Mr Greenaway is one of two internationally renowned ceramicists holding masterclasses at the New Zealand Potters Clay Conference "fusion2010" being held in Dunedin this week.
Conference co-organiser Nicole Kolig said the masterclasses were a new initiative for the national conference, and were made possible by Otago Polytechnic's lending its ceramics facilities.
Normally, only demonstrations were held at the potters' conferences.
Forty potters from around New Zealand were attending the two-day classes, conducted by Mr Greenaway, Kurt Spurey, of Vienna, and Otago Polytechnic diploma in ceramic art supervisor Neil Grant, she said.
"It has given potters hands-on experience with masters directly," Ms Kolig said.
Mr Greenaway, who is Australian but has lived in Italy for four years, said working in porcelain was very demanding, but all in his class showed a very good skill level for the work.
The class involved learning about throwing and forming clay on the wheel with an emphasis on altering it after it had formed so "it was not simply a bowl any more but a sculpture".
"I've found the standard to be very high."
The more traditional part of the conference will begin tomorrow night with the opening, at the Otago Museum, of the national show of potters' work, which runs until April 25.
Also attending the conference was one of China's leading porcelain ceramicists, Huang Yunpeng, who would give demonstrations along with Mr Spurey, Mr Greenaway and potters Jo Howard and Kate Fitz Harris.
About 90 people were expected to attend the weekend conference.
Otago Museum is holding ceramics-related events for the public alongside the conference, including lectures, demonstrations and children's activities.
