Welcome to the Potters Shop and School
The Potters Shop & School is a pottery studio, school, gallery, and bookstore, and one of the finest clay facilities in New England. We occupy a spacious, well lit, and professionally equipped space in the Gorse Mill Studios, a vibrant and diverse community of artists. We offer resident and non-resident studio memberships, adult classes, and workshops, and a variety of services and resources for people working in clay. Our gallery is filled with work made in the shop by staff and members covering a variety of styles. We also stock a hand picked selection of pottery tools.
We are potters and speak the language of clay!
Our regular hours of Monday-Friday, 11-5
Closed weekends and most holidays
-Steven Branfman, Founder, Director, and Head Potter
Studio members only
Studio Raku Firings- held monthly
December 19th, 1pm for a festive Raku!-=CANCELED Due To storm prediction
January 16, 9:30
All pots must be glazed and ready to load the night prior to the firing.
*Weather and Kiln Site Conditions Permitting. Please call to check for cancellations and rescheduling.
News Around the Studio
Our staff and members are all active in clay, with a variety of connections to the greater clay community
Branfman earns teaching excellence award
Thayer Academy pottery Instructor Steven Branfman P ’00, ’02 will be recognized for teaching excellence during the 60th annual conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts this spring in Detroit.
Branfman — who began his teaching, coaching, and advising duties at Thayer in 1978 — will receive the organization’s Excellence in Teaching Award. The international conference will be held from March 25 to March 28. The award honors a clay artist who “shall be near or at the end of a career dedicated to excellence in the practice of teaching as evidenced by a commitment to the rigorous ongoing development of their own work as well as former students who are actively engaged in the field.”
“It’s very exciting and humbling,” said Branfman, who specializes in Raku ware, a pottery technique with its origins in 16th century Japan and the tea ceremony. “This teaching award is special, and I still can’t wrap my arms around it.”
The NCECA is a nonprofit that engages and sustains a community for ceramic art, teaching, and learning. With approximately 6,000 members from more than 20 countries around the globe, the NCECA reaches thousands of individuals each year through its programs, publications, events, exhibitions, and resources.
In addition to those conference kudos, Branfman recently fulfilled what he humorously called “a lifelong dream” when he was invited as a guest lecturer to address students and lead discussion at a philosophy seminar class at Harvard University. “Beauty & Art” was the topic of the class.
Our Founder and Director, Steven Branfman, has been elected membership in the International Academy Of Ceramics, considered the most prestigious and highly regarded ceramics organization in the world. Click here to learn more about the IAC
He was recently invited to be interviewed by the K12 Art-Chat, a division of Davis Publications. Click on the image below and scroll down to episode #150 to hear him speak about the healing power of art.
Workshops and Events
Adult Classes
For details on our classes and on how to be notified when we open registration for next session, visit our page for School/Classes.
History
The Potters Shop was founded by Steven Branfman in 1977 as his studio, school, gallery, and workspace for clayworkers. Our original location in Newton Highlands had been a potters studio since about 1960 with The Potters Shop being the third or fourth studio to occupy the space. Our first offerings were adult classes, children's classes, and limited workspace. Over the years as our reputation for quality programs, honest help and advice, and a relaxed, professional and comfortable atmosphere grew, so did our need for space and equipment. In 1989 the studio was moved and The Potters School, a non-profit educational institution was organized as a separate entity insuring our continued growth and our ability to offer the finest pottery facility and educational programs in New England. The Potters School has continued to evolve and in 2005 we made the transition from a children's, teens, and adult class schedule to focusing our services on studio membership, workshops, and limited adult classes. Today, The Potters Shop and The Potters School operate together seamlessly as The Potters Shop & School. We are, as we have been from the beginning, committed to the support of clay arts through quality educational programs, professional facilities, and the production and exhibition of some of the best and most sought after pottery in the area.
Students and members of The Potters Shop & School come from many different clay backgrounds. Some have taken classes, some are self-taught, some are professional potters who want access to extensive equipment, some are hobbyists who enjoy being part of a larger pottery community. We offer adult classes, workshops, internships, and three different levels of studio membership available to meet a broad range of needs. Though we all come from different backgrounds, our common interest in clay, art, and craft has brought us together. Our goal at The Potters Shop & School is to develop a studio atmosphere of creativity and mutual support. The staff is dedicated to providing encouragement and fostering cooperation in an effort to make your use of the studio rewarding and productive.
I hope you come to visit The Potters Shop & School so we can show you what we can only describe to you here on these pages.
31 Thorpe Rd. Needham, MA 02494 Phone: 781-449-7687 Fax: 781-449-9098 Email: PottersShop@aol.com
