THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Turn terracotta into personality: spend two hours with Great Pottery Throwdown Finalist Dave Short shaping, glazing, and firing small pet figurines in Broadway. Small class size and all materials supplied make this a perfect short creative escape.
Turn terracotta into personality: spend two hours with Great Pottery Throwdown Finalist Dave Short shaping, glazing, and firing small pet figurines in Broadway. Small class size and all materials supplied make this a perfect short creative escape.
Book with Broadway Museum & Art Gallery
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Broadway Museum & Art Gallery · Broadway, England
On a bright Saturday afternoon in Broadway, England, the second-floor studio comes alive with the soft click of tools and the warm, earthy smell of terracotta. The 218 - Pet Figurine Workshop with Dave Short invites makers and animal lovers to a focused, two-hour session where pinching and sculpting techniques turn small lumps of clay into expressive pet studies. Led by Great Pottery Throwdown Finalist Dave Short, the class emphasizes rapid shaping—catching a breed’s posture, a twitch of an ear, or the suggestion of movement in compact, pocket-sized forms.
The format is brisk and hands-on. In groups capped at ten, participants work through a series of quick studies, trying multiple poses and finishing touches. Colored slip is available for surface detail, and during the session everyone selects four favourites to be fired and glazed. If you want more than four pieces fired there’s a modest charge of £4 per extra piece; finished work is ready for collection within about four weeks. All materials, tools and firing/glazing services are provided, so you can travel light and leave with keepsake ceramics rather than packing supplies.
Accessibility and logistics are straightforward but important: the classroom is on the second floor and there is no lift access, and the workshop welcomes participants aged 10 and up. Organizers ask you to arrive about five minutes early to settle in. The pace suits beginners and hobbyists—no prior pottery experience is required—while the instructor’s pedigree means you’ll receive practical techniques rooted in professional practice.
What makes this workshop special is the combination of speed and artistic intuition. Rather than slow wheel work, these sculptural exercises teach you to suggest anatomy and movement with minimal marks and simple pinching methods. That approach trains observation as much as hand skills: you learn to read an animal’s pose and translate it into a compact figurine that conveys personality.
This is an ideal booking for visitors staying in Broadway who want a short, creative escape from sightseeing. It’s equally rewarding for families with older children, craft travelers collecting hands-on experiences, and locals seeking a concentrated skills session. Expect a communal, studio-like atmosphere—focused, friendly, and quietly industrious—where you finish the afternoon with clay on your hands and a plan to come back for the next round of firing and glazing.
Small class size means one-on-one feedback from Dave Short, so expect direct instruction on armature, proportion and surface treatment. The quick-fire format is great for developing an eye for silhouette and economy of mark, and the fired, glazed pieces make thoughtful gifts or keepsakes. Because the studio supplies everything, you can book with carry-on luggage only. Space is limited to ten participants, so reserve early to secure a place and plan ahead.
easy.
2 hours.
Light physical activity: standing, leaning and fine motor control required. Suitable for most fitness levels.
Yes—no prior pottery experience is required. The session focuses on simple pinching and sculpting techniques ideal for first-timers.
The workshop runs for two hours, with rapid exercises and time to select four pieces for firing and glazing.
Participants must be at least 10 years old to join this session.
Each participant selects four pieces to be fired and glazed; additional pieces can be fired for £4 each, paid directly to the instructor.
Fired and glazed pieces are typically ready for collection within four weeks of the workshop.
The workshop room is on the second floor and there is no lift access, so it may not be suitable for those who need step-free entry.
The workshop connects contemporary studio practice with popular UK ceramics culture through instruction from a Great Pottery Throwdown finalist.
The studio supplies materials and handles firing; participants are encouraged to minimize waste and respect glazing and recycling guidelines to reduce environmental impact.
Broadway Museum & Art Gallery is a local museum and art gallery in Broadway, England, presenting exhibitions, collections and a varied events programme that highlights regional history, craft and contemporary creativity. The venue offers public entry tickets alongside a busy schedule of ticketed experiences: hands-on workshops, specialist lectures, family activities, seasonal trails and fundraising events. Workshops and talks are delivered by visiting experts and local practitioners. Recent and recurring offerings include pottery sessions with Dave Short (Great Pottery Throw Down finalist), glass-fusion and printing workshops with Helen Cooper, an archaeology lecture on the Milestone Ground excavation by Jamie Wilkins, and a glass-focused lecture by Justine Hopkins. Practical craft classes cover collage, calligraphy, block printing, corn dolly making and low relief tile carving. Many sessions provide materials and refreshments: the summer collage workshop supplies all materials and a light lunch, and the modern calligraphy session includes a personal kit and treats. Pottery pieces created during classes are decorated, fired and available for later collection from the gallery. Seasonal programming includes Christmas grotto trails, Father Christmas events and late-night shopping with themed trails. The museum supports local artists, stewardship of local heritage and community learning through accessible, hands-on experiences for families, visitors and craft enthusiasts.
Book with Broadway Museum & Art Gallery