Inside this issue: Summer Studio Practice. Fall classes. Great Lakes Cup Show - Call for Artists. Clay and pottery tools of the month. Studio Hours. More exhibition news, events, and informative videos. | | Elliott Kayser teaches hand building. | | |
Practice Your Skills During Summer Studio
Keep the momentum going this summer with our seven-week Summer Studio session, running July 15–September 2. Designed for experienced Yourist students, Summer Studio offers 24/7 studio access so you can practice, experiment, and refine your skills at your own pace.
With no instructor and plenty of studio time, it's the perfect opportunity to build confidence, complete projects, and put everything you've learned into practice.
Prerequisite: Students must have completed at least two full class sessions, including one at Yourist Studio Gallery.
Please note: All participants must attend one of two mandatory information sessions in July. Sign up for an info session in the studio.
Reserve a Key
| | Plant vessel by Tempest NeuCollins, instructor for our new class ‘Design Your Surface.’ | | |
Check Out These Upcoming Fall Classes
Fall is one of our favorite seasons at Yourist. As the Great Lakes Cup Show fills the gallery with exceptional work, our classrooms fill with makers of every experience level.
Registration is now open for fall ceramics classes, including wheel throwing, hand building, and specialty offerings designed to help you build skills, explore new techniques, and become part of our creative community.
Early bird discount of $10 available through August 5.
Here is our full schedule of upcoming classes:
*NEW* Designing Your Surface
- Monday, September 14-October 19, 6:45 PM - 8:45 PM with Tempest NeuCollins
Save my seat!
Atmospheric Soda Firing
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Tuesday, September 8-November 10, 10:30 AM-12:30 PM with Kay Yourist
- Wednesday, September 9-November 11, 6:30 PM-8:30 PM with Kay Yourist
Save my seat!
Advanced and Intermediate Clay
- Tuesday, September 8-December 8, 6:30 PM-9:00 PM with Elliott Kayser
Save my seat!
Coffee and Clay
- Wednesday, September 9-October 14, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, with Nancy Bulkley
- Saturday, September 12-October 17, 9:30 AM-11:30 AM, with Nancy Bulkley
Save my seat!
Hand Building
- Thursday, September 10-October 15, 6:30 PM-8:30 PM with David Timm
Save my seat!
Advanced / Intermediate Independent Study
- Wednesday, September 9-December 9, 6:30 PM-9:00 PM with Kristina Greenstone
Save my seat!
Introductory and Continuing Wheel
- Thursday, September 10-October 15, 10:15 AM-12:00 PM with Nancy Bulkley
- Thursday, September 10-October 15, 6:30 PM-8:30 PM with Nick Glynos
- Saturday, September 12-October 17, 9:45 AM-11:45 AM with Barry Braun
- Sunday, September 13-October 18, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM with Susi Stiles
- Monday, September 14-October 19, 3:30 PM-5:30 PM with Kevan Wilson
- Monday, September 14-October 19, 6:30 PM-8:30 PM with Kevan Wilson
Save my seat!
Intermediate Wheel Throwing
- Thursday, September 10-October 15, 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM with Nancy Bulkley
- Sunday, September 13-October 18, 1:30 PM-3:30 PM with Barry Braun
Save my seat!
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Meet the 2026 Great Lakes Cup Show Judges
Now is the time to register for some fall fun! From introductory to advanced and specialized classes, we offer you a full range of pottery instruction almost every day of the week!
We're honored to welcome three accomplished Michigan ceramic artists whose work spans functional pottery, sculpture, and ceramic education. Their diverse perspectives and experiences will help shape this year's Great Lakes Cup Show exhibition.
Ryan Forrey - @ryanforrey
Architectural forms • Atmospheric firing • 30+ years teaching and making
Jeri Hollister - @jerihollister
Nationally recognized ceramic sculptor • Featured in Ceramics Monthly, American Craft, and More
Elliott Kayser - @kayserceramics
Sculptor, potter & educator • Inspired by agriculture and community
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Great Lakes Cup Show Applications Are Open
Join us in celebrating the art of the cup. You are invited to participate in a juried exhibition and sale celebrating ceramics from the Great Lakes region - The Great Lakes Cup Show.
The Great Lakes Cup Show, sponsored by Yourist Studio Gallery, encourages artists from across the region to submit work that reflects the breadth of contemporary ceramics, from functional and utilitarian to sculptural, figurative, and experimental. Applications are due September 1. The show and sale will be from October 23 - November 14.
Now that you've met this year's judges, it's time to submit your work.
The Great Lakes Cup Show celebrates the incredible creativity of ceramic artists throughout the Great Lakes region. We're seeking functional, sculptural, figurative, and experimental interpretations of one of ceramics' most enduring forms.
Selected artists will:
- Exhibit alongside 40+ ceramic artists from across the Great Lakes region
- Participate in a juried gallery exhibition and sale
- Connect with collectors and fellow makers
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Be eligible for Best in Show and People's Choice awards
Apply today to be a part of this exciting exhibition.
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July Studio, Gallery, and Shop Hours
There will be no studio hours on July 4, 2026.
Studio & Gallery Hours for 2026:
- Tuesday, 12:00-6:00 pm
- Wednesday, 12:00-6:00 pm
- Friday, 12:00-6:00 pm
- Saturday, 12:00-6:00 pm
Student Studio Practice
There are no open studio hours on Thursday. Saturday open studio hours begin at noon, with the exception of one Saturday a month, when the Try It Once on the Wheel class meets from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. Check our class schedule for the date of this class.
Please remember to sign in when you arrive for open studio and sign out when you leave. Make sure to clean your work area thoroughly before leaving.
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We will be open for the last pottery pick up on August 1 from 10 am-2 pm.
From August 2 to September 7, the studio will be closed and only available to our members and summer studio practice enrollees.
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Students and Members...
Be sure to pick up your bisque and glazeware. The bisque and glaze shelves will be emptied of all June bisque on Friday, July 31st. We do this every month. Be sure to come get your work!
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Yourist T-shirts are All the Rage!
Represent the studio in style! Yourist Studio Gallery t-shirts and hoodies are available for purchase at the studio during our business hours. The price for these comfy 100% cotton t-shirts is $20, and $38 for the hoodies.
| | Get 20% off our clay of the month, Aardvark Russian River. This clay has a very plastic body with medium grog. | | |
Specifications: Fired Shrinkage is 12%, and Water Absorption is .5% when fired to cone 10. Great for dinnerware. Warm orange-brown, very smooth.
Yourist Studio Gallery is the authorized dealer for Aardvark Clays in Michigan. We also have a great selection of pottery tools for purchase in our tool shop. If you're looking for a great gift for your favorite potter, be sure to stop by and peruse our tool collection.
Clays currently in stock from Aardvark are as follows:
- Arctic White
- Charcoal
- Nara 5
- SRF
- Cafe Cinco
- Rods Bod
- Carmel
- Coleman Porcelain
- Woodfire Stoneware
- Nara 10
- Russian River
- Fat Red
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Sale! Pottery Tool of the Month
| | The Xiem X-Sponge II is not your ordinary "sponge-on-a-stick." The stainless steel rod telescopes from a shallow 8.5" all the way to 23", making sure you'll never have water in the bottom of your pots ever again! A soft-grip rubber handle and optional sponge replacement means the X-Sponge is essential to any potter's tool kit. In July, this tool will be 20% off. | | |
Studio Internship
We're interviewing potential studio interns for the autumn to help with studio maintenance in exchange for studio use. The successful applicant should know how to mix glaze, load kilns, mop floors, and perform other typical studio duties. An internship is a great experience and a resume-building opportunity. Please send a letter of interest, including your previous pottery studio experience, to Kay Yourist.
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4 Coil Pottery Tricks Every Handbuilder Should Know
Here are 4 great coil pottery tricks that can help with hand building, no matter your skill level. This video will help you to master coil building pottery with up close, detailed video of the process.
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How To Throw a 20-Inch-Tall Cylinder On The Pottery Wheel
Sharing some tips and tricks on how to throw a tall cylinder on the potter's wheel. She used 10lbs of porcelain clay to make a 20" tall cylinder.
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Here are some in-person clay events to explore:
We'll let you know when new ceramics exhibitions are on display and open to the public.
Regional Michigan Events
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Pewabic Summer Market - Celebrate the summer with live music, featured artists, food, pop-up guests, and interactive activities for the whole family. Pewabic artisan Avery June Campbell will be demonstrating her making process. July 11, 2026
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The Ann Arbor Art Fair - This distinguished event features three unique, independently juried, nonprofit art fairs, all operating concurrently. July 16–18, 2026
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Sounds & Sights Festival Art Market - The Sounds & Sights Festival Art Market returns in 2026 by popular demand with a hip, contemporary edge. July 24 & 25, 2026
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Fenton Art Walk - Enjoy vibrant art in gorgeous Fenton! Fenton will be filled with artistic masterpieces from local, regional, and international artists. July 25, 2026
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Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival Market - Explore a diverse array of handmade goods, including unique crafts, jewelry, art, and much more, all while enjoying the lively atmosphere of one of Michigan’s most iconic summer festivals. July 31 & August 1, 2026
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Michiana Pottery Tour - If you love pottery, meeting the artists, and going on road trips, this tour is a must-do! And it isn’t a far drive from our Ann Arbor location. September 26 & 27, 2026
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Handmade: The Crafting of America - Discover the story of American craftsmanship in Handmade: The Crafting of America at the Henry Ford. From practical beginnings to bold, modern expressions, this exhibition traces the evolution of craft and celebrates human creativity. Through January 2027.
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Shaping the Field: Ceramics at Cranbrook Academy of Art - Shaping the Field: Ceramics at Cranbrook Academy of Art draws on Cranbrook Art Museum’s collection of work by Cranbrook artists, visualizing various dialogues in ceramics from expanded functional forms to sculptural ceramics that have shaped contemporary understandings of the medium. March 25, 2026 - Ongoing
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Gifts of Art presents Widgets: Toys for Grown-Ups: Sculpture by Susan Hensel - Widgets: Toys for Grown-Ups is a lighthearted exhibition of multipart sculptures by University of Michigan graduate Susan Hensel (BFA 1972). Over a long and varied career, Hensel has worked across ceramics, handmade paper, artists’ books, and textiles, bringing a sculptor’s sensibility to each material. Event runs June 08, 2026 - August 28, 2026.
National & Museum Exhibitions
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2026 Annual High School Ceramics Exhibition (Virtual) - The 2026 Annual High School Ceramics Exhibition features works by 138 students from 65 high schools across 23 states – a vibrant sample of the next generation of ceramic talent in the United States.
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2026 Yellow Springs Ceramics National - Historic Yellow Springs is pleased to announce an open call to all professional artists, age 18 and up, who design and produce their own work, to show in this year's Yellow Springs Ceramics National. Open to works that are at least 75% ceramic material, this exhibition aims to curate a selection of exemplary contemporary work from artists around the country. Applications open until August 5, 2026.
| | Aaron Bischoff shows off his handsome pitcher. | | |
Our Pottery Tool Shop
We welcome all ceramics lovers and all area potters to shop with us for their pottery needs during our open hours. Students may purchase tools as needed during their classes as well.
We have curbside delivery of clay, tools, and pottery during our regular hours. If you have a specific need, please call us at the studio, during regular hours, at 734-662-4914.
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Yourist Studio Gallery
6087 Jackson Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
734-662-4914
www.youristpottery.com | Instagram
•Classes and workshops
•Community studio workspace
•Pottery tools for sale
•Exhibit gallery
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