First time pottery event for mother's day! Came here by myself and loved how helpful instructions…read morewere and had such a great time trying something new. Will definitely be back for another beginner class, excited to see how my plates turned out.

I needed to buy a gift certificate for a friend and checked their website which asked that I call…read moreor email them. I called and the process was quick and wasy. They emailed me the gift certificate within the hour. Great option for a birthday or date!

I have been taking hand building classes at the studio and discovered a passion I didn't even know…read moreI had. The flexible open studio schedule allows me plenty of time to explore independently. Everyone there is really friendly and encouraging. The classes aren't cheap but the cost seems on par with other studios in the Bay Area, For me, it's well worth the price.

I recently took the 6-week Intermediate class with Miki on Wednesday evenings and had a really…read moregreat experience! In this class, we made: - a set of stacked bowls - salad/ramen bowls - lidded forms - tall vases formed by stacking two sections - hand built teapots I've taken classes at a few studios and there were a few things that were different about this studio compared to other studios where I've taken classes: - Clay was included and our class shared bags of Bmix and recycled clay. - Open studio hours were $50 extra and hours are dependent on the class you're taking. Ours was weekdays before 6 PM and weekends between 1:30-7 PM. - There's plenty of shelving at this studio but you need to add stickers to green ware with your name and class code. - After the class ends, they store finished pieces in boxes on a shelf to make room for the next class. I loved that they had test tiles for every combo of glazes! I also love the Google Drive they have for students to share pictures of their favorite glaze combos. My personal favorite glaze combos were: - Hyacinth under Koke Blush - Hyacinth under Castile Blue - Hyacinth under Burnt Caramel - Cappuccino under Lunar Grey - Cappuccino under Hyacinth - Cappuccino under Coral Spice - Cappuccino under Koke Blush - Cappuccino under Castile Blue - Lunar Gray under Kelp Forest

I took the intro to stained glass here. I've been burned by other maker classes where you kind of…read morewatch the instructor do everything, but we got to be very hands on. The only shared equipment was the grinders, and there were 6 for our class of 10. There are competitor classes in the area that are cheaper, but I was very happy with my experience here. Parking is easy because there's a dedicated lot. It's a huge makerspace, so there was an open mic night, a photography session, and welding all happening in other places around the warehouse. What a cool environment! Khaled was a very energetic, kind, and supportive instructor. I'm honestly not that pleased with the quality of my work and would love to try again now that I have more experience. I'd come back for an intermediate class, but their website doesn't show any.

I took a blacksmithing class on a Saturday morning. The location for the class is in their hot shop…read morein the back. Entrance is off of Julian vs the Alameda for the rest of the studios. Area was clean and spacious and we had 4-5 hrs of safety talk, demos, and making our own knife from a piece of steel. The instructor was great and if we needed help he'll provide it and overall had a good time. They did provide water but if you want to you can bring your own beverages and a snack since it's from 10am to 2pm. Had a great time and hope to come back for more classes!

Apparently this has not been reviewed in about 10 years, so I'm happy to provide an update: it's…read morestill great! I took a 6 week class and truly loved it. I am not a natural at pottery so I took the class again. I had a different instructor for the first round of classes than the second and both were really talented potters and teachers, clearly masters of their craft, and clearly deeply passionate not only about ceramics but about teaching it. I have since been going to open studio for about 1.5 years and it's such a special place! The kiln techs and instructors are truly passionate and there's even a local celeb potter there regularly as a tech who is an absolute wealth of knowledge and quite truly a master. There are a wide range of skill levels from more beginner (me) to intermediate to highly advanced folks, which is a really lovely blend in studio and everyone is so incredibly kind and supportive. I adore the ceramics community here and have made life friends from it! The studio itself: they have tables if you need to sit, a slab roller and LOTS of molds and patterns for slab building, several clay options (bmix, t2, porcelain), and a variety of glazes that they make in house, as well as commercial underglazes. They provide all the tools you would need, but if you need any specialty tools I recommend bringing your own. The wheels are well maintained electric wheels (and one kick wheel!) and there are options for folks in wheelchairs as well. It's a well maintained and cared for supportive space. I couldn't be more thankful. AND the wheels overlook a beautiful pond! What more could you want? If I could hope for one more thing it would be more glaze options, but they do already offer quite a few crowd-pleasers in the more neutral family of glazes.

I started taking pottery wheel lessons here about a year ago. On Saturday mornings at open studio,…read moreI'm pretty sure there's no where else on the planet I'd rather be. The studio is a great place to spend a four hour chunk of your life -- good light, about 15 electric potter's wheels (I've never had to wait for one), a plaster wedging table, a slab roller, and most of the tools you could ever need. You can choose between three high fire clays (porcelain, B-mix, and brown); each is $16 for a 25 pound bag. With its high fire gas kilns and beautiful glazes that make even slightly wobbly bowls look artistic, it's about as close as the general public is likely to get to a professional studio. Instruction is casual and provided on an as-needed basis. The main teacher is Danny Sheu, who is terrific on the wheel and a great instructor, too. Unlike other pottery teachers I've had, he won't waste time telling you that you have 'an interesting technique' if you're doing it wrong, but he's always happy to show you how to do it right. Just catch his eye if you need help. Beginners might prefer his more structured six week classes, but if you're a quick learner, you can just show up at open studio and ask for a lesson in the basics of centering, opening, and compressing. Some of the open studio regulars are professional or near professional potters, but everyone is friendly and willing to lend a newbie tools and advice. That said, no one is there to socialize, so there's plenty of space and quiet to concentrate on your own project. I consistently come out of open studio covered in clay and beaming. Cheaper and better than therapy any day!

Had our 4 year old's birthday party here... Possibly the…read morebest place to have a unique birthday party - saving us the hassle of cleanup as well. Love Lisa and her patience and engagement with the kiddos.

On a whim, I signed up for a handbuilding class through the City of Cupertino. I have not yet…read morecompleted my projects. However, it is becoming the highlight of my week as it takes me out of my professional role and mother of twins. It is at least 2 hours of protected time without judgment and let's me work off stress thru the arts. We recently completed a pumpkin session that involved the children. My 6 year olds made it chaotic. Even tho I found it stressful juggling myself & the twins, I was appreciative of the session & look forward to the next ones for the same reasons as the above. I was grateful for Lisa's incredible patience and empathy. I look forward to continuing this new hobby!

We had a wonderful experience at Paint with Emily! This was our first paint and sip event and it…read morewas truly enjoyable! The instructor, Emily, was so funny and nice. She assured everyone that our paintings were going to turn out great no matter our skills and as long as we didn't give up and just had fun. All the materials were set out and ready for us to use. Emily was a fabulous host and everything was well organized. The location, Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards in Saratoga, is a perfect place to relax and paint. The serenity and beauty really inspired us--or maybe that was the wine! Overall, we had an amazing time and can't wait to do it again. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this experience!

This art academy is a hidden gem. The teacher is down to earth and teaches hands on. She is very…read morepatient and generous with compliments. The atmosphere is very relaxed in the studio. The students include serious high school students preparing for college or art/ design schools as well as young kids who is learning to draw and find it relaxing like my son. She is teaching my son to draw, paint, model house building and to work with clays. The teacher is bilingual, Korean and English. It's really nice to see her former students to come to visit her at the studio.

I LOVE this place. I am soooo happy that I finally found a place that is safe, friendly, carefree…read morethat I can learn how to paint, make new friends, and just enjoy the moment. If you want to learn how to paint like photograph, this is not a place for you. If you want to be creative freely, let your heart lead your brain (not the other way around), you got to check out this place. I bring a canvas to see Lori at least once a week just to get away from home, away from work, away from all the problems so I can enjoy a few hours ME time. So far I have painted 6 abstract acrylic paintings, and 1 collage. It was FUN!! I even bring a few girlfriends and food and drinks just to make a girl's art night. This is a GREAT place for girlfriend, couples, parents-teens, etc to have some fun together.

This studio can be described in one word: AHHHMAZIING. Lori…read morecan honestly make anyone love art. I found out about her collage classes, and I am hooked. Lori's definition of collage is beyond a normal person's realm of understanding. It can involve painting, decoupage, frames, yarn, and I always include my favorite item--glitter glue. She has such a variety of materials to use, and is more than willing to help with anything a student is working on. I became inspired from a piece of art on her wall and she guided me through making a similar piece that I ended up loving! Her studio is such a fun place to play and the collaging sessions are very calming. She is also such a funny person and tells some great stories. The one rule is: You can interrupt her speaking if you have an art question. This studio really is a safe haven from the outside world, and it has become a routine activity. The studio is close to the Alameda so you can also do some shopping or eating after the productive collaging sessions.