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Scratch beneath the surface and try sgraffito at Deep Blue Ceramics in Weston. This two-hour hands-on class teaches carving, slip application, and leaves you with fired pieces to collect weeks later.
Scratch beneath the surface and try sgraffito at Deep Blue Ceramics in Weston. This two-hour hands-on class teaches carving, slip application, and leaves you with fired pieces to collect weeks later.
Book with Deep Blue Ceramics
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Operated by Deep Blue Ceramics · Weston, Australian Capital Territory
Sgraffito Pottery Class with Deep Blue Ceramics sits in Weston on the western edge of Canberra, Australia. At 5 Souter Place, Weston, this two‑hour studio workshop teaches the sgraffito technique—scratching a decorated surface to reveal a contrasting clay beneath—so you leave with two leather‑hard pieces that the studio will glaze and fire for pickup about four weeks later. The room itself is a working studio: wide benches, pots in various stages on drying racks, a bank of tools, and a kiln that shivers heat through the back room.
This is an intimate, practical introduction to a historic surface-decoration method with roots in Mediterranean ceramics. Your instructor walks through material selection, how to apply contrasting slips, and the controlled carving that defines sgraffito designs. The class blends demonstration and focused hands-on time; participants sketch, experiment with line and negative space, then carve two pieces supplied by the studio—though you are welcome to bring your own leather‑hard clay creations.
Key features include the leather‑hard clay stage, contrasting slip layers, carving tools, and the firing process that transforms fragile clay into permanent pottery. Deep Blue Ceramics supplies aprons, tools, glazes, and two pieces per participant, making this a low-friction creative experience for travelers and locals alike. Maximum group size is 30, which keeps the energy social but manageable.
This workshop is more than a craft lesson; it’s a tactile doorway into Canberra’s creative community. Situated near the Murrumbidgee River corridor and Mount Stromlo trails, the studio provides a calm indoor counterpoint to nearby outdoor recreation—perfect for combining a morning ceramics class with an afternoon bushwalk. The technique itself carries historical weight: sgraffito’s name and practice trace back centuries in European and Middle Eastern pottery traditions.
Practical notes: wear clothes you don’t mind getting clay on, and expect to return a few weeks after class to collect your fired work. Beginners will find the pace accessible; more experienced makers can use the session to refine line work and surface composition. This class is well suited to travelers looking for a hands‑on cultural activity in Canberra or locals wanting a new studio skill.
Deep Blue Ceramics operates as a friendly community studio rather than a formal school: instructors encourage experimentation, critiquing composition and tool technique while keeping the session light and social. Because materials, glazing, and firing are included, visitors get a full-cycle ceramic experience without logistics or kiln access. For travelers seeking a memorable indoor activity to pair with Canberra’s parks and science precincts, this class is an efficient, hands-on cultural stop.
easy.
2 hours.
Low physical exertion; requires fine motor control and comfortable seated posture for carving.
No—this class welcomes beginners and covers basics; experienced potters can refine surface techniques.
Yes—Deep Blue Ceramics provides aprons, all materials, glazes, tools, and will fire your pieces for pickup about four weeks after class.
The studio is at 5 Souter Place, Weston, ACT 2611—arrive a few minutes early to set up.
Yes—you’re welcome to bring one or two leather‑hard pieces of your own making to decorate during the session.
Classes run with a maximum of 30 participants, keeping instruction social but hands-on.
Fired and glazed pieces are typically ready to collect around four weeks after your class; follow the studio’s pickup notifications on social media.
Sgraffito comes from the Italian word sgraffiare, meaning to scratch; the technique has been used in European and Middle Eastern pottery for centuries. Canberra was formally named Australia’s capital in 1913 and has nurtured a growing community arts scene.
Ask your host about studio practices; good ceramics studios manage glaze waste and recycle clay slurry, and minimize kiln emissions where possible—choose classes that prioritize sustainable materials and waste handling.
Scratch beneath the surface and learn sgraffito in Canberra!
Book with Deep Blue Ceramics