John and Kris are great! John is able to instruct and teach to any and all levels of students. I loved his class so much, I signed up for another.And then there is Cheesy, always happy dog, that welcomes every one to class.I would recommend this class to anyone.

Community pottery studio with a great atmosphere

I have taken outdoor classes with John since March and have loved my time with him and Kris at Dew Claw. John and Kris are some of the kindest, most humble, and funniest people you will meet. John is an incredible teacher. He can connect with any person at any level, and makes all feel welcome. He loves pottery (and makes it look WAY too easy) and truly enjoys introducing others to the practice. John is known for sharing lots of stories. If you can allow yourself to slow down and listen, I think youll really enjoy the community and laughter he brings to the class.As a type A perfectionist, I can relate with the comments shared by other people in their reviews. Im the type of person who wants a curriculum and productivity. But thats not what this class is about. Pottery can be frustrating as hell. I found myself feeling like I needed constant support in the class, because everything was going wrong. But what John taught me was that pottery is learned through practice- trial and error. Lots of the error. The moments where he wasnt right by my side were also the moments where things clicked. I think this is one of the best parts of being a student at Dew Claw- John really teaches to empower people to enjoy their learning process. Also, its just not that serious. Its clay!

I cannot say enough amazing things about Dew Claw and John and Kris. The environment is so welcoming and empowering- I have only ever taken classes at the outdoor studio (#thanksCOVID) but it was an awesome experience. Classes take place under a tent, so the weather (unless it was outrageous, in which case classes were rescheduled) wasnt really an issue.John is the best teacher Ive ever had- you learn about clay and ceramics but also about his amazing life! Its in no way like a college course- theres no airtight curriculum, you dont get a grade, and its not all serious all the time. Instead, its a somewhat self-directed learning experience. John does tutorials at the beginning of classes (in the Wheel 1 course that I took), and then you get to try it out! Hes always happy to come over and explain or show you again, or show you a different way. If theres something in particular you want to try, he will show you several ways until you find one that clicks. I am VERY much a type A person, so learning how to work with the clay and try out different techniques was challenging, but John is always encouraging and supportive.You do not need any previous experience to take these beginner classes; just come equipped with a sense of humor, a willingness to try and try again, and a little bit of humility (for when you, like me, lean over your pot and totally smush it just as it was looking GREAT).They also have a wonderful dog, Cheesy, whos the sweetest and happiest dog ever. She is not a jumper but will come over for scratches and love!All in all, I cant recommend Dew Claw more highly. They are the most welcoming and warm people, and I have since taken a class every time it was offered since my first one!P.S: for anyone wondering about COVID measures (this will hopefully be obsolete soon, but is always something that I wonder about), they do require everyone to wear masks the entire time, even though its outside. Wheels are spread apart and people are very respectful of physical distancing, you sanitize your station before leaving, and everyone has their own tools and clay. There is running water (a sink outside to clean up), soap, and a very fancy port-o-potty to use if you need it in class! Ive felt very safe in class with John and when Kris comes over to say hi.

Last night should have been my last pottery class of the seven week Beginner Wheel session that I signed up for, however I quit after three classes and here is why: When I arrived to the first class I was greeted by Kris who informed me that I needed to purchase clay and tools = $65. Somehow I missed that memo when signing up. John, the instructor, came out after eating his grilled cheese sandwich, to begin class. We met the dog Cheesy and then class began. The first class was fun - as we learned the basics and it was exciting to throw clay and feel it on the wheel. The second class started 25 minutes late because John was throwing the ball to Cheesy. I felt very frustrated when I left that night because there were lots of details about prior students that really didnt add much to my pottery lesson. My third and final class thankfully started on time (3pm) however he demonstrated how to make a bowl and how to trim until 4:40 which leaves 20 minutes for me to try and do the same. No way is that happening, as I am a total pottery virgin! At one point John fell asleep at his wheel in mid sentence. I guess this is common. And then, after his demo that lasted almost the entire time (could be all the random stories) he went into the garage to find a tool and did not return. I was STRUGGLING big time. Another student with more experience stopped what he was doing and tried to help me. I felt like this should have been John helping me because that who is getting paid to teach this class. I was so frustrated that I cleaned up my wheel station and left. John was still in the garage. I told him I felt frustrated and was leaving - he did not seem concerned at all and simply said bye. I realized that this may not be a good fit for me. I called the studio in hopes to talk to John and explain how I was feeling. I left a voice mail and did not get a return call. I emailed also. Kris responded and said John was out of town and would get back to me by Tuesday ( the day before our next class). I never heard from him. I decided that this class is not a good fit for me. I asked for a partial refund. It was denied. I saved up for this class all summer so I am pretty disappointed I ended up throwing my money way instead of learning how to throw pots. I did ask that they donate my clay and tools to the nice guy and his family that were in class with me so hopefully they were able to use it. I think John and Kris are nice people but this studio experience is not recommended for a beginner. I wish I had taken the time to read all of the previous reviews because it seems someone else had a similar experience. I am planning to save up and try another studio that is more structured.

Dew Claw Studio is a wonderful place to learn about pottery, and is run by terrific people.

I had recently took a class at Dew claw studio (wheel pottery for beginners) and my experience have been 100% negative and useless, a total ripoff.When you contact them to gather some info about the class you want to take (it was my first experience with pottery and I wanted to make sure I was choosing the right one) the try to push you to pay as soon as possible the fee without giving you any extra info beside the one on their website. The teacher,John, during the classes spend more time patting his dog (yes he takes his dog to every class) than actually teaching. If you don’t understand something or you ask for an advice relate to a project you have in mind he try to ignore you or answer back clearly piss off.On the top he was always late.Do yourself a favor and save the $250+60 ( materials not included) that you will waste.I learned more in a night watching pottery video on google than in 7 classes there!

Great studio! Im really enjoying my class, and the people Ive met so far are pretty delightful. Come check it out if youve always wanted to learn pottery.

Dew Claw has come to be one of my favorite places of refuge. I took two classes before becoming a member and I still cant get enough. John and Kris are warm and open, its obvious that their main goal is to share their love for ceramics and foster other peoples curiosity. Do yourself a favor and sign up for a class. The education and the environment will change your life!

Great combination of expert instruction and a down-to-earth, welcoming atmosphere. Bonus points for a truly adorable studio dog!

The people are simply wonderful

The classes are so fun and really informative! I learned so much. Very friendly atmosphere as well!

Love this place. People are nice and its a laid back environment

Fun and friendly!

Great mill!