SMCE4018 W26 Throw, Glaze, Gaze: A Hands-On Journey Through Ceramic History

• Delivery: In-person at the Gardiner Ceramic Museum, 111 Queen’s Park, Toronto, and Spin Pottery Studio, 145 St. Luke Lane, Toronto, ON M4Y 1Y8
• Duration: 5 weeks
• Day of the week: Mondays
• Dates:
  • Monday, March 23 2026: Gardiner Museum guided tour, 111 Queen’s Park, Toronto
  • Monday, March 30th to April 20th: in-studio lessons at Spin Pottery Studio, 145 St. Luke Lane, Toronto
• Time: 2:00 p.m to 5:00 p.m.
• Cost: $395 (includes HST)

Course Overview

Throw, Glaze, Gaze: A Hands-on Journey Through Ceramic History is a unique five-week course that combines cultural exploration with studio practice. Beginning with a guided tour of Toronto’s Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, learners will discover the rich global traditions and histories of ceramics. The following four weeks take place at Spin Pottery Studio, where participants will learn and practice essential techniques in wheel throwing, hand-building, and glazing. Alongside hands-on creation, learners will reflect on how ceramics have shaped, and been shaped by, human culture across time.

Weekly Explorations

Week 1 – Ceramics Across Cultures
Guided tour of the Gardiner Museum: explore ancient to contemporary ceramic traditions from around the world, with discussion on form, function, and meaning.

Your tour will feature an exclusive view of Canadian artist’s Linda Rotua Sormin’s Uncertain Ground exhibition.

Week 2 – First Encounters with Clay
Introduction to Spin Pottery Studio. Learn the basics of clay preparation, hand-building techniques, and first experiences on the wheel.

Week 3 – Form and Function
Focus on wheel throwing and vessel design. Consider the balance between artistic expression and everyday use in ceramics.

Week 4 – Surface and Story
Introduction to glazing and surface decoration. Explore how colours, textures, and finishes transform clay into expressive works.

Week 5 – Glaze, Fire, Reflect
Apply glazes to personal projects, prepare pieces for firing, and engage in a closing reflection on how ceramics link craft, history, and creativity.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

• Remember: Identify significant ceramic traditions and their cultural contexts.
• Understand: Explain how ceramics serve artistic, functional, and symbolic purposes.
• Apply: Use foundational techniques in wheel throwing, hand-building, and glazing.
• Analyze: Compare stylistic and technical approaches to ceramics across cultures.
• Evaluate: Reflect on their own creative process and the cultural meaning of ceramics.
• Create: Produce original ceramic works that demonstrate both skill and creative intent.

Method of Instruction

The course blends experiential learning, art history, and technical instruction through museum engagement, studio demonstrations, and guided practice. No prior ceramics experience is required.

About Spin Pottery Studio and the Gardiner Museum

Step into a world of creativity at Spin Pottery Studio, a welcoming Toronto space for ceramic artists of all levels. Whether you’re a complete beginner looking to get your hands dirty in a single-day workshop or an experienced potter seeking a place to call your own, we have you covered. From multi-week classes designed to develop your skills to 24/7 studio memberships, Spin Pottery provides the expert instruction and supportive community you need to bring your artistic visions to life. It’s more than just a studio; it’s a place to learn, connect, and express your creativity.  

The Gardiner Museum brings together people of all ages and backgrounds through the shared values of creativity, wonder, and community that clay and ceramic traditions inspire.

Located in the heart of Canada’s largest and most diverse city, the Gardiner is home to an internationally-renowned collection of ceramics, including pottery from the Ancestral Americas, Chinese and Japanese Porcelain, and contemporary Canadian ceramics.

About the Instructor

Habiba El-Sayed

With an interest in archives and paralleling mythology with contemporary experience, Habiba El-Sayed’s multidisciplinary practice re-imagines historical references using a combination of both old and new technologies. Habiba holds an Advanced Diploma from Sheridan College in Ceramics (2014) and a BFA in Ceramics from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (2016). Her work has been shown in galleries and museums across North America and has been featured in publications such as Craft is Political, BlackFlash Magazine, Fusion Magazine and Studio Potter. Her practice also includes regular guest lecturing, classes, and workshops at studios and institutions both locally and internationally.

Questions?  

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