Entry No. 64 — the Grand Junction file — filed under: hands-on
Means Pottery Studio at By All Means Arts
Housed in Fruita's FARM (Fruita Arts Recreation Marketplace), this clay studio partners with the Art Center of Western Colorado and runs both multi-week wheel programs and approachable one-day workshops. Their 'Let's Get Spinning' single-session class is built for people who've never touched clay, walking you through the basics and getting a bowl off the wheel in one evening. Open-studio hours let you come back to finish pieces.
The story
Tucked into the Fruita Arts Recreation Marketplace (FARM), Means Pottery Studio isn't a glossy assembly-line paint-a-mug storefront. It's a working mud shop built by husband-and-wife artist team Ashtonn Means and Matthew Jones. Jones came out of the commercial sign industry before picking up ceramic work; Means built her career as a ceramic artist and instructor tied to the Art Center of Western Colorado.
When the FARM community space opened up in Fruita, the pair moved in to establish a hands-on wheel studio. While their multi-week throw sessions tend to get locked down by locals on rolling waitlists, they keep a backdoor open for tourists and curious beginners through bite-sized, single-evening classes like 'Let's Get Spinning.'
What it's like
You are stepping into a studio smelling of wet earth and wet clay, where people are actually covered in slip and working wheels. If you book the single-session workshop, expect a crash course: $55 gets anyone 14 and up onto a wheel with hands-on guidance to center, pull, and shape wet clay into a legitimate bowl before the night ends. The catch is instant gratification doesn't exist here—you won't leave with your piece that evening, as it has to dry and go through kiln firings before you can come back during open-studio hours to glaze it.
The move: Take the one-night 'Let's Get Spinning' wheel-throwing workshop and each leave with a freshly thrown bowl to glaze later.
📍 Before you go Single-session workshops are around $55 and ages 14+; the multi-week wheel sessions tend to fill with waitlists, so book the one-day class ahead.
- 📍 Fruita
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Fruita Arts Recreation Marketplace (FARM), Fruita, CO
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Mike the Headless Chicken Sculpture — Pair your hands-on clay session with a quick walk down the street in Fruita to visit the metal monument built for the town's most famous headless rooster.
- Colorado National Monument - Saddlehorn Night Sky Program — Throw pottery in town during the early evening, then drive four miles up Rim Rock Drive for ranger-led stargazing above the canyon rim.
- The Art Center of Western Colorado (Adult Classes) — If the wheel bug bites, head 10 miles east into Grand Junction to check out the broader adult class schedule at their institutional partner.
Good to know
Do I need prior wheel-throwing experience to attend?
No. The single-session 'Let's Get Spinning' workshop is designed explicitly for absolute beginners ages 14 and up.
How much does the one-day workshop cost and what does it include?
Single-session workshops run around $55 per person and cover clay, studio wheel time, and step-by-step instruction to get a finished bowl off the wheel.
Can I take my ceramic bowl home the same night?
No. Wet clay requires time to dry completely before going through initial firing. You will leave your piece at the studio and return during open-studio hours to glaze and collect it.
How far in advance should I book?
Multi-week wheel programs carry regular waitlists. If you want a single-day spot, book as far out as possible online.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · farmfruita.com · canvas.gjartcenter.org · Reddit · rmpbs.org
last checked: 2026-06-23