Walk in anytime to paint pottery, fuse glass & more!
Monday - Saturday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
(406).862.5929
145 Central Avenue in downtown Whitefish, Montana
The Clay Studio
The Clay Studio
The Clay Studio at Stumptown Art Studio is primarily a teaching space. Our goal is to provide access to clay and ceramic education to people of all experience levels, styles, and backgrounds. We want to maintain a space that enables as many folks as possible to work with clay. The studio is equipped with 5 electric wheels, 1 three-segment Skutt kiln, plus 1 small Paragon test kiln, and 2 sinks with clay-traps to prevent clay from entering plumbing. We keep an assortment of communal tools, molds, and storage space for pots in progress. We also sell assorted clay tools in our retail section by the front desk. Our glaze area maintains 10 standard studio glazes – for which we have a 100-tile glaze combination test board – as well as an assortment of underglaze paints, and a small selection of rotating glazes.
Our instructors teach a variety of classes, workshops, and events aiming to provide knowledge on a broad range of subject matter. The most popular topics for our multi-week classes are wheel throwing, hand building, and surface design; we often run beginner classes that introduce techniques in each of these areas. We also host a number of one-time events including guided projects (such as: festive items, handmade mugs/spoons, birdhouses), as well as drop-in throwing sessions and workshops exploring specific clay techniques.
For information about classes, and recurring Studio events visit the Classes tab on our website, and make sure to follow our Facebook and Instagram for announcements about upcoming events!
Instructors also offer private lessons for individuals and groups. These can be repeat classes to learn how to work with clay, meetings to discuss/plan/create specific projects or go over certain techniques, or fun, casual group pottery sessions.
If You Have Questions or Would Like to
Schedule a Private Lesson Click the Contact Us Button Below:
We source our clay and materials from The Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, MT. Individuals working in our studio and those creating at home/elsewhere are able to purchase clay from our regular stock, or request to place occasional orders in conjunction with the studio.
We have a firing policy and form for work made outside of our studio in order for it to be fired in our kilns. Our regular firing schedule usually allows us to process work within 10 days of receiving items.
Please Note:
The clay studio at Stumptown Art Studio is located down a flight of stairs, and our space is quite small. This may be an unfair obstacle for individuals with some mobility aids, service animals, and those sensitive to dust or who are at high risk for Covid19. When possible, we host our single-session clay events upstairs in the main paint-your-own-pottery space. Unfortunately, our multi-week classes and wheel events often must be held in our basement studio.
As an organization dedicated to education, and as artists passionate about sharing our craft, we are actively working to make our studio, our classes, and access to clay more available to communities which are often excluded from ceramics. Please contact our Clay Studio Manager to inquire about specific accommodations, or if physical or financial obstacles make it difficult for you to work with clay