Nestled on the top of the koppies in Melville, you will find the Melville Mudroom pottery studio, run by sisters Kate Shand and Nina Shand. The studio provides a safe creative space to find your way with clay, with the option of hand building or wheel work. Together, Kate and Nina offer a lovely balance of playful exploration and mastery of ceramic skills for adults and teens.
About
Melville Mudroom is owned and managed by sisters Kate and Nina Shand – both have a long journey with clay. Nina ran a successful wood-firing pottery studio in McGregor for nearly 30 years, and Kate has been working with clay for over ten years. Clay has been a lifeline to both sisters during difficult times.
What we offer
Regular weekly classes
Drop-in classes
Wheel throwing
Workshops
Group events
First Friday events
Residences
REGULAR WEEKLY CLASSES
We are a hand building and wheel throwing teaching studio working with red terracotta and white earthenware clay, coloured slips and a small range of glazes. We love alternative firings and try to include one each term, such as smoke, sawdust, raku and more. Beginners are welcome to join at any time and we teach you the basics of hand building over ten or so sessions. More experienced potters are supported to work on their own projects.
Classes take place on:
Monday evenings (6pm to 8.30pm)
Tuesday mornings (10am to 12.30pm)
Tuesday afternoons (3pm to 5.30pm)
Wednesday evenings (6pm to 8.30pm)
Saturday mornings (10am to 12.30pm)
Saturday afternoons (2pm to 4.30pm)
DROP-IN CLASSES
Space permitting, we welcome people who want to attend a ‘drop-in’ class on a Saturday afternoon (2pm to 4.30pm) as a once-off activity. Items are glazed and fired for you, ready for collection three to four weeks later.
Click here to book.
WHEEL THROWING CLASSES
Our wheel throwing classes are for beginners to advanced. Malie, our throwing teacher, shows beginners how to centre clay on the wheel, make cylinders and bowls, turn pots, and finally glaze and fire finished vessels. Malie can also support intermediate and advanced throwers. This weekly class is on a Wednesday evening from 6pm to 8.30pm. Beginners should have some clay experience. Our wheels are available for use during any of our regular weekly classes and Kate and Nina are available to show you the basics of throwing.
Click here to book.
WORKSHOPS
We facilitate various skills-based and reflective workshops throughout the year.
Click here for a schedule of workshops and to make a booking.
GROUP EVENTS
We offer fun, once-off clay experiences. Bookings for team building, functions and parties are available for small groups. No clay experience is needed. Sessions are 2.5 hours for groups of 6 to 20, and our studio is available to book on Thursdays and Fridays. Tea/coffee and biscuits are available. Catering can be provided by our partner, Gourmet Gimba or email info@gourmetgimba.co.za for alternative menu options. Items are glazed and fired for you, ready for collection three to four weeks later. If you have something specific in mind or an objective for the session we can tailor suitable activities.
Email info@melvillemudroom.co.za for bookings.
FIRST FRIDAY EVENTS
Once a month, we host a group pottery session for anyone who is keen to have an experience with clay in a gentle, process-orientated, fun space. These events take place on the FIRST FRIDAY of every month from 6pm to 9pm. Your items are glazed and fired by us and can be collected three to four weeks after the event. Click here to book.
RESIDENCIES
We offer residencies of up to one month in our beautifully situated studio in the bohemian suburb of Melville. We are close to nature – the Melville Koppies (a small reserve) and Emmarentia Dam – and nearby live music, restaurants and bars on 7th Street. We are connected to potters and artists, and many galleries are in neighbouring areas. Accommodation is not included in the fee but we recommend a nearby Airbnb run by one of our pottery students (walking distance to our studio). We will assist to find a suitable location (perhaps even our studio) for a final exhibition. You can expect the following:
1) Pottery classes
Six classes per week joining our existing groups (handbuilding).
2) Studio access
You will have open access to the studio between 09h00 and 21h00 Monday to Sunday (noting that we do facilitate once-off workshops from time to time but otherwise the studio is available to you when classes aren’t happening). We have handbuilding and throwing studio spaces.
3) Private supervision
20 hours of one-on-one attention to your work and creative process by Nina and/or Kate over the month.
4) Materials and firings
We use terracotta and a white earthenware/ paper clay mix. We have a limited range of glazes as we prefer to use Terra Sigillata, oxides, coloured slips, some underglazes etc.
5) Alternative firing
We will do one alternative firing for you, most probably a raku firing but sawdust, smoke or pit firings are also options.
6) Electric firings
One kiln per week. Thought must be given as to what will happen to all the fired vessels made on the residency.
Email info@melvillemudroom.co.za if you are interested.
Why clay?
The enjoyment of clay is innate. Join one of our regular weekly classes to find out how working with clay offers a unique combination of creative, cognitive, and emotional benefits.
1. Therapeutic: Calming and meditative, reducing stress and anxiety
2. Creative: Endless possibilities in shaping and molding
3. Tactile: Engaging the sense of touch and promoting connection.
4. Fine motor skills: Improves hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
5. Patience and persistence: Working with clay requires time and effort, teaching valuable lessons in perseverance.
6. Problem-solving skills: Clay’s malleable nature allows for experimentation and creative problem-solving.
7. Spatial awareness: Understanding of three-dimensional forms and spatial relationships.
8. Critical thinking: Analysing and refining ideas, promoting critical thinking and evaluation.
9. Confidence: Learning a skill, expression of self and pride in creations.
10. Focus and concentration: Being present and in the moment.
FAQ
What happens if I miss a class?
Missed classes can be made up by attending another class at any time. As long as you are a paying student you can carry your missed classes over to the following year even. Accumulated make-up classes must also be taken while you are an enrolled paying student. In other words, you cannot accumulate make-up classes and take them instead of paying for classes.
What happens if I’ve signed a debit order and want to stop attending classes?
We require one month’s notice to stop classes. Your debit order will be cancelled after this.
What happens if I go away for a month-long holiday – do I still have to pay for the month and what happens to my work?
We ask that students continue to pay their fees and makeup classes on return. Melville Mudroom has overheads and continues to run. Students who fail to comply will risk losing their shelf and class spot. We are as accommodating as possible and make every endeavour to keep people happy and creative. However, the Melville Mudroom is not compelled to hold your work in progress while you travel.
What sort of clay do you use in your studio?
We offer terracotta and white earthenware (mixed with 30% white earthenware paper clay). We low fire to 1120 degrees.
What materials do you offer in your studio?
We have a wide range of Mudroom engobes made from oxides and stains, oxide washes, various types of terra sigillata, a small range of coloured glazes for both terracotta and white earthenware.
Can I attend a once-off class?
Yes you can. We offer once-off classes on a Saturday afternoon and a Wednesday evening.
Do you take group bookings?
Yes we do. We offer group events for between six and 20 participants – these can be private celebratory events or corporate team building events – and anything in between.
Who are your teachers?
Our teachers are Nina Shand (ceramicist with over 25 years of experience running a production studio and making pots, including exhibiting and winning awards), Kate Shand (art therapist with a decade of experience working with clay); and Amalia Beagle is our wheel throwing teacher (over 30 years’ experience teaching wheel throwing and hand building).
How big are your classes?
Our hand building classes are up to 14 students and our wheel throwing classes are five students.
How many wheels do you have?
We have five wheels.
Do you have classes for beginners?
Yes we do. Beginners can join at any time but we offer four beginner groups throughout the year.
When are your classes?
Monday evening class (6pm to 8.30pm)
Tuesday morning class (10am to 12.30pm)
Tuesday afternoon class (3pm to 5.30pm)
Wednesday evening class (6pm to 8.30pm)
Saturday morning class (10am to 12.30pm)
Saturday afternoon class (2pm to 4.30pm)
Our ‘intro to wheel throwing’ classes take place on a Tuesday evening (6pm to 8.30pm).
Do we need our own tools?
You’re welcome to bring your own tools but we do have a wide range of tools available for students to use.
What time do we have to start cleaning up?
Clean-up starts ten minutes before class ends.
What happens if I join mid-month?
You will pay pro rata for the classes attended in the month that you join.
Do I have to attend the same class every week?
Yes and no; we understand that life happens and have a missed class policy that accommodates this. However, to ensure that we have enough space and time for all students, we ask new students to book a class time that fits their schedule.