Course Overview

This intermediate handbuilding course is designed for students who are comfortable with basic handbuilding techniques and are ready to develop more complex forms. Students will build on skills such as coil, slab, and pinch construction while exploring larger-scale work, more advanced joining methods, and greater control of form and surface.

Classes meet once a week for 2.5 hours in the AMOCA Ceramics Studio for six weeks (15 hours of total instruction), and are limited in size to twelve students. Access to open studio hours is included for the duration of the class and one week following.

Studio classes are for adults ages 18 and over (students 16+ may attend classes when accompanied by a paying adult).

Course Policies

Refunds are not allowed after the course begins. Refunds requested during the week prior to the start of the class will be honored at 50%. Refunds requested prior to this will be honored minus Humanitix fees. If you would like to request a refund, email studio@amoca.org.

Studio classes are for adults ages 18 and over (students 16+ may attend classes when accompanied by a paying adult).

AMOCA follows current Los Angeles County COVID guidelines. We encourage you to keep up to date on vaccines, wear a mask if you'd like to, and stay healthy!

Your Instructor

Pictured: Lindsey (Lou) Howard, photo by Tzion Lawrence

Lindsey (Lou) Howard is a ceramic sculptor born in Dallas, Texas and based in Brooklyn, New York. She received her BA in Art History from the University of Northern Colorado with concentrations in Ceramics and Chemistry. Howard’s work has been exhibited domestically and internationally including Museum Stadtpalais in Stuttgart, Germany (2023); Albertz Benda in Los Angeles, CA (2023); Christie’s Gallery in London, England (2024); and Jeffery Deitch in Miami, FL (2025). She was an artist-in-residence at PLOP in London, England (2023) and Museum of Art and Design in New York, NY (2025). Howard will be in residence at AMOCA from August 2026–July 2027.

Studio etiquette

Open studio:

Students are encouraged to come in on their own time to work on their projects during Open Studio hours (posted online and in the classroom). Entry to studio outside of Open Studio hours will be disabled via entry system.

Studio Artists:

Our Studio Artists and Artists in Residence occupy private spaces. Please be respectful of their personal space and please do not interrupt them while they are working.

Cleaning:

Please be sure to clean up the area you are working in, including:

Handbuilding tables - wipe down after use

Slab roller - always use canvas

Glaze area - wipe down any spills, countertops, and buckets

Studio tools - clean before putting back in drawer

Noise:

All cell phone conversations are to be taken outside. When listening to music or podcasts please only use headphones! It is important to not assume others want to listen to your tunes.

Storage:

There is shelving provided for each class in the classroom. This can be used for the duration of the class; however, once class is over these shelves must be cleared. Anything left behind after the two week grace period concludes will be assumed abandoned and then discarded.

Clay:

All clay must be purchased through our studio; no outside clay will be fired. If there is a cone 10 clay body you like from Laguna Clay that we don’t have in stock please let us know and we can order some for you.

Intermediate Hand Building (Tuesdays w/Lou, Fall 2026)

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