Level 2 | Creative Throwing with Marcus O'Mahony | 1 Day
Join renowned Irish potter Marcus O’Mahony for a one-day masterclass exploring the potter’s wheel as a creative tool. Taking place on 21st November, from 11am - 5pm this workshop will explore Marcus’s experimental and intuitive approach to throwing, from miniature forms to larger functional and non-functional pieces.
Throughout the day, Marcus will demonstrate a wide range of techniques, sharing his approach to working with clay and encouraging participants to push beyond conventional forms. You’ll explore throwing off the hump, scaling up your pots, altering work both on and off the wheel, and using techniques including faceting, squaring and drawing.
Marcus will work with a variety of stoneware clay blends, demonstrating how different materials respond on the wheel and how they can be pushed in different directions.
What You’ll Explore:
Throwing Off the Hump: Explore techniques for throwing multiple smaller forms efficiently and developing a more fluid approach to working at the wheel.
Scaling Up: Learn approaches to throwing larger forms, including managing larger amounts of clay and maintaining control as your pots grow.
Letting Go: Move beyond making perfectly controlled forms and explore a more intuitive, responsive approach to throwing.
Wild Throwing: Experiment with altering and manipulating thrown forms, using the wheel as a starting point rather than an endpoint.
Altering & Surface: Explore faceting, squaring, drawing and other ways of transforming thrown forms both on and off the wheel.
Trimming: Look at Marcus’s approach to trimming, including techniques for trimming both on and off the wheel.*
The day will include plenty of demonstrations, discussion and opportunities to ask questions about Marcus’s approach, influences and experience as a potter.
This masterclass is suitable for Level 2 students and experienced wheel throwers who are looking to develop their throwing practice and explore a more experimental approach to form. Participants should be confident centring and throwing independently.
*Please note as this is a one day masterclass, a follow up trimming session is not included in the workshop - participants have the option to keep pots or may want to use this as a learning experience.
About the Artist:
Marcus O’Mahony is an Irish potter based in Glencairn, Co. Waterford. He has been working with clay since 1972, when he began studying ceramics at Limerick School of Art. After graduating, he spent twelve years teaching art and pottery in prison education before moving to Waterford in 1993 to establish his own pottery.
Marcus has exhibited widely and has worked as a visiting tutor at LSAD and NCAD. He is a Fellow of the Craft Potters Association UK and has spent many years teaching workshops alongside leading Irish, British, American and Japanese potters.
His own practice combines wheel-thrown functional pottery with wood firing and salt glazing. Since 2006, he has been deeply engaged with wood firing, building and firing his own kilns and exploring how flame, ash, placement and firing conditions contribute to the final surface of his work. His practice reflects a lifelong curiosity about clay, process and the unexpected possibilities that emerge through making.
Level 2 | Skill Development
For more information on our course levels see our Levels Guide
Course Contents
Cancellation Policy
To request a cancellation and refund, you must email refunds@throwingshapes.ie. Refunds requested more than two weeks prior to the first class are fully refundable. There will be no refunds after this point under any circumstance, nor can we transfer you to another class. Unfortunately we cannot be flexible on this policy for any reason. Should a class not fill sufficiently, we may cancel or reschedule it one week prior to the first class session.
FAQs
What is your cancellation policy?
To request a cancellation and refund, you must email refunds@throwingshapes.ie. Refunds requested more than two weeks prior to the first class are fully refundable. There will be no refunds after this point under any circumstance, nor can we transfer you to another class. Unfortunately we cannot be flexible on this policy for any reason. Should a class not fill sufficiently, we may cancel or reschedule it one week prior to the first class session.
What if I miss a day of my course?
If you miss a day you will not be able to make it back. you must be able to attend each week/day of the same course. You cannot transfer days or make up time. Please check you are available for every date before booking your course.
Are there any additional fees?
No - everything is included in your course. If you'd like to buy your own toolkit you can at checkout when purchasing your class, but tools will be provided either way.
Can I sign my kids up for classes?
No, all students must be 18+ to attend classes.
Can I gift a class to someone?
Of course! You can book them an available class and add their name on checkout, or purchase a gift card for them to decide on their own class.
Can I fire and glaze my own work?
For our taster classes you pick a glaze and we glaze the work for you.
For our 6 week courses you pick 5 of your favourite pieces and glaze them on your 6th week.
For our weekend 2-Day or 3-Day courses you will return 4 weeks later to glaze your own work. You will be notified of this date after you have booked the course.
If I don't see any classes available - when will they be added?
We add new blocks of classes three months in advance of classes starting.
Can I join a waiting list for classes?
Yes you can! Our waiting list works per date - so please go to a date or course you'd like to attend if it became available. You can sign up there and you will get notified if there are cancellations
Can I prebook classes for the next block before they are released?
No, classes are available on a first-come first-served basis and can not be prebooked.
Can I switch between a class our course if my availability changes?
This is subject to availability. You can email info@throwingshapes.ie to see if we have anything available to switch to. If we do not your spot will be cancelled according to our cancellation policy (above).
T&Cs
• All students must be 18+ to register for classes.
• You must read the levels description for your class and take the correct level for your abilities. We reserve the right to move you from a class you do not have enough experience for.
• 6-9 people per class. Should a class not fill sufficiently, we may cancel or reschedule it one week prior to the first class session.
• To request a cancellation and refund, you must email refunds@throwingshapes.ie. Refunds requested more than two weeks prior to the first class are fully refundable. There will be no refunds once the class begins in any circumstance, nor can we transfer you to another class.
• For multiple day courses, you must be able to attend each week of the same course. You cannot transfer days or make up time. Please check you are available for every date before booking your course.
• For courses or classes on Mondays - we run through bank holidays from the start date of the course unless otherwise stated.
• If you would like to gift a class you can enter the attendee's name at time of booking or send an email to gifts@throwingshapes.ie.