Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do I sign up for a class?
A. Make sure to navigate to the Mindbody platform by clicking on the links included in our website. This works best on an actual computer, not on a tablet or phone. Within Mindbody, you will see that all of our classes are currently listed under the Workshops tab.
Click on the ‘Sign Up Now’ button for the workshop you want to attend.
Log in or create a new account.
Select the pricing option to attend the workshop you selected.
Confirm that the date / time for the class you want to take is correct under the pricing option.
Click check out on your shopping cart
Q. Do you want to book more than 1 seat in a class under one account?
A. Please watch this video and follow the steps carefully to properly enroll in a class. We cannot be responsible for incorrect enrollment. – VIDEO: Signing up for multiple seats –
Q. Where is the GOOD DIRT LA studio located?
A. We’re nestled in a small strip mall located between Culver City and Marina Del Rey. Type this address into your GPS: 4505 S. Centinela Ave, Los Angeles, CA (between Short Ave and Culver Blvd).
Q. What’s the parking situation?
This should be a stress-free experience. There’s parking in back of our studio for two cars only as well as plenty of free street parking. Just be sure to read the signs for 2-hour parking and street cleaning!
Q. I’ve never worked with clay before. Do you offer a class for newbies?
A. Yes! We offer several class options for absolute beginners and beginners, including our Introduction to the Potter’s Wheel and 6-Week Pottery Boot Camp. We also welcome beginners to join our 6-Week Mixed-Levels Class. We intentionally limit the size of our classes so that our first-time students are able to receive focused instruction.
Q. How should I prep for class?
A. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty, trim your nails, tie your hair up if it’s long, and remove jewelry. All class fees include instruction, clay, glaze, firing, and use of studio tools, so you do not need to bring or purchase any other supplies.
Q. What is the average class size?
A. 3-5 students. All of our classes are small so we can give you focused instruction and feedback.
Q. What types of clay will we be working with?
A. We specifically use B-mix from Laguna Clay. We believe it is the best clay body to throw and form when you are just starting out in this medium. We also offer Speckled Buff from Laguna Clay as an option for students with more experience to use. And sometimes, we carry other types of clay, such as B-3 Brown from Laguna Clay, for purchase.
Q. What type of hand building techniques do you teach?
A. Coiling, pinching and slab building. You can learn to make something as simple as a bowl or as intricate as a teapot.
Q. Is the potter’s wheel difficult to learn?
A. Learning anything new takes practice! Getting used to the wheel may take some time and your first try may be challenging, but give it a few chances and you’ll start to understand how the clay works against the force of the wheel. Once you have a handle on the basics, you’ll get the hang of it. We have amazing and experienced instructors to help guide you during class.
Q: How long does it take for my pieces to be fired?
A: For One-Time Intro classes and Off-Site Privates, turnaround time is 3–4 weeks. We will contact you as soon as your pieces are ready to be picked up.
For all of our multi-week courses and those working independently during Creative Time, please allow approximately 10–12 days from the time you place a piece onto the shelf to be bisque-fired or glaze-fired to when it is placed onto your student shelf by our studio staff. Due to the high volume of work that we handle and the limited capacity of our small team, we cannot track individual pieces or email you when your pieces are ready. Please note too that not everything you make will be fired together, even if you placed them on the bisque and glaze shelves at the same time.
Q: Do you offer makeup sessions if I miss a class?
A: We do not offer makeup sessions at this time, unless it is scheduled by our studio for an emergency situation or due to weather for outdoor classes. If you are enrolled in one of our multi-week courses and know you will be missing a class, please email us at gooddirtla@gmail.com at least 24 hours in advance of the session. We allow one (1) Early Cancellation per multi-week course and will add a $50 credit to your Mindbody account to be used at any time in the future.
Q: What is your cancellation policy?
A: Cancellation policies vary slightly for each offering. Please carefully read the policy for the offering you are interested in on the corresponding page in What We Offer.
For 2022, we have one exception to our cancellation policy for all classes: If you need to cancel your classes at any time due to a positive COVID-19 test result, exposure, or symptoms we will credit you for the balance of the value of the class. As with credits for other cancellations, the cash value will not expire and can be used for any other class or product at our studio. This is an honor system, and we trust you to both be cautious about potentially exposing our staff and other students, and to respect how difficult this past year has been for businesses like ours when taking advantage of our cancellation policy.
Q: What if I am not able to finish all of my pieces within the duration of my class?
A: Our staff would be happy to finish and glaze any remaining work for you. Please make sure to specify which single color glaze you would like each piece to be finished in by the end of the last class. We really try hard not to throw work away, but the space in our small studio is very limited and we need to make sure that all students have space for their creations. Any remaining greenware (unfired pieces) will be removed and recycled within 1 week of the last class. We can hold onto bisqueware (pieces that have been fired once) that need to be glazed and completely finished pieces for 1 month after the last class.
Q. Do you offer classes for kids?
A. Unfortunately at the moment, we are not offering any classes for kids under the age of 12 at our main studio. However, we do offer Off-Site Private Lessons if you would like to host a kids hand building class at your home. Click here for more details!
Q. Is your space available for film, TV and commercial shoots?
A. Sure! If you would like to rent our studio for your shoot, please send an email to gooddirtla@gmail.com to discuss rates and availability.
Q. Do you fire work that has been outside of your studio?
A. We do not offer outside firings, but our sister studio Members Only LA (membersonlyla.com) does offer a Firing Membership and outside firing for full-kiln loads.
Q. Do you sell pottery?
A. We do! We have a special section in our studio where you will find beautiful pieces all handmade from local potters in LA on display and available to buy for yourself or as gifts. We will be hosting open house events in the near future, so stay tuned and make sure you are signed up for our newsletter!
Pottery Class Pointers
Read over these important tips before taking your first class!
Tip #1: Wear casual and comfortable clothes and shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty.
Luckily the clay that we use comes out of fabric with a regular wash, but there are glazes and other materials that may not be as forgiving.
Tip#2: If you have long hair, bring an elastic or hair tie to wear it up.
This is crucial to avoid accidents on the wheel.
Tip#3: Trim your fingernails.
Long fingernails make throwing on the wheel and shaping clay much more difficult. We want you to be able to work with ease and get the most out of class!
Tip#4: Remove your jewelry.
Rings, watches and bracelets will only get in the way when working with clay, so it’s best to leave them at home.
