Calla illy— A Ceramic Goblet Workshop.
Calla - a glass that blooms
Make a ceramic calla goblet with us this Saturday September 05th. Wine included.
Calla—a Glass That Blooms
Some flowers are meant to sit in a glass.
This one is the glass.
A calla lily already looks like it is holding something. Its single petal curls around an open center, forming a shape somewhere between a flower, a vessel, and a gesture. It might hold a little light, a little water, or perhaps a drink.
For our upcoming Calla Glass Workshop at Dusty & Co, we are following that natural curve and turning it into a ceramic goblet.
What Are We Making?
Each participant will handbuild a tall ceramic drinking vessel inspired by the form of a calla lily.
The bowl of the goblet opens like a flower. Its rim might fold gently outward, curl to one side, or remain slightly uneven. Below it, a long ceramic stem gives the piece its height and posture.
The finished object is functional, but it is also slightly strange: part wine glass, part flower, part small sculpture for the table.
We are not trying to make perfect copies of the same calla lily. Clay remembers every hand differently. One glass may stand tall and composed; another may lean, twist, or open dramatically. By the end of the workshop, the table will become a small field of calla glasses, each with its own posture.
An Elevated Approach to Handbuilding
Handbuilding is sometimes treated as the simpler alternative to wheel throwing. But working without a pottery wheel does not mean making something less considered.
It means building form more directly.
In this workshop, we will use our hands and simple ceramic tools to shape, join, and refine the clay. You will consider the relationship between the opening and the stem, the balance of the piece, the thickness of its walls, and the movement of its silhouette.
There is no spinning wheel determining the symmetry. The shape develops slowly through pressure, adjustment, and observation. A thumb can soften an edge. A fingertip can change the direction of a curve. A slight lean can give the entire object a different personality.
This is what makes handbuilding so expressive: the evidence of the hand does not need to disappear.
Your Calla Glass can be delicate or bold, minimal or exaggerated. The project offers enough guidance for a complete beginner while leaving room for individual decisions. You are learning a ceramic process, but you are also designing an object.
A Ceramic Workshop for People Who Want to Make Something Different
Many introductory pottery classes begin with a familiar cup or bowl. We wanted to start somewhere less expected.
The Calla Glass still teaches the fundamentals of working with clay—forming, joining, balancing, and refining—but the final piece feels more like an object you might discover in an artist’s studio or place at the center of a dinner table.
It is useful, but not ordinary.
When your ceramic goblet returns from the kiln, it can hold wine, a single flower, or simply itself. Even when it is empty, it still has a presence.
That is part of what we love about making objects by hand. A handmade glass does more than perform a function. It carries the decisions, movements, and small irregularities of the person who made it.
Clay, Wine, and a Slow Evening in New York City
Wine will be poured while we work.
Bring your best friend, bring a date, or come alone and meet other people around the communal table. No one needs to arrive with an idea already worked out. We will guide you through the process from beginning to end, and there will be time to experiment with the shape.
Honestly, making a slightly impossible glass together sounds better than another dinner.
The atmosphere is relaxed, but the object is considered. You can talk, sip, work with your hands, and watch a lump of clay gradually become something tall, floral, and unexpectedly elegant.
What Happens After the Workshop?
After the workshop, the Dusty & Co team will carefully dry, glaze, and kiln-fire each Calla Glass.
Every piece will be finished in a soft white glaze, allowing its silhouette, folds, and handmade details to remain the focus. The firing process transforms the clay into a lasting ceramic object.
Finished pieces will be ready for pickup at our NoMad pottery studio in approximately two to three weeks. We will notify you when your work is ready.
Join the Calla Glass Workshop at Dusty & Co
The Calla Glass Workshop takes place on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at Dusty & Co, our community ceramics studio in NoMad, Manhattan.
No previous pottery or handbuilding experience is required. Instruction, clay, ceramic tools, wine, glazing, and firing are all included.
Come make a flower that can hold wine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need pottery experience?
No. The Calla Glass Workshop is beginner-friendly, and an instructor will guide you through the full handbuilding process.
What will I make?
You will make one calla-inspired ceramic goblet by hand. Each glass will have a floral opening, a sculptural stem, and its own individual shape.
Is this a wheel-throwing class?
No. This is a ceramic handbuilding workshop. You will form and assemble the piece directly with your hands and simple pottery tools rather than using a pottery wheel.
What is included?
The workshop includes instruction, clay, tools, wine, glazing, and kiln firing.
Can I come alone?
Absolutely. You can attend alone, with a friend, or as a date. The workshop takes place around Dusty & Co’s communal studio tables.
When will my ceramic piece be ready?
Finished Calla Glasses will be ready for pickup approximately two to three weeks after the workshop. Dusty & Co will notify you when your piece is ready.
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