see how we compare to other arts organizations offering educational classes to the public? Discover More Here!

What if I can't make all the classes in a session?

Instructors plan curriculum and a class schedule for the full 8 week session so we encourage you to attend as many classes as possible. With that said, we understand that 'life happens' and you will not be penalized for missing any classes.

However, it is up to students to connect with classmates to go over what was missed and we encourage you to inform your instructor ahead of time of any planned absences.

We do not pro-rate classes.

What will I need?

Enrolled (registered) students will receive an email a week prior to class notifying them of any tools or special items they should bring to class.

In general, we attempt to keep additional student purchases to a minimum and provide most supplies free of charge. If your class requires more than a basic pottery tool kit, we will include a "lab fee" (listed clearly in the class description) and provide the tools and supplies needed.

How experienced do I need to be?

Classroom Calendar

Current Students

Use our online classroom calendar to see the most up-to-date classroom schedule. Select the month by using the tabs at the bottom of the spread sheet.
PLEASE NOTE: When viewing the calendar, if you leave your browsing session open, make sure to refresh your page to view the most recent version of the calendar. Classes are added as they develop, so refresh often!
See what classes are happening before making a trip!

Policies

Please read prior to taking a class with us

Click "Full Text" below to find information relevant to our Continuing Education Classes, and Facility Policies.
We appreciate you taking the time to better understand our policies. Please read prior to taking a class with us - we aim to keep it short and sweet so as not to waste your time!
Get the full text

Adult Continuing Education Classes

Join us for a class at The Bray!