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. Our shop’s selection of pottery books and videos is known the world over and we also stock a hand picked selection of pottery tools.
We are potters and speak the language of clay!
Our regular hours are
-Steven Branfman, Founder, Director, and Head Potter
News Around the Studio
Our staff and members are all active in clay, with a variety of connections to the greater clay community
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
Studio members only
Studio Raku Firings- held monthly
April 25, 9:30am kickoff!
May TBD
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.
Adult Classes
For details on our classes and on how to be notified when we open registration for our next available 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
