People don’t have to be skilled artists to create works of art that are functional and lasting.

At Henry Wingfield’s Imagine Art make-your-own pottery studio in Sedona, anyone can test their abilities and leave the store with something they created — anything from a self-designed mug, plate or candle holder to a piece of decorative pottery.

People don’t have to be skilled artists to create works of art that are functional and lasting.

At Henry Wingfield’s Imagine Art make-your-own pottery studio in Sedona, anyone can test their abilities and leave the store with something they created — anything from a self-designed mug, plate or candle holder to a piece of decorative pottery.

All of Wingfield’s pieces are one-fire bisqueware items which are food safe and totally suitable for the microwave, according to Wingfield.

People enter his store everyday with disclaimers about their lack of artistic ability, but that’s not important, according to Wingfield.

“This is the place where you don’t have to sign up for art classes. We don’t teach you. We inspire you,” Wingfield said.

There’s a reference library in the corner for those looking for ideas. And Wingfield also offers guidance, as well as the paints, brushes and bisqueware.

“We offer the venue for you to create,” Wingfield said. “Anything goes. Splash the paint on. Drip it on. Use a squirt gun. Use a toothbrush. I don’t care.”

Next to each bottle of paint is a sample tile showing how each color will look after firing, and what people don’t paint stays white, Wingfield explained.

People can cover up their mistakes with a little water from the sink. If the paint is light, most of it will disappear. If the paint is dark, there may be a shadow, but most of that won’t be visible behind another coat of paint, according to Wingfield.

“What you do with your paint brush is exactly how it will fire,” he assured.

People can stay as long as they want to work on their pieces and can even return weeks later to apply the finishing touches, according to Wingfield.

Brothers Austin Aronson, 15, and Mason Aronson, 12, stopped by the studio on Thursday, Jan. 31, to finish one piece and start another.

Austin said he planned to finish his decorative Christmas plate before Christmas, but he couldn’t make it back in time. More than one month later, he returned.

Austin is familiar with the process, he said, because last year, he painted a Christmas ornament for his grandparents.

It’s a fun hobby, Austin said, and his brother agreed.

Mason entered the studio with his brother and perused the store before pulling a heartshaped box off of the shelve and getting to work.

Those who finish quickly can expect their pieces back within a day or so, according

to Wingfield.

With two kilns, he can handle many pieces at a time. He loads his kilns from the bottom up and creates shelves as he works his way to the top, he explained.

None of the pieces can touch each other or the walls of the inside of the kilns, according to Wingfield, because if they do, they’ll fuse together and be destroyed.

At 1,800 degrees, the clear glaze becomes transparent, leaving a clear coat over each piece of pottery. Nothing melts, bleeds or merges together, Wingfield said.

After 15 hours of cooling down, customers can return to retrieve their creations.

Many are surprised to discover abilities they never knew they had, Wingfield said. He’s happy to be part of that process.

Imagine Art is located at 90 Brewer Road, beside the Hummingbird House, north of Ranger Road. For more information, call 282-4236.