Running in the Deep with Max Adams

An artist-led ceramics workshop exploring clay, drawing, memory and the deeper history of studio pottery.

Join resident potter Max Adams for Running in the Deep, a thoughtful and experimental ceramics class shaped by his own artistic practice and research into British studio pottery.

Max’s work moves between making, drawing, historical research and close observation. After years working as a production potter in the United States, Max moved to London to complete an MFA at the Royal College of Art, where his practice explored the forms, traditions and visual language of British studio ceramics. In this workshop, Max invites you into that way of looking: slower, deeper and more attentive to the life of an object.

Rather than focusing on one fixed outcome, Running in the Deep is about entering into conversation with clay. With Max’s guidance, you will explore how a ceramic form can hold memory, weight, gesture, pressure and touch. Through guided making, observation and discussion, Max will help you think about the object not only as something to be made, but as something to be read: a record of the hand, the body, the tool and the history behind it.

This is a class for people who want to go beyond the surface of pottery. Max will encourage you to experiment with form, texture, mark-making and construction, while considering how artists and potters have used clay to express place, rhythm, ritual and everyday life.

No previous experience is needed. This workshop is open to complete beginners, artists, designers, students, ceramicists and anyone curious about clay as both a material and an artistic language.

What To Expect:

• A 2.5-hour hands-on class in our Stockwell pottery studio led by Max Adams
• An introduction to Max’s practice, including the relationship between pottery, drawing and British studio ceramics
• Open conversation about how ceramic traditions develop, change and carry meaning across generations
• Hands-on exploration of clay as a responsive material, focusing on touch, pressure, balance, proportion and surface
• Experimental making using hand-building, forming, carving, joining, mark-making and textural techniques
• Ways of looking closely at ceramic objects: their profiles, edges, weight, shadows, surfaces and traces of process
• Guidance from Max on developing an object or small group of objects that reflects your own response to the material
• Support from the Sofia Ceramics team throughout the session
• Tea, coffee, snacks and a calm studio atmosphere

Need to Know:

• No experience needed — perfect for beginners, artists, students, designers and curious makers
• Clay can get messy, so please dress accordingly
• Great as a ceramic workshop gift, creative date, solo studio experience or thoughtful group activity
• Your selected work will be fired and prepared in the Sofia Ceramics studio
• Finished pieces are usually ready in 4–6 weeks, depending on the studio firing schedule
• Can’t collect your finished piece? We can post it within the UK for an additional cost

This is pottery in London that feels less like a standard class and more like a slow art date with clay, guided by Max’s deep knowledge of making, drawing and ceramic history.

Who this class is for:

• Artists and designers interested in material practice
• Students looking to explore ceramics through research, drawing and observation
• Developing makers who want to think more deeply about form and surface
• Beginners who want a thoughtful, creative introduction to clay
• Anyone interested in the history and visual language of pottery
• People looking for a more meaningful London pottery experience

• 🎁 Gifting a Class?

  All our workshops are available as ceramic class gift cards the perfect present for birthdays, anniversaries, new homeowners, or that friend who’s watched every episode of The Great Pottery Throw Down. Choose from digital or physical gift options. Perhaps even pair a class with a Sofia Ceramics gift card for a thoughtful, memorable experience.

  Gift idea: Handmade mug + workshop voucher = warmest gift ever.

   

  🎁 Looking for a thoughtful experience gift?

  We offer Pottery Class Gift Vouchers — perfect for birthdays, holidays, weddings, or just because. Give a little mud, magic, and memory-making.

   

  📸 Don’t forget to tag us

  Love seeing your work in the wild? So do we.
  Share your creations and behind-the-scenes shots with @sofiaceramics — we might just feature your piece next.

   

  📩 Email us at info@sofiaceramics.co.uk to plan your next pottery party, corporate workshop, or private class.