Are you a potter or ceramic artist who feels the need to push your skills and design abilities to the next level? Do you want a mentors who will partner with you in your journey in clay?

Our Independent Study and Mentoring (ISM) Program works with potters who want to develop or refine their own bodies of work. Our ISM Program is for both the emerging and seasoned artist. The program creates an encouraging environment where you can refine and develop your skills while working in a vibrant and creative community. Our unique one to three year study is built upon the historical tradition of learning from master potters and the passing down of knowledge and experience.

The ISM program may be right for you if you are an emerging potter, or if you have been working with clay for years but wish to explore new avenues in your work. The ISM program allows potters to have regular access to a studio (7 days a week), community with other potters, opportunities to explore multiple firing techniques, mentorship and instruction from professional and teaching ceramic artists. We believe that in two to three years, a potter can hone their skills and develop a distinctive body of work that will equip them to launch into a variety of creative ceramic pursuits.

This program, like all things at The Village Potters Clay Center, is designed to be highly relational with one-on-one meetings with mentors, group discussions, and critiques. You’ll receive individual input from established professionals. In many ways, this program is customized to the goals of each ISM student. Whether you plan to be a professional potter and earn a living in ceramics or are a part-time creative simply wishing to create more space for clay in your life, this program will afford you the opportunity to go as far as you wish.

Tentative Dates for Next Session: November 1, 2025 – October 31, 2026

The Studio:

• Designated individual work spaces (with your own shelving units, wheel, and table)
• Community work space (hand buliding tables, glaze mixing area)
• Access to equipment like a slab roller, extruder, spray booth, additional shelving in kiln room
• Access to our fully equipped glaze kitchen (billed monthly separately from tuition)
• Access to our our kilns with diverse firing atmospheres (oxidation, gas reduction, raku, kazegama (wood ash))
• On-site purchasing of Laguna Clays and Standard Clays
• On-site purchasing of various tools in our tool shop

The Program:

• 7-day access (excluding holidays)
• Various demonstrations each month (online and in person)
• One-on-One meetings mentors
• Feedback and critiques of your work
• Discounted intermediate & advanced classes

For additional information or questions contact us at info @thevillagepotters.com or call us (828) 253-2424.

A few testimonials:

“I’m so grateful for the ISM program because it’s given me the space and resources to explore my own style beyond what I ever could have expected. Being in such a supportive community encourages me to push my artistic boundaries is an amazing experience.” – Avery Wells, 2017-2019

“At 60 years old, I found a whole new person: I — an artist.” – Tracy Hawkins, 2016-2018

“The ISM program at The Village Potters is truly an invaluable experience. My technique and confidence in my work has grown exponentially due to the mentorship by master resident potters and flexible studio accessibility to practice. I have always been interested in glaze development in particular and this program has not only encouraged me to pursue that interest but provided access to the materials, educational workshops, and insightful guidance from mentors to enable my glaze exploration to be successful. I entered this program with very limited knowledge of how to fire any kiln and now can not only confidently fire my own electric kiln but have had such fun helping fire gas reduction kilns, raku/alternative firings, and even a Kazagama kiln. I truly believe the ISM program and TVP community as a whole offered everything I could dream of to transform me into a refined and knowledgeable potter.” – Keira Peterson, 2017-2019 and 2021-2022. 

For additional information or questions contact us at info @thevillagepotters.com or call us (828) 253-2424.

A few testimonials:

“I’m so grateful for the ISM program because it’s given me the space and resources to explore my own style beyond what I ever could have expected. Being in such a supportive community encourages me to push my artistic boundaries is an amazing experience.” – Avery Wells, 2017-2019

“At 60 years old, I found a whole new person: I — an artist.” – Tracy Hawkins, 2016-2018

“The ISM program at The Village Potters is truly an invaluable experience. My technique and confidence in my work has grown exponentially due to the mentorship by master resident potters and flexible studio accessibility to practice. I have always been interested in glaze development in particular and this program has not only encouraged me to pursue that interest but provided access to the materials, educational workshops, and insightful guidance from mentors to enable my glaze exploration to be successful. I entered this program with very limited knowledge of how to fire any kiln and now can not only confidently fire my own electric kiln but have had such fun helping fire gas reduction kilns, raku/alternative firings, and even a Kazagama kiln. I truly believe the ISM program and TVP community as a whole offered everything I could dream of to transform me into a refined and knowledgeable potter.” – Keira Peterson, 2017-2019 and 2021-2022. 

For additional information or questions contact us at info @thevillagepotters.com or call us (828) 253-2424.

A few testimonials:

“I’m so grateful for the ISM program because it’s given me the space and resources to explore my own style beyond what I ever could have expected. Being in such a supportive community encourages me to push my artistic boundaries is an amazing experience.” – Avery Wells, 2017-2019

“At 60 years old, I found a whole new person: I — an artist.” – Tracy Hawkins, 2016-2018

“The ISM program at The Village Potters is truly an invaluable experience. My technique and confidence in my work has grown exponentially due to the mentorship by master resident potters and flexible studio accessibility to practice. I have always been interested in glaze development in particular and this program has not only encouraged me to pursue that interest but provided access to the materials, educational workshops, and insightful guidance from mentors to enable my glaze exploration to be successful. I entered this program with very limited knowledge of how to fire any kiln and now can not only confidently fire my own electric kiln but have had such fun helping fire gas reduction kilns, raku/alternative firings, and even a Kazagama kiln. I truly believe the ISM program and TVP community as a whole offered everything I could dream of to transform me into a refined and knowledgeable potter.” – Keira Peterson, 2017-2019 and 2021-2022. 

For additional information or questions contact us at info @thevillagepotters.com or call us (828) 253-2424.

A few testimonials:

“I’m so grateful for the ISM program because it’s given me the space and resources to explore my own style beyond what I ever could have expected. Being in such a supportive community encourages me to push my artistic boundaries is an amazing experience.” – Avery Wells, 2017-2019

“At 60 years old, I found a whole new person: I — an artist.” – Tracy Hawkins, 2016-2018

“The ISM program at The Village Potters is truly an invaluable experience. My technique and confidence in my work has grown exponentially due to the mentorship by master resident potters and flexible studio accessibility to practice. I have always been interested in glaze development in particular and this program has not only encouraged me to pursue that interest but provided access to the materials, educational workshops, and insightful guidance from mentors to enable my glaze exploration to be successful. I entered this program with very limited knowledge of how to fire any kiln and now can not only confidently fire my own electric kiln but have had such fun helping fire gas reduction kilns, raku/alternative firings, and even a Kazagama kiln. I truly believe the ISM program and TVP community as a whole offered everything I could dream of to transform me into a refined and knowledgeable potter.” – Keira Peterson, 2017-2019 and 2021-2022.