Workshops & Exhibitions
Wheel Throwing for Beginners
Learn clay preparation, wedging, throwing, recycling and glazing
- With: Wendy Smith
- Location: Bundaberg Pottery Group
- Duration: 3 or 6 weeks on Saturdays from 1:00 – 4:00 pm
- Date: Saturdays 5, 12, 19, 26 April and 3, 10 May
- Cost for 3 or 6 weeks workshop:
- $240, THREE lessons and half a pug of clay
- $485, SIX lessons and one plug of clay
- The cost of firing is not included.
- Participants: max 6
Reserve your spot by emailing our workshop convenor: workshop@bundabergpotterygroup.com.au
Your spot will be secured after payment.
Handbuilding for Beginners
We’re excited to announce a ‘Handbuilding for Beginners’ workshop in May and July!
- With: Josephina Beckers
- Location: Bundaberg Pottery Group
- Dates:
- Thursdays 1, 8 and 15 May 2025 from 12:30 – 2:30 pm
- Saturdays 5, 12 and 19 July 2025 from 12:30 – 2:30 pm
- Participants: max 6
- Cost: $150, including materials and glazing. The cost of firing is not included.
Reserve your spot in May or July by emailing our workshop convenor: workshop@bundabergpotterygroup.com.au
Your spot will be secured after payment.
Basket work on pot integrating weaving and pottery
- With: Jane Chappell
- Location: Bundaberg Pottery Group
- Date: Sunday 25 May 2025 from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
- Cost: $10
Reserve your spot by emailing our workshop convenor: workshop@bundabergpotterygroup.com.au
Your spot will be secured after payment.
Alternative throwing skills weekend course
for skilled wheel throwers
- With: Dave Handley
- Location: Bundaberg Pottery Group
- Date: Saturday 31 May 12.30-5:00 pm & Sunday 1 June 9:00 am-1:00 pm
- Participants: max 6
- Cost: $175
Dave will teach alternate throwing forms, altered pots, larger forms, lids and joining. This course is for those who are already competently throwing pots and cylinders and wish to gain more specialised knowledge.
Reserve your spot by emailing our workshop convenor: workshop@bundabergpotterygroup.com.au
Your spot will be secured after payment.
Lino Cutting Technique with Clay
- With: Anita and Alfred
- Location: Bundaberg Pottery Group
- Date: Sunday 8 june 9:00 am -1:00 pm
- Cost: $15 to cover materials
- Participants: max 12
Reserve your spot by emailing our workshop convenor: workshop@bundabergpotterygroup.com.au
Your spot will be secured after payment.
Workshop Eco printing on bisqueware
- With: Debbie Bennett
- Location: Bundaberg Pottery Group
- Date: Sunday 24th August, 9:00 am-1:00 pm
- Cost: $50, including materials (a small pot, leaves, fabric).
- Maximum number of participants: 10
Debbie will demonstrate slip casting, wrapping organic materials around a ceramic form, onto paper and material. transferring marks onto these mediums through the eco process. Everything will be provided.
Reserve your spot by emailing our workshop convenor: workshop@bundabergpotterygroup.com.au
Your spot will be secured after payment.
Two Wood Firings . . .
After the exciting success of last year’s wood firing, under the inspiring guidance of Dave Handley, Dave has offered this year to train a committed group of 9 people in the art of wood firing.
If you are keen to be part of this group, you have to commit to both the firing dates (4 weeks apart); you’ll be involved in the whole process of woodfiring, including preparation of the wood and the kiln, packing the kiln, taking shifts during the 24 hour firing process and the exciting unpacking a week later.
As Dave has done most of the work on his own the last time, training people will benefit the club in sharing the responsibilities in the future.
Only the work of these 9 people will be fired in the wood fire kiln. Ideally, the pots have a simple surface as the wood creates its own aesthetic, partial glazing is recommended.
After the first firing the pots can be examined and any learnings be applied to new work for the next firing 4 weeks later.
Dates:
- 26 June packing of the kiln
- 28 & 29 June firing
- 31 July packing of the kiln
- 2 & 3 August firing
If you are keen to learn this amazing skill of wood firing, please put your name down on the list by emailing the workshop convenor: workshop@bundabergpotterygroup.com.au
Join us on the 2nd of May, just one week before Mother’s Day, for the grand opening of our exhibition exclusively for club members! Immerse yourself in the enchanting theme of “Flora, Feathers, Fur, and Fins“. Discover unique pottery pieces—both hand-built and wheel-thrown—depicting your favourite animals, birds, and fish.
We can’t wait to welcome you to the official opening of our exhibition on the 2nd of May, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm!
The Bundaberg show is on the 28th, 29th and 30th of May. Last year, we had a fantastic selection of works showcasing the creative talents of our members. For 2025, we have a couple of new categories to get your creative juices flowing (like gnomes and other magical creatures….yum). Have a look below, and…. don’t glaze over the details. They’re crucial.
SECTION 23: POTTERY
- Open Wheel Thrown Piece.
- Open Hand Built Piece (including Sculpture).
- Novice. Potters who have been producing ware for less than 2 years.
- Mythical, Magical Creatures. A sculptured figure of one or more of the following: gnomes, magicians, fairies, dragons, elves, goblins. Due to the availability of display space the height & width is not to exceed 25cm x 15cm.
- “Flora, Feathers, Fur & Fins”. A pottery piece, hand built of wheel thrown depicting an animal, bird or fish.
- “It’s All About Texture”. A pottery piece, hand built or wheel thrown, featuring a unique textured surface. This can be achieved by carving, cutting or adding to the clay. Techniques such as; raised, impressed or carved effects, sgraffito, inlaying, sprigging, piercing, kurinuki, or burnishing can be used.
2-Day Animal Sculpture Workshop by James Ort – Late January 2026
We are excited to have received an email from James Ort offering a 2-Day Animal Sculpture Workshop in Bundaberg. James, from the UK, is an internationally renowned ceramic and wire sculptor. He has been teaching this popular class worldwide for years now.
To bring James to Bundaberg, we need to know how many people are interested. Your Expression of Interest is NOT a commitment. Once we have sufficient interest, we will contact James to formalise the workshop, and an invitation for registration will be sent out. James can accommodate only 12 participants, and members of the Bundaberg Pottery Group will have priority. Below you will find more information.
Are you interested in joining this workshop?
CLICK HERE for information about the 2-Day Animal Sculpture Workshop by James Ort in late January 2026 and to express your interest.
2-Day Animal Sculpture Workshop by James Ort in late January 2026
We seek expressions of interest for a 2-day workshop by James Ort, in late January 2026.
James is a wildlife sculpture artist. He makes animals, predominantly in clay & wire, adding colourful glazes and slips to bring them to life.
Take a deep dive into learning how to make clay animals with James Ort. Using a contemporary technique that is loose, expressive, and breaks all the rules, this will be an intense, yet intensely fun course! Heralding from the United Kingdom, James Ort has been teaching for years now. He specialises in a form of contemporary clay modelling that pushes clay to its limits. The technique is easy to learn and adaptable.
James loves teaching. Regardless of your age or level of experience—whether you’re just starting out or already an accomplished creative— there’s nothing more fulfilling for him than helping students surpass their expectations and achieve what they never thought possible.
His method of constructing his sculpture is very fast. On a typical course, his students will make one sculpture a day—regardless of size (up to a point!). Building the sculpture fast brings life and energy to the piece, so the key is to get students to not be too tight and precious with their work!
To learn more about James Ort, visit his website at https://www.jamesort.co.uk/ or check out his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/jamesortartist/.
2 Day Animal Sculpture Workshop
- Two full days teaching (10 am-4 pm) with James Ort
- Location: Bundaberg Pottery Group
- Date: Late January 2026
- Participants: 12 students
- Cost is expected to be between $400 and $500 per student, including all materials, glazing and firing.
Express your interest by emailing the workshop convenor: workshop@bundabergpotterygroup.com.au
