Self Care for Potters – New!
Adult Multi-Week | Registration opens 11/5/2025 9:00 AM EST
This workshop is designed to help potters develop body awareness and sustainable practices to potentially reduce and prevent pain and strain. Over the course of three weeks, participants will explore proprioception, joint alignment, and ergonomic strategies tailored to their individual pottery-making activities. By integrating these habits, potters may improve their comfort and longevity in their practice.
You will receive 25 pounds of clay; additional clay is available for purchase.
Please bring a towel and a set of basic clay tools if you have them.
Accessibility notes: Many artmaking processes require the ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time, fine motor skills/finger dexterity, repetitive motions, vision, and some amount of physical strength. VisArts values making classes accessible to everyone, and is always happy to work with students to make accommodations when possible. Please reach out to info@visarts.org with specific questions related to accessibility or accommodations.
This class is gentle and adaptable, with no physically intensive components. Movement and posture activities can be done seated or standing, with modifications for all bodies. Students with physical disabilities or limited mobility are fully supported and encouraged to participate at their own comfort level.
Paid studio access is available through our Studio Access Program. Please visit visarts.org for more information.
Classes are confirmed one week prior to the start date. In order to help us confirm classes, please register as early as possible.
- All materials are provided. There is no materials list for this class.
Elizabeth Schlatter
For more than 30 years, Elizabeth Schlatter has been dedicated to promoting, researching, teaching, and engaging with creativity. As a ceramicist under the label C-Suite Ceramics, Schlatter makes playful, functional pottery designed to brighten everyday life. Working primarily with wheel-thrown forms and tape-resist surface design, she focuses on pieces that are both visually engaging and functional—designed to support small moments of care at home, at work, and in between
In 2025, she became a certified personal trainer, and she now works at the Northside and Downtown Richmond YMCAs. Her interest in body mechanics and pottery-making led her to create The Aligned Potter, a free online resource that explores ergonomics, injury prevention, and sustainable movement practices for ceramic makers.