By Melanie Stegner

news@pctribune.com

A new experience has become available to area residents as “The Pottery Dudes” opens a pottery studio in Central Square in Glenwood. 

There are classes available to teach the public how to use a pottery wheel, doing hand building with clay and even a date night experience.

Josh and Rachael Johnson and their three sons have created a welcoming environment and will greet you with a smile when you walk in. The Pottery Dudes began when Josh and his son, Otis, were creating pottery home videos for fun on an old iPod. “He would run around making videos on it and I told him if we were going to do this, we needed a name. He said we’re ‘The Pottery Dudes.’ I told him when I open a studio, we would have to call it that,” chuckled Josh.

Josh’s early experiences with pottery happened in high school art class and he immediately took an interest in the craft. Following high school, Josh joined the Air Force and served his country for 21 years, travelling the world. In 2015, he went back to his interest in pottery and took some wheel classes at a local studio. He ended up purchasing his own wheel and set up a small workspace in his garage where he could practice his art.

He started taking his art more seriously and devoted himself to improving his skills and learning new techniques. He attended university for ceramics education and took a residency at the Clay Arts Studio in Las Vegas. After a move to Springfield, Missouri, he started teaching pottery classes. 

“Pottery is not age discriminatory. I had my 86-year-old grandma on the wheel creating. It was pretty awesome. Our kids love being at the wheel too,” said Josh. 

Rachael also enjoys pottery and has an integral role at the studio. She’s a friendly person who is very knowledgeable about the process and makes it feel like you’re part of their family when you walk into the studio. 

The pottery process doesn’t end at the wheel. The studio also houses “Big Momma” and “Little Fella,” the two kilns that are used to fire the pottery. “I usually run the kilns at night because of the heat it can create. Our big kiln can get up to 3200 degrees inside. I don’t run it that hot as it depends on the clay, but it has that capability,” added Josh. 

The vision of the studio is “to increase awareness and appreciation for ceramics while growing the pottery community in the local area, providing community members the chance to express themselves creatively and embrace their uniqueness through ceramic arts.” 

Several classes are offered at the studio including a six week beginner and intermediate wheel throwing class, a two-hour introduction to the pottery wheel, a date night experience for couples to get instruction on pottery making and a four week hand building class. 

They also offer a studio membership for those who need little direct instruction to practice their skills at their own pace and on their own schedule. Members have unlimited access to the studio during building hours throughout the week. It includes the use of studio resources and firing of pieces. It includes discounts on all classes, workshops and events. 

If interested in joining a class, contact the studio via phone at (702)428-7702, by email at muddhands@thepotterydudes.com or by visiting their website at thepotterydudes.com. Online booking is also available.