Pottery Classes Melbourne Southeast | Kingston Clay Studio.
Peder Wilhelm McCanless didn't discover pottery — he inherited it. A second-generation potter from Seagrove, North Carolina, he grew up working in his family's studio, Dover Pottery, where clay was daily discipline, not a weekend hobby. That upbringing was documented in the PBS-affiliated film The 14th Shop.
"I didn't come to this as a creative outlet — I came to it as an inheritance. Everything I teach here, I first learned with my own hands, then spent decades proving out in my own studio." — Peder Wilhelm McCanless
A career built on the craft, not around it:
Founded his own studio and practice in 2006, with work featured in Southern Living, Our State, and Pinehurst magazines
Named "Pottery Laureate of North Carolina" by the Winston-Salem Journal
Technical work on brush decoration, zinc silicate crystalline glazes, and wood-firing documented in two industry texts — The Remarkable Potters of Seagrove and Crystalline Glazes: Understanding the Process and Materials
Co-founded the Celebration of Seagrove Potters, one of the largest pottery festivals in the southeastern U.S.
Served as President and Executive Director of Castlemaine Clay here in Victoria, with board roles at the Museum of North Carolina Traditional Pottery and the Seagrove Area Potters Association
His path from Seagrove eventually brought him to Victoria, where he began as a teacher and production potter at Bendigo Pottery — the oldest continuously operating pottery in Australia. That role led into his work with Castlemaine Clay, and now into founding Kingston Clay Studio, bringing that same generational rigor to Melbourne's Southeast.
Every program, every teaching philosophy, every decision about how this studio runs reflects that accumulated knowledge. You're not learning from someone trying pottery out. You're learning in a space shaped by a lifetime of serious ceramic work.
Peder Wilhelm McCanless
Founder
A Creative Hub for Melbourne’s Southeast
Kingston Clay Studio is proud to be a central part of the local arts community. Located in Braeside, our studio is a convenient destination for pottery enthusiasts and NDIS participants across Moorabbin, Cheltenham, and the Bayside suburbs. Whether you're coming from Mordialloc, Mentone, or Parkdale, our doors are open for classes, kiln hire, and studio access.
Centrally located in the Kingston business district, we are just a 10-minute drive for ceramic enthusiasts in Cheltenham and a short hop from the Dingley Bypass for our Moorabbin students.
The Best Paint Your Own Pottery & Sculpting Cafe in Melbourne’s Southeast.
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1. Paint Your Own Pottery Pick a piece from our rotating stock of bisque—from classic mugs and cereal bowls to decorative objects.
The Details: $10 studio fee + the price of your piece (typically $20–$30). You’ll have one and half hours to create your work. Just $5 for an additional hour if needed!
What’s Included: Use of our professional underglazes, all tools, and the final firing. We’ll notify you when your masterpiece is ready to head home.
2. Hand-Building from Scratch Feeling more tactile? Grab a slab of clay and build something entirely your own, like a rustic pinch pot or a unique sculpture.
The Details: $10 studio fee per person+ $25 for 500 grams of clay. Additional clay can be purchased for larger works at $25 per 500 grams.
What’s Included: Sculpting tools, and our "How-To" laminate guides to walk you through the basics.
The Finish: This covers your first firing and our house white glaze. Want to add custom colors? Come back for a "Paint Your Own" session once it's fired for just the $10 studio fee.
E-mail or call to reserve your session. hello@kingstonclaystudio.com.au 03 9008 4506
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How it Works
Reservation: $10 to reserve your seat and use our professional tools.
Choose Your Craft:
Paint a Piece: Choose from our curated selection of bisque pieces. Prices range from $10 to $40 depending on the size. This price covers all your underglazes and the final clear-glaze firing.
Sculpt from Scratch: $25 for 500g of clay and tools to build your own masterpiece. This includes the bisque and glaze firing and our house white glaze.
Pro-Tip:When you are finished, just leave your pieces right here on the table. We will collect them and safely transport them to the kiln room for you
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Palette Etiquette: Our underglazes are professional, lab-formulated pigments. They are highly concentrated, so please only pour a small amount into your palette at a time. A little goes a long way!
The Smooth Finish: Apply color in smooth, even layers. Avoid over-thickening (like frosting), as it can result in a rough, matte texture after firing.
The "Bare Bottom" Rule: Paint your initials on the bottom, but no other color. If the bottom of your piece is painted, it will fuse to the kiln shelf and ruin the finish.
Need Ideas? Feel free to use your phone to search for inspiration or design references while you work.
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The 15mm Rule: Keep your walls and base roughly 15mm (1.5cm) thick. If it’s too chunky, moisture gets trapped and can cause cracking.
Joining (Score & Water): We don’t use liquid slip!
Score: Scratch a "cross-hatch" pattern into both surfaces.
Water: Apply a tiny drop of water to the scratched areas.
Press: Push the pieces together firmly until they "lock."
Stay Sturdy: Avoid thin, fragile parts (like long, thin limbs or tiny antennae). They are prone to breaking off during the drying process.
Your Signature: Carve your name or initials clearly into the bottom of your sculpture.
The Ultimate Creative Social Space for Paint and Sculpt in Melbourne’s Southeast
Find your center, then lose it in the clay. Unwind, play, and stay a while.
Frequently Asked Questions about our Southeast Melbourne Studio
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We are located at Unit 3, 35-37 Canterbury Road, Braeside. Our studio is the central hub for pottery enthusiasts in Melbourne’s Southeast, easily accessible for students in Moorabbin, Cheltenham, Mentone, and Mordialloc.
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Absolutely! We specialize in weekly pottery classes for all skill levels. Whether you’re interested in wheel throwing or hand-building, our Braeside studio provides a supportive environment to learn and create.
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Yes, we are a dedicated community space for NDIS creative workshops. Our studio is designed to be inclusive, fostering human connection and artistic expression for all participants in the Kingston and Bayside areas.
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We do! Beyond our classes and the Paint and Sculpt Cafe, we offer professional kiln hire and studio space for local ceramicists. We are a proud Shimpo dealer and a one-stop-shop for clay and pottery supplies in Melbourne.
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