These workshops are designed to help you create the work you've always wanted to make. Drawing directly from my own studio practice, you'll learn the techniques, design principles and ways of seeing that bring greater elegance, movement and intention to your ceramics.
Alongside the practical teaching, you'll also experience thoughtfully guided body-work and sound journeys designed to help you find your presence, creative perspective, and a deeper connection to your making.
With intimate group sizes and personal guidance throughout, you'll leave with more than new skills - you'll leave with the confidence, clarity and trained eye to keep evolving as a ceramicist long after the workshop ends.
Pickup currently not available
Workshop description
Stop guessing on the wheel. Build a foundation you can trust. leave with a repeatable process, a trained eye, and the confidence to keep progressing on the wheel.
In four days, you’ll learn to:
- Centre with more ease (posture + hand positions that actually support you)
- Throw core forms with cleaner walls (cylinders, bowls, cups, simple vases)
- Shape with more control (so results become repeatable, not accidental)
- Trim and refine your forms (clean lines, subtle texture, finished feet)
- Diagnose problems early - and correct them while you throw
Over four focused days, we’ll strip wheel throwing back to the essentials and rebuild it step by step: centring, pulling, shaping, and refining - with plenty of repetition so the skills stick.
This isn’t a class where you copy a demo and hope it works at home. You’ll learn why things happen, what to look for, and what to do when things go off track.
What it feels like
More grounded, Less rushed. Clear structure, calm guidance, and time to practise until it starts to feel natural.
It’s for you if…
- You’re new to the wheel and want to start properly
- You’ve already begun, but progress feels inconsistent
- You want more control, cleaner forms, and better shaping
- You want your work to feel more intentional - more refined
Studio & schedule
- 4 consecutive days · 9:00–17:00 (final hour for cleanup + questions)
- Professional Rohde HMT 600 wheels
- High-fired stoneware clay + studio tools included
- Daily fresh and delicious homemade vegetarian meals
- Morning body warm-ups so that you come to the wheel focussed, relaxed, present and ready to make the most of the day.
- Sound journeys to help process all of the learning and be incorporated into muscle memory
You’ll leave with a repeatable process, a trained eye, and the confidence to keep progressing on the wheel.
Curriculum
Day 1 - Building Strong Foundations
We begin with the fundamentals that make everything else easier: clay preparation, posture, hand positions, centring, opening and pulling even walls. Using the cylinder as our foundation, you’ll start building greater control, consistency and confidence from the very first day.
Day 2 - Shaping with Intention
We move into bowls and V-bowls, exploring how small changes in pressure, hand position and timing can completely transform a form. You’ll learn to shape more deliberately, refine your walls and rims, and begin creating pieces that feel balanced, elegant and considered.
Day 3 - Creating Movement & Proportion
This is where the forms begin to open up. We work with round vases and long-necked shapes, learning how to create volume, control transitions and build more ambitious silhouettes. Alongside the technique, we look closely at proportion, movement and the design decisions that give a piece presence.
Day 4 - Refining the Form
The final day is about turning a good thrown form into a finished piece. You’ll learn how to trim with confidence, create and refine foot rings, use chucks, remove unnecessary weight and make the subtle adjustments that can completely elevate a piece. We finish by preparing your strongest work for firing and bringing together everything you’ve learned across the four days.
What sets this workshop apart?
This is more than a wheel-throwing workshop. It is designed to feel like a creative retreat - a few days where technique, design, body awareness, good food, nature and time away from everyday distractions all come together to support deeper learning.
One of the biggest gaps we have observed is that many people arrive at the wheel tense, frustrated or trying to force the clay to behave. When your body is tight and your mind is scattered, it becomes much harder to learn, respond and make meaningful progress. So alongside the technical teaching, we deliberately help you move from tension, frustration and overthinking into greater presence, focus and sensitivity.
Throughout the workshop, we weave in guided bodywork, breathwork and sound journeys, helping you release physical tension, quieten mental noise and return to the wheel with greater clarity and awareness. Every element is there for a reason: to help you become more responsive to the clay, more perceptive in your decision-making, and more connected to the creative process.
But the transformation goes deeper than technique. Past participants have described a genuine sense of before and after - not only in what they can make, but in how they understand their creative journey. Through the combination of practical teaching, design conversations, reflection, presence and body work, the workshop creates space to develop your artistic identity, sharpen your perception and gain greater clarity around the kind of work you want to make and the direction you want to take.
The result is not simply improved throwing. It is a more connected, intentional and confident way of working - one that can reshape your relationship with the wheel, clay, and your own creative practice long after the workshop ends.
Who its for?
This workshop is designed for complete beginners through to advanced ceramicists who want to build stronger foundations, improve their confidence on the wheel, and develop a more refined understanding of form, design and their own creative process.
You do not need to arrive with a particular level of confidence or experience. The teaching is adapted to each student, so you can work from where you are - whether that means learning the fundamentals for the first time, refining long-standing habits, developing more elegant forms, or reconnecting with your practice in a deeper way.
It is especially suited to people who want more than technical instruction alone. If you want to improve how you relate to the wheel, become more present and focused in your making, release some of the tension or frustration that can build around clay, and develop greater clarity around your own artistic direction, this workshop is designed to support that.
Through the combination of wheel throwing, design, bodywork, breathwork, sound journeys, nature and shared time in the studio, the workshop creates space not only to improve your skills, but to deepen your relationship with the creative process and understand more clearly the kind of artist you want to become.
Practical info
Travel & Accommodation
The nearest airports are Nuremberg, Munich and Frankfurt, with good rail connections to the local area. If needed, I'm happy to help you organise transfers from the airport or train station, as well as recommend and book nearby accommodation.
What to bring
Bring comfortable clothing and a towel or apron if you use one as well as any favourite tools you enjoy working with. Clay, the usual studio tools and everything else you'll need for the workshop are provided.
Cancellations & Changes
We understand that plans can sometimes change. Because our workshops are kept intentionally small and places are reserved specifically for each participant, the following cancellation policy applies:
More than 30 days before the workshop:
If you need to cancel, we can offer a full refund, minus a small administration fee.
14–30 days before the workshop:
We can refund 50% of your workshop fee.
Less than 14 days before the workshop:
At this stage, we’re unfortunately unable to offer a refund, as it can be difficult to fill your place at short notice.
If you’re unable to attend, you’re always welcome to transfer your place to another person. Just get in touch with us beforehand so we can update the booking details.
In the unlikely event that we need to cancel or reschedule a workshop, you’ll be offered either a full refund or the option to transfer your booking to another available workshop date.
We strongly recommend arranging appropriate travel insurance, particularly if you’re travelling from abroad, to help protect you against unexpected changes to your plans.
Contact
Is there something thats still unclear? Do you have questions that I haven't answered?
Please get in touch at info@tomdarbydesign.com.
Pickup currently not available
Workshop description
This workshop is designed to give you a clear, repeatable way to create larger, more ambitious forms on the wheel without relying on brute strength, guesswork or years of trial and error.
We begin with the design of the finished piece, using templates to establish the height, width, curve and proportion before any clay is thrown. From there, you’ll learn how to break a large form down into manageable sections and build it progressively using tried-and-tested methods that make the process more controlled, predictable and achievable.
Throughout the workshop, we cover how to throw larger quantities of clay, manage wall thickness, prepare sections for joining, control moisture and drying, and use reliable joining techniques to build height while maintaining alignment and strength.
Once the sections come together, the focus shifts to refinement: shaping against templates, creating smooth transitions, removing visual breaks between joins, and bringing the entire piece together so it reads as one continuous, intentional form.
Alongside the technical process, we also spend time on design, proportion and silhouette — looking at what makes a large form feel balanced, elegant and resolved rather than simply big.
The aim is to leave you with more than one finished piece. You’ll leave with a complete method for approaching large-scale throwing: how to plan it, how to build it, how to troubleshoot it, and how to create ambitious forms with far greater confidence and control.
3-day Workshop Curriculum
Day 1 - Design, Planning & Your First Sectional Form
We begin by looking at design, proportion and how to plan a larger form before moving to the wheel. You’ll learn how to use templates to divide a form into manageable sections, and to throw with the accuracy needed for joining. By the end of the day, the aim is to complete your first piece built from two thrown sections, giving you a strong foundation in the core technique.
Day 2 - Scaling Up to More Complex Forms
With the basic process established, we move on to something more ambitious. You’ll design a second piece, prepare templates, and begin building a form from three or four thrown sections. We also prepare and assess the pieces from day one, looking at moisture, timing and the small adjustments that make sectional throwing more reliable and controlled.
Day 3 - Building, Refining & Finishing
On the final day, we complete the second, larger sectional form and bring everything together. You’ll learn how to refine joins, adjust curves and proportions, trim where needed, and finish the piece so it reads as one continuous, intentional form. We also look at the final details that can elevate large-scale work - balance, silhouette, surface refinement and overall presence.
6-day Workshop Curriculum
Over six days, we take sectional throwing from its foundations to ambitious, large-scale forms — building your understanding step by step until you can confidently plan, throw, join and refine complex pieces independently.
Day 1 - Foundations
Learn how to design a large form, translate it into a full-scale template and divide it into manageable sections. We put the complete process into practice by making a two-section piece, covering accurate throwing, joining, moisture control, shaping and refinement.
Days 2–3 - Building Bigger
We progress to a more ambitious three-section form, going deeper into the rhythm of sectional throwing: throwing and drying multiple sections, joining progressively, shaping against the template and managing moisture and shrinkage as the piece develops.
Your completed piece is then carefully dried and bisque fired during the workshop.
Days 4–6 - Pushing the Boundaries
For the final project, we take everything you’ve learned and push it further.
You’ll design and build an ambitious multi sectional form, exploring greater scale, more complex shapes and more challenging proportions. Over three days, you’ll learn how to manage a large piece through every stage - throwing, drying, joining, shaping and refining it progressively as it grows.
By the end of the six days, you’ll have made several increasingly ambitious pieces, taken one through to a finished bisque-fired work, and developed a complete understanding of the sectional process - giving you the knowledge and confidence to continue creating large-scale forms independently.
You’ll leave with your bisque-fired piece in hand, ready for the final creative chapter - giving you the freedom to develop the surface and glaze in your own style, and complete the piece as something uniquely yours.
Who is it for?
This workshop is for beginner to intermediate ceramicists who already feel confident with the fundamentals of throwing and are ready to start working at a larger scale.
You don’t need years of experience or exceptional throwing skills, but you should be able to centre consistently, pull a reasonably even cylinder, and throw simple forms with enough control that you’re not relying on luck for the outcome your aiming for.
From there, the workshop gives you the methods to go much further. By using templates, breaking larger forms into manageable sections, and following a clear, tried-and-tested process, you’ll learn how to create pieces that might previously have felt beyond your current throwing ability.
It is especially suited to ceramicists who want to create bigger vases, sculptural vessels or statement forms, and who want a reliable framework they can continue using in their own studio long after the workshop ends.
What sets this workshop apart?
This workshop is not simply about throwing bigger. It is about learning a clear, considered way to design and build large forms with far more control.
Rather than relying on strength, instinct or trial and error, we begin with the finished form in mind. You’ll learn how to use drawings and templates to establish proportion, break a complex piece into manageable sections, and build it step by step using tried-and-tested methods that make the process far more predictable.
A big part of the workshop is also about developing your eye. We look closely at proportion, silhouette, curve and transition — understanding what makes a large piece feel elegant, balanced and intentional rather than simply oversized.
Alongside the technical and design teaching, we also weave in guided bodywork, breathwork and sound journeys led by my wife. These sessions are designed to help you reconnect with your body, improve focus, release tension and bring greater presence into the making process.
That combination is what makes the workshop special: technique, design, body awareness and creative presence are treated as parts of the same process.
The aim is not only to help you make larger work, but to help you work with more clarity, confidence and intention - and to leave with a process you can continue using in your own studio long afterwards.
Practical info
Travel & Accommodation
The nearest airports are Nuremberg, Munich and Frankfurt, with good rail connections to the local area. If needed, I'm happy to help you organise transfers from the airport or train station, as well as recommend and book nearby accommodation.
What to bring
Bring comfortable clothing and a towel or apron if you use one as well as any favourite tools you enjoy working with. Clay, the usual studio tools and everything else you'll need for the workshop are provided.
Cancellations & Changes
We understand that plans can sometimes change. Because our workshops are kept intentionally small and places are reserved specifically for each participant, the following cancellation policy applies:
More than 30 days before the workshop:
If you need to cancel, we can offer a full refund, minus a small administration fee.
14–30 days before the workshop:
We can refund 50% of your workshop fee.
Less than 14 days before the workshop:
At this stage, we’re unfortunately unable to offer a refund, as it can be difficult to fill your place at short notice.
If you’re unable to attend, you’re always welcome to transfer your place to another person. Just get in touch with us beforehand so we can update the booking details.
In the unlikely event that we need to cancel or reschedule a workshop, you’ll be offered either a full refund or the option to transfer your booking to another available workshop date.
We strongly recommend arranging appropriate travel insurance, particularly if you’re travelling from abroad, to help protect you against unexpected changes to your plans.
Contact
Is there something thats still unclear? Do you have questions that I haven't answered?
Please get in touch at info@tomdarbydesign.com.
Pickup currently not available
Workshop description
This workshop is a deep dive into one of the signature forms from my studio practice: the leaf-rimmed bowl.
Across the workshop, you’ll learn how to throw the underlying form, shape and extend the rim, create movement through the clay, and refine the piece so the botanical details feel integrated rather than simply added on.
We look closely at how proportion, rhythm, line and asymmetry affect the feeling of the finished piece, and how subtle design decisions can make a form feel more natural, elegant and alive. The focus is not on copying one exact bowl, but on understanding the principles behind the work so you can begin developing your own variations with confidence.
Alongside the making, we also explore the practical details that make the process more reliable: clay thickness, timing, moisture control, support, trimming, foot design, surface refinement and how to avoid the common problems that can arise when working with more complex rims.
The workshop also weaves in guided bodywork, breathwork and sound journeys led by my wife, creating space to reset, reconnect with your body and bring greater focus and presence into the making process.
The aim is to leave with more than a finished leaf-rimmed piece. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of movement, refinement and nature-led design, and a set of techniques and ideas you can continue developing in your own work long after the workshop ends.
Curriculum
Day 1 - Design, Nature & Foundations
We begin by exploring different bowl forms, proportion, and the lessons we can take from nature — movement, rhythm, asymmetry and flow. We look at existing leaf-rimmed bowls to understand what works, then move to the wheel, where I demonstrate several starting forms before you throw your own and begin pulling the first leaves.
Day 2 - Leaf Pulling, Movement & Organic Form
We dive deeper into the leaf-pulling technique, exploring different approaches and how they interact with different bowl shapes. The focus is on creating pieces that feel natural, flowing and alive, while making sure the bowl reads as one continuous form. We also begin carving, trimming and introducing more movement and dynamics.
Day 3 - Refinement, Trimming & Finishing
The final day is about bringing everything together. We learn how to trim and refine the feet using thrown chucks, continue carving and adjusting the form, and use sponges and surface-refinement techniques to smooth the piece and create a more continuous, unified feel. We finish with subtle adjustments to proportion, movement and detail so each bowl feels elegant, balanced and resolved.
Who is it for?
Whether you're struggling with a specific challenge, preparing for an exhibition, refining a body of work or simply looking to progress faster, these sessions are designed around you.
Together we'll identify the areas that will make the biggest difference and create a focused plan to help you achieve your goals.
What sets this workahop apart?
This workshop offers a rare opportunity to step directly into one of the most distinctive parts of my studio practice.
The leaf-rimmed bowl is a form I have developed over years of making, refining and observing nature, and throughout the workshop I share the techniques, design thinking and small decisions that sit behind it. We go far beyond simply learning how to pull leaves. We look at how the entire piece is designed, how movement is created, how the form can feel as though it has grown naturally, and how each element can be refined into one continuous, resolved whole.
Because the workshop is so closely connected to my own work, the teaching is highly personal and specific. You are learning a technique and way of seeing that has been developed through my own studio practice, with close guidance throughout.
Alongside the ceramic work, we also weave in guided bodywork, breathwork and sound journeys led by my wife. These sessions support focus, awareness and presence, helping to create an environment where you can learn deeply and connect more fully with the making process.
The result is a workshop that feels both technically focused and deeply immersive - a chance to learn a unique process, develop your eye, and experience the ideas and methods that sit at the core of my work.
Practical info
Travel & Accommodation
The nearest airports are Nuremberg, Munich and Frankfurt, with good rail connections to the local area. If needed, I'm happy to help you organise transfers from the airport or train station, as well as recommend and book nearby accommodation.
What to bring
Bring comfortable clothing and a towel or apron if you use one as well as any favourite tools you enjoy working with. Clay, the usual studio tools and everything else you'll need for the workshop are provided.
Cancellations & Changes
We understand that plans can sometimes change. Because our workshops are kept intentionally small and places are reserved specifically for each participant, the following cancellation policy applies:
More than 30 days before the workshop:
If you need to cancel, we can offer a full refund, minus a small administration fee.
14–30 days before the workshop:
We can refund 50% of your workshop fee.
Less than 14 days before the workshop:
At this stage, we’re unfortunately unable to offer a refund, as it can be difficult to fill your place at short notice.
If you’re unable to attend, you’re always welcome to transfer your place to another person. Just get in touch with us beforehand so we can update the booking details.
In the unlikely event that we need to cancel or reschedule a workshop, you’ll be offered either a full refund or the option to transfer your booking to another available workshop date.
We strongly recommend arranging appropriate travel insurance, particularly if you’re travelling from abroad, to help protect you against unexpected changes to your plans.
Contact
Is there something thats still unclear? Do you have questions that I haven't answered?
Please get in touch at info@tomdarbydesign.com.
A few words from previous workshop guests.
Working with me in the studio
First of all, here's a little backstory on me.
I'm originally trained as a fine art and furniture maker. I discovered clay almost by chance. What began as a taster class soon became my passion. The immediacy of the material, its responsiveness to touch, and its ability to flow into form drew me into an ongoing, innovative dialogue with the wheel and hand-building techniques.
Before establishing myself as a ceramic artist, I worked with Marc Fish, a renowned UK furniture designer and maker whose work is exhibited in galleries and art shows worldwide. I also collaborated with Millimetre, an award-winning design and fabrication company known for working with artists, architects, and engineers on cutting-edge projects. Later, I deepened my connection to ceramics while working as a teacher and studio assistant for Corrie Bain, an acclaimed ceramic artist at her ceramics school and BCN Clay Studio in Barcelona.
My teaching philosophy
Wheel throwing isn’t only about technique – it’s also about state of mind.
My approach is calm, practical and hands-on. We slow things down, build strong habits, and make the wheel feel understandable – so you can repeat results, not just hope for them.
I work closely with each student, adjusting posture, hand position, pressure and pace to suit your body and the way you learn. But I’m not only teaching processes – I’m teaching you how to think at the wheel: how to read the clay, understand the form, and make decisions with intention.
Clarity matters. When you understand what’s happening, progress becomes faster and more consistent – and that foundation stays with you long after the workshop ends.