Dew Claw Studios is truly a Rhode Island gem! John and Kris are such kind, welcoming people that make ceramics accessible to all skill levels! The classes are relatively affordable and generally filled with diverse groups of people. Whether you're looking to hand build or throw pots on a wheel, Dew Claw Studios is a great pottery studio! read more

A bad place for beginners. The owner is extremely nice and affable, but his inability to actually instruct (particularly for the price of these classes!) is absurd. I initially signed up for a hand-building class and noted that the instructor seemed to enjoy socializing with studio "regulars" more than spending a lot of time truly instructing. Indeed, one day the entire class (instructor included) spent the ENTIRE class talking and no lesson was provided at all. This was of course bothersome, but something that I could work through since hand-building can be fairly intuitive/self-taught. Also, I was motivated to learn and this is practically the only studio in the area that offers these courses. However, I then signed up for a pottery wheel course, at which point the cracks began to truly show in terms of the instructor's limitations in the teaching arena. Certainly, the pottery wheel definitely requires a LOT of practice in order to become proficient. But if the majority of your class can't even CENTER a pot--the foundation of pottery wheel work-- by the 4th or 5th lesson (and are being taught by a few of the other class members who have somehow caught on), that truly indicates there's a problem. I attended several open studio sessions in an attempt to hone my skills prior to additional lessons, but again, the instructor would spend the entire time socializing with others working in the studio. You felt as though you were dragging him away from his chit-chat with studio regulars in order to get instruction that you were paying him for. Two studio regulars sitting beside me at my first open studio session finally took pity on me and taught me how to center, which is certainly not their job. But there you are. I stuck out the wheel course for perhaps 5 sessions, in the meanwhile the majority of other students in my section stopped attending. I finally joined them, as I could certainly think of better things to do on my day off than try to wrangle a pottery wheel with little-to-no instruction. I imagine Dew Claw is a fantastic place for those with a background in pottery who are looking to build on their skill-set. But whether they realize it or not, this studio is truly taking advantage of new students who pay a reasonable amount of money and spend a large amount of their time for little return. read more

Dew Claw is truly a gift. Participants can take courses in hand building or the wheel, sign up for open studio (essentially an independent study class), or become a member. As someone who has taken advantage of all of the above, I feel that, with John's patient support and guidance, my work at Dew Claw has afforded me a really strong foundation from which I continue to grow and explore. John & Kris are kind, fair-minded, and smart, and they have created and maintain an atmosphere at Dew Claw that is quite special. There is a strong sense of community, and a wonderfully diverse group of folks; we work hard and we laugh a lot. During this time of the pandemic, John & Kris have made every effort to stay open safely. There is a schedule in place in order to limit the number of people working in the space; masks are required; tools carefully sanitized. They've even put aside a day each week for high risk individuals who need a one-at-a-time arrangement, going above and beyond what one might expect from a small business. Whether you're just passing through or settling down for the long haul, you'd be lucky to call Dew Claw your pottery home! read more

My family and I loved this class with John so much that we stayed after the first class was finished for a second beginner class! John was able to teach the other beginners as well as instruct us on slightly more advanced techniques. He really knows his stuff and can tell you exactly what you are doing wrong and has the tips to help you fix it. John is kind, hilarious, and gives each student the attention they need in order to throw great pieces. Yes, pottery can be frustrating if you don't get it right away, but John's gentle manner helps relax your worries. An added bonus is getting to pet his friendly dog Cheesy every class! I highly recommend this class to potters of all levels. read more

Last night should have been my last pottery class of the seven week Beginner Wheel session that I signed up for, however I quit after three classes and here is why: When I arrived to the first class I was greeted by Kris who informed me that I needed to purchase clay and tools = $65. Somehow I missed that memo when signing up. John, the instructor, came out after eating his grilled cheese sandwich, to begin class. We met the dog Cheesy and then class began. The first class was fun - as we learned the basics and it was exciting to "throw" clay and feel it on the wheel. The second class started 25 minutes late because John was throwing the ball to Cheesy. I felt very frustrated when I left that night because there were lots of details about prior students that really didn't add much to my pottery lesson. My third and final class thankfully started on time (3pm) however he demonstrated how to make a bowl and how to trim until 4:40 which leaves 20 minutes for me to try and do the same. No way is that happening, as I am a total pottery virgin! At one point John fell asleep at his wheel in mid sentence. I guess this is common. And then, after his demo that lasted almost the entire time (could be all the random stories) he went into the garage to find a tool and did not return. I was STRUGGLING big time. Another student with more experience stopped what he was doing and tried to help me. I felt like this should have been John helping me because that who is getting paid to teach this class. I was so frustrated that I cleaned up my wheel station and left. John was still in the garage. I told him I felt frustrated and was leaving - he did not seem concerned at all and simply said "bye". I realized that this may not be a good fit for me. I called the studio in hopes to talk to John and explain how I was feeling. I left a voice mail and did not get a return call. I emailed also. Kris responded and said John was out of town and would get back to me by Tuesday ( the day before our next class). I never heard from him. I decided that this class is not a good fit for me. I asked for a partial refund. It was denied. I saved up for this class all summer so I am pretty disappointed I ended up throwing my money way instead of learning how to throw pots. I did ask that they donate my clay and tools to the nice guy and his family that were in class with me so hopefully they were able to use it. I think John and Kris are nice people but this studio experience is not recommended for a beginner. I wish I had taken the time to read all of the previous reviews because it seems someone else had a similar experience. I am planning to save up and try another studio that is more structured. read more

I love this place! Everyone is so helpful and I have fun and made new friends of all ages and experience levels. If you don't know something just ask anyone. If you see something awesome and you want to try it just ask. I find its great stress relief and with our pot luck today I really got to know some people. I'm only eight or ten weeks in now and haven't looked back. If you're an artist with laser focus or someone that wants to be social this is the place! We also have two awesome dogs that add to the atmosphere. Cheesy and butter ( I guess they like dairy products ) which is great for a dog lover like me. They are not around all the time but really helpful and supportive people are. I am the LEAST artistic person but they helped me make cool stuff. I am happy this place is within walking distance to my house! Give it a try. You won't regret it. read more

I really enjoyed my classes last year at Dew Claw. John was very encouraging and it was a very laid back atmosphere. My only issue was a big one - it took forever to get anything the class members made bisqued and glazed. If you set something up to be put in the kiln one week it sometimes took 3 weeks or more to get back, then it took weeks more to get back after it was glazed. One woman I took the class with went back week after week once the class was over and was told "it will be back as soon as possible". Not great considering these classes run over $200! I'll try another studio next time. read more

helpful encouraging instruction for the beginning wheel throwing class i took. it does take some time to get your work glazed since they try to be economical about firing up the kilns, but they also won't slam the door in your face either after your session's classes are done, giving a clumsy potter such as me time time to finish up half worked on pots. i'll probably book some time for privates in the future. read more

Since becoming a member at Dew Claw, I have enjoyed a fantastic studio environment with a friendly group of fellow potters. The owners, John and Chris, are very knowledgeable and helpful regarding techniques and materials. I would highly recommend! read more