Entry No. 42 — the Bozeman file — filed under: hands-on
Coco Costigan Pottery Studio
Ceramic artist Coco Costigan has taught clay since 1994 and runs small in-studio lessons covering both the potter's wheel and hand-building techniques like slab, coil, and pinch work. Private lessons take just one or two people, making it an intimate, instruction-heavy session rather than a crowded class. Finished work needs a three-to-five-week turnaround for firing.
The story
Most pottery studios in college towns push you into crowded evening drop-ins or noisy group events. You didn't hear it from us, but if you want real instruction in Bozeman without competing for elbow room, you email Coco Costigan directly. Costigan earned her ceramics degree from Cal State Long Beach in 1996 and has been teaching clay since 1994, running private studio spaces in Santa Monica and Malibu before relocating to Bozeman in 2019 to trace her family’s Montana history back to the 1890s.
Instead of standard mass-market items, Costigan's personal work spans hyper-realistic clay sculptures of historic objects and humorous functional art like skull vases and butt mugs. That same lack of pretension carries directly into her studio sessions. Because she caps private lessons at one or two people max, you get two full hours of undivided eyes on your hands, whether you're wrestling wet stoneware on the potter's wheel or building with slab, coil, and pinch techniques.
There is no hiding an off-center pull when you are the only student at the wheel. Costigan walks you through form adjustments in real time, guides you through surface decoration choices, and sets your work into the queue for drying and firing. It is practical, intensive, and completely free of commercial fluff.
What it's like
Don't show up expecting an open storefront—lessons are strictly by appointment made via direct email. You'll sit one-on-one or pair up for a quiet, instruction-dense two hours in her workspace. Wear clothes you don't mind getting clay splatter on, and pack patience on the back end: drying and firing take a strict three-to-five-week turnaround before your finished ceramics are ready.
The move: Book a two-hour private lesson for two and learn the wheel side by side with a teacher who's been at it since the 90s.
📍 Before you go By appointment; group sessions aren't always scheduled, so email Coco directly to arrange a private or small-group lesson.
- 📍 Bozeman
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Bozeman, MT
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Tune Up Bar — Wash the wet clay off your hands and head downstairs into this former National Guard band room for a dark drink in a basement speakeasy.
- Earth's Treasures Fossil & Mineral Museum Gallery — Keep the tactile earth theme going by browsing global fossils and raw mineral specimens half a block off Main Street.
- Gangbusters Pottery — If a two-person wheel session leaves you wanting a group evening out, bring a larger crew here to press clay into molds for platters and bowls.
- The Ellen Theatre — Pair your daytime pottery workshop with an evening film or performance inside this 1919 historic Beaux Arts theatre.
Good to know
How do I book a lesson at Coco Costigan Pottery Studio?
Lessons are available by appointment only. You need to email Coco directly to arrange a private one- or two-person session.
What ceramic techniques are covered in a private lesson?
Instruction covers both potter's wheel throwing and hand-building techniques, including slab, coil, and pinch work, along with surface decoration.
How many people can attend a lesson together?
Private sessions take just one or two people at a time, ensuring a focused, instruction-heavy class rather than a crowded group.
How long does it take to get finished pieces back?
Finished ceramics require a three-to-five-week turnaround time for thorough drying and firing.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · artistsgallerybozeman.com
last checked: 2026-06-24