Adults learning pottery at SPRD class

When asked about Sisters Park & Recreation District's (SPRD) highly popular class, "Pottery with Mike Baynes," Program Manager Kelly Sheets can hardly contain her enthusiasm. She doesn't just manage the program - she's a participant.

"The class is awesome," she said while catching a quick cup of coffee at Sisters Coffee Company before class began last Tuesday, October 30.

Sheets had just returned from a whirlwind trip to Southern California to greet a new baby in the family. She was exhausted from the 1,000-mile drive, but refused to miss the class.

"I can't think of anything else that could get me going when I'm this tired," she said. "I am so fired up about this!"

Sheets is excited about the popularity of the SPRD adult education classes and the enrollment numbers they're seeing. Mike Baynes' pottery class reached its enrollment limit, but he decided to add a few more slots so everyone could participate.

"The great thing is, it's happening in so many of our adult education classes," said Sheets. "The ukulele class and Zumba Gold are really doing great, too."

The turnaround in class sizes started when SPRD hired Sheets a year ago as program manager.

"We were receiving feedback that the community would like to see people of all ages included in the classes we offered," she said.

Once management made the shift to focus on adult classes as much as youth programming, the classes started filling up.

When Sheets convinced former Sisters High School art teacher Mike Baynes to teach the pottery class, she knew she'd have to take it.

"I've wanted to take a pottery class for a long time and I just had to do it. I'm so glad I did! Everyone is having so much fun."

So far, Sheets has made a birdhouse and feeder, bowls and earrings.

"This class includes it all," she said, "from raw clay to multiple firings and learning about different kinds of glazing."

Her fellow classmates have been prolific, too, producing pinch pots, mugs, vases, luminaries, butter dishes and many other creations.

Depending on what kind of pottery they're interested in, students can take the class in a variety of directions. With Baynes' long history as an instructor, he can teach students all aspects of the creative process. But some of his teaching methods remain the same regardless of whether he's teaching young adults or a more mature group.

"After 30 years of teaching, he knows his pottery and he takes it very seriously," Sheets said. "If he helps you more than 25 percent of the time you have to destroy it, because there's too much of him in it."

Baynes' wife, Tina, is assisting in the class and teaches techniques in the hand-built style of pottery. Mike focuses on the wheel or throwing pots.

"We get two teachers in that class," said Sheets, "along with eight weeks of a three-hour pottery class, and 10 pounds of clay to use. It's such a great deal."

Sheets is happy to provide a way for the many skilled people in town to share their knowledge.

"The little town of Sisters has so many neat classes, with teachers who are amazing resources and have done amazing things in other places," she said.

Because there's been such an increase in interest for adult classes, SPRD will be offering some of the classes taking place now during the winter along with some new ones. Starting in January, winter courses begin with another pottery class and many more, all listed in the SPRD winter class schedule.

To learn more about SPRD classes for adults and children visit their website:

http://www.sistersrecreation.com or pick up a winter catalog in December. They will be available at the SPRD facilities next to Sisters High School at 1750 W. McKinney Butte Rd., or call the SPRD offices at 541-549-2091. The Sisters Library and many downtown businesses will have the schedules as well.