Having taught junior high art classes in the past, IIse decided to open his personal studio to the public in 2016 and teach lessons under the name West Austin Pottery.
The gist
Tucked away among the trees of Lake Hills, the ceramics studio offers intimate, small group pottery-making classes for all ages and skill levels.
The one-man operation is led entirely by Ilse, who teaches both wheel throwing and hand-building for individuals, couples and groups of up to six people.
"It's not your typical pottery class where you have 10 to 20 people, where you may have very limited time with the instructor. ... With me, you get 100% of my time when you're at the wheel," Ilse said.
Each class allows students to create two different pieces with their own choice of shape, size, texture and color.
After Ilse trims and glazes them, students can take home their creations.
Ilse said he welcomes both those looking to seriously learn the craft and those who are just looking to check the experience off their bucket list.
Quote of note
"My lessons have been more fulfilling than I ever thought they would be. ... After the lesson, they say, 'Thank you for making our anniversary or birthday so special.' I feel like gosh, I have something here that I can teach and really enrich their lives," Ilse said.
Another detail
In his free time, Ilse said he regularly teaches lessons at local senior living communities and Doug's House, an Austin-based recuperative care facility for people with HIV.
When he is not teaching pottery, Ilse creates his own.
Several of the ceramic items in his studio are for sale, and customers can visit upon request.
In the near future, Ilse hopes to get his own work and student work into local galleries.
- 9708 Timber Ridge Pass, Austin
- www.westaustinpottery.com
