Entry No. 44 — the Spokane file — filed under: hands-on
Spokane Art School — Wheel Throwing a Dinner for Two
Rather than a generic make-a-mug night, this Spokane Art School class with instructor Jamie Tate has you throwing an entire place setting for two on the wheel: two plates, two bowls, and two cups over the multi-week session. It is a more ambitious, project-driven take on couples pottery than the usual drop-in, mixing wheel throwing with hand-building and glaze design. The school is a long-running local nonprofit arts institution (founded 1968) rather than a chain.
The story
The Spokane Art School has operated as a local nonprofit arts institution since 1968, long predating the rise of corporate paint-and-sip chains and single-evening novelty studios. Instead of sending you home with a pre-molded trinket, instructor Jamie Tate runs a multi-week workshop focused on practical ceramic fundamentals: building a complete, functional dinnerware set for two from raw clay.
Over a multi-week series—often structured across six Saturday sessions—you and a partner work on the wheel and at the hand-building table to throw two plates, two bowls, and two cups. You will handle the full arc of production, moving from raw wedging and wheel centering through structural trimming, hand-built adjustments, and final glaze application.
What it's like
Expect wet clay, clay-spattered clothes, and genuine labor. This is an ambitious project course rather than a quick drop-in craft night, meaning you will be centering, pulling walls, and shaping foot rings under direct instruction. Because these multi-week blocks fill up quickly, you need to check the school's schedule and book your spot well ahead of time.
The move: Throw a matching two-person place setting together, then cook a first dinner served on your own clay.
📍 Before you go Offered as a scheduled session that fills up; confirm current dates on the Spokane Art School site before planning around it.
- 📍 Spokane
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Sage's Portal Board Game Cafe — Head nearby after your ceramic session to unwind over a tabletop game in the University District.
- Hogwash Whiskey Den — Descend into this unmarked basement bar in the historic Washington Cracker Building for a quiet drink after spending the day working with clay.
- Petunia & Loomis — Pair your studio work at Spokane's historic art nonprofit with a visit to this downtown oddities and taxidermy shop.
Good to know
What do you actually make during the course?
You throw and hand-build a matching two-person place setting consisting of two plates, two bowls, and two cups, followed by glazing.
How long does the workshop run?
It is taught as a multi-week session (typically structured over six Saturdays) rather than a single-night drop-in.
Who instructs the class?
The course is taught by ceramics instructor Jamie Tate at the Spokane Art School.
Is the Spokane Art School a commercial chain?
No. It is a long-running local nonprofit arts institution founded in Spokane in 1968.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Instagram
last checked: 2026-06-24