As noted on our website, finished pottery takes approximately 6–8 weeks to complete before it is ready to be shipped or picked up.

Each piece goes through a detailed, hands-on process including drying (7–10 days), kiln loading, firing (24 hours), kiln unloading, sanding, waxing, glazing, a second kiln loading, and a final firing (16 hours) before it’s unloaded for the last time. It is then carefully sorted, packaged, and prepared for its new home with you.

Because everything is done by hand and in batches, timing can vary slightly.

We know the wait can feel long, but it’s all part of creating a high-quality, finished piece you’ll be able to enjoy for years to come. If it’s been longer than 8 weeks, feel free to reach out and we’re happy to check on your order.

Fill out this form with your pottery and shipping info. Be sure to submit pictures and include the initials that you added to your pottery pieces to ensure we get your pottery shipped back to you timely and accurately. Please be aware that we often have 500+ pieces of pottery to fire and ship, so submitting pictures and initials is crucial to avoid delays. If you didn’t take pictures of your pieces, please write a detailed description of each piece and upload it as your photo. Thank you!

Tickets are non-refundable, but are transferable to another event date until 72 hours prior to the event.

Yes! Just make sure that they bring along the confirmation email you received after booking the class. If you upgraded to a ceramic option, you’ll need to email us at hello@potterywithapurpose.com with their email address so that we can send them the shipping form after class.

No - tickets are not available for resale. Please email hello@potterywithapurpose.com with your order number if you are unable to attend class.

No - just bring yourself and the confirmation email you received after booking! Everything else will be provided for you during class.

Nope. Everything you need for your class will be provided at the venue, just bring yourself!

All of our events are one ticket per person unless it states otherwise in the description.

Please research the venue to find out any additional information such as parking, disability access and age restrictions.

During our classes we aim to teach you the best ways to construct your pottery piece so that it stays intact during firing. If there are any particularly thin sections or improper joins on your pottery, it is likely that it won’t survive the stress of the kiln. We will always contact you if there has been a problem with your piece/s and offer you more clay so that you can have another attempt to make something amazing!

We take great care in wrapping and protecting your pottery, but because ceramics are handmade and naturally fragile, the journey home, which sometimes involves rough handling during postal transit, occassionally leads to breakage.

We know how disappointing it can be to receive a piece broken, especially after the time and care you put into creating it.

If your piece arrives damaged, please reach out to us as soon as possible with photos. Please save the box, packing materials, and broken items for postal service inspection, which is sometimes requested.

While we’re not able to offer refunds for items damaged in transit, we’re happy to send replacement clay at no cost, and once your new piece is ready, we’ll fire and glaze it for you. Our goal is always for you to end up with something you love, and we’ll make sure you have a path to get there.

If your package is marked as delivered by the postal service but you don’t see it, we recommend first checking around your home and with neighbors. Carriers sometimes leave packages in less obvious spots.

If it still hasn’t turned up, the next step is to file a claim directly with the shipping carrier so they can investigate the delivery.

We know how frustrating it can be to be waiting on your pottery and not have it show up as expected. While we’re not able to replace or refund packages once they’ve been marked as delivered, we can provide any details you may need, including a copy of your shipping label, and will help however we can.

We recommend shipping to a secure location whenever possible to help prevent issues like this.

Cracks often happen when clay dries too quickly or unevenly. To avoid them...

• Dry slowly: Cover your piece loosely with plastic for the first few days to slow the drying process.
• Keep thickness even: Aim for consistent clay thickness to reduce stress points.
• Score & slip well: When joining pieces, always score and add slip so the bond stays strong.
• Avoid direct sunlight or heat: These can cause rapid drying and cracking.
• Flip pieces occassionally: For flat items like slabs, turn them gently to ensure even drying.

Whether you’re in a pottery workshop or using one of our DIY pottery kits, these beginner tips will help your pieces from cracking from sculpting to firing.

The air dry clay takes about 72 hours to fully harden. Then, you can paint it, let it dry, and enjoy! (Remember: air dry clay is not waterproof/food-safe, even after painting).

The ceramic clay takes between 10-14 days to completely dry, depending on size + thickness. Once hardened, it is ready for professional kiln firing (learn more about that here). P.S. There’s no rush to bring your ceramic clay to be fired. You can wait as long as you’d like.

Any piece created with the air dry clay from our Air Dry Clay Kit or Air Dry Clay add-on hardens with the help of nothing but - you guessed it - air.

Any piece created with the ceramic clay from our Ceramic Clay Kit or Ceramic Clay add-on requires firing in a professional kiln at a pottery studio to become waterproof and (depending on the glaze used) food-safe. If you don’t need your decorative ceramic clay piece to become waterproof or food-safe (or can’t find a nearby kiln), you can simply let it air dry. Just remember: it will be very delicate + will dissolve when wet.

Click here to get help finding a nearby kiln.

A kiln is basically a REALLY hot oven used to finish (or fully set) ceramic clay pieces. Ceramic clay vessels are typically fired twice in a kiln - first without glaze after your pottery has air dried completely (called the “bisque firing”) + again after glazing and/or underglazing (called the “glaze firing”) - note that Underglaze may be added before EITHER firing, while glaze may only be added after the bisque firing. Get yourself our Underglaze add-on to enhance your piece with color.

Firing your ceramic clay creation helps make it more durable, waterproof + (when glazed) food-safe. The process also brings out the color + shine of any applied glaze or underglazes.

In the kiln, your piece reaches a temperature over 2000° F (way hotter than your home oven!), so you’ll need to visit a professional pottery studio for assistance. Click here for help finding your nearest kiln.

Your clay should be fired to Cone 5 or Cone 6.

Got your hands on one of our Underglaze add-ons? Lucky you! This can be applied before either the initial “bisque firing” or the final “glaze firing.” The kit instructions provide more specific guidance. Our lead-free underglaze is made by AMACO Brent + can be used with or without glaze. If left unglazed, fired pottery will assume a rich textural “velvety” appearance. If glazed with transparent matte glaze, your fired piece will take on a soft satin finish. Underglaze colors will intensify when covered with a clear transparent gloss glaze but will lose matte appearance.

Air dry clay pottery is never safe to drink or eat from.

Ceramic clay can be used as dishware (and becomes microwave safe) AFTER applying food-safe glaze + firing in a professional kiln - a pottery studio can help with both. Click here for help finding your nearest studio.

We’re so glad you asked! Simply visit our kiln locator page to find the pottery studio closest to you. Local to Needham, MA? We’ll fire + glaze your piece at our HQ at a discount!

Air dry clay pottery is NOT waterproof - even after painting… but it does become water-resistant when painted with the Natural Acrylic Medium included in the Air Dry Clay Kit. Plan to use your air dry pot as a planter? We recommend displaying dried flowers or potting an air plant that requires minimal moisture. You can also insert your plant into the air dry pot while still in its original plastic container - just make sure there are no drainage holes where moisture might seep through!

Ceramic clay pottery becomes waterproof AFTER it is professionally kiln-fired at a pottery studio. Click here for help finding your nearest studio.

With a simple dusting every now + then, air dry clay pieces can be enjoyed for years to come.

Ceramic clay pieces should be hand washed to extend their life. Note that soaking them in water may weaken the vessel, making it more susceptible to breakage or chipping. We also recommend bringing in your outdoor ceramic pieces during freezing temperatures.

Both our Air Dry Clay Kit and Ceramic Clay Kit include three sculpting tools to carve your pottery + a small smoothing sponge for a pro finish.

Our Air Dry Clay Kit also includes white paint pigment with Natural Acrylic Medium to help add some color to your piece. Want to really play with color? Check out our Natural Earth Paint add-on. Always use care when handling any dry pigment. Avoid inhaling pigment dust and use a mask when mixing.

If you’d like to enhance your Ceramic Clay Kit pieces, check out our Underglaze add-on or explore glazes at your nearest studio (click here for help finding one).

Leftover air dry + ceramic clay should be carefully wrapped according to kit instructions + used within 3-6 months. Otherwise, it may dry out. If that happens, feel free to reach out to us at help@potterywithapurpose.com + we’ll send you our pro tips for rehydrating your clay. We can’t guarantee it will give your clay a second life - so your best bet is to enjoy it all within 3 months of receiving your kit! Here are some of our favorite DIY sculpting ideas to fuel your creativity.

P.S. storing your wrapped clay in an air tight container will also help extend its life!

Everything sold on our website is vegan (including our paintbrushes, and all food items included in kits like hot cocoa bomb, chocolate bar, lollipop). Everything is also cruelty-free.