This place is truly awful. I paid and booked for a 6 week course, only to get an email 4 hours before the start date/time about them cancelling and delaying the class by 2 weeks. The email also stated that if the 2 week delay doesn't fit to our schedule, we can reach out to them to discuss a resolution. I've emailed them 3x and called a couple times for over a week now. I never received a response, (1.5 weeks!). I should've read the reviews more about this place refusing to refund people's money/ straight up ghosting them after they've paid. read more

I had a very mixed experience here, largely depending on the instructor. The introductory class instructor was excellent--supportive, encouraging, and made the environment feel welcoming for beginners. Based on that, I signed up for the full wheel program. However, the instructor for the wheel program was very different, and unfortunately that's where the experience broke down. The teaching style felt condescending at times, and feedback was sometimes given publicly in a way that felt more shaming than constructive. As a beginner, this made it difficult to feel comfortable experimenting or learning. There were also moments during class where comments felt overly personal or inappropriate, which created an uncomfortable atmosphere. I later spoke with another student who felt similarly discouraged, so this didn't seem like an isolated experience. Overall, I think the studio has potential and some great instructors, but the inconsistency in teaching style made it hard to continue. read more

I have been a member at Clay By The Bay for years now, and I absolutely love it. I always considered myself a "thrower" until i did a sculpture class with Gwendolyn. She is such an amazing instructor and helped me through all my struggles. So happy! I had no idea pottery could give you a rush of endorphins and bursts of euphoria:-) read more

Clay By The Bay - My first hand build piece. Couldn't have done it without Gwendolyn. Thank you! - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

Beautiful experience at Clay By The Bay. I booked a private class for my birthday and it was so worth it. Booking was a breeze. On the day of our class we had the pleasure of having Marbella as our instructor. Marbella was super professional, patient, helpful, and fun! Can't wait to come back. We were able to bring our own snacks and bubbly to compliment our experience! read more

Clay By The Bay - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

Took an evening intro to throwing class here and loved it! The instructor was so personable and entertaining. She was quick to help everyone and walked around the room frequently to make sure everyone got the hang of things. Highly recommend! read more

Clay By The Bay - Throwing class - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

I took my first class. Our instructor was Crimson and she was so amazing. She taught us how to use the wheel in the first class and before you know it, I was making my first bowl and mug! Can't wait to take more classes! read more

Clay By The Bay - Bowls, mugs, ceramics - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've taken about 10 classes at Clay by the Bay--from beginner to advanced, both wheel and hand building--and I can't recommend it enough. The studio is super spacious, the vibes are 100, and the teachers are all really knowledgeable and kind. Big shoutout to Crimson and Todd--Crimson is an absolute ray of sunshine and always has the best design ideas, and Todd is an amazing potter and teacher with what feels like endless wisdom to share. All the instructors are awesome, but if you get a chance to take a class with either of them, do it. You won't regret it! read more

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Took a 6 week intro to wheel pottery class here and it was SO FUN! I have very minimal previous experience - just took a basic ceramics class in high school but we didn't have access to the wheel. 6 weeks goes by VERY quick and you learn a ton of new terminology and skills each week so it's a bit hard to keep up with if you don't go in to practice during studio hours! Unfortunately studio hours during the week are during work hours and somehow every single weekend during this course I was out of town so I was only able to go in once during my lunch break. But the open studio hours is a huge steal so definitely will be making better use of it next time! Our instructor Crimson was super great!!! She had lots of tips and tricks and I liked that she didn't just do things for us - she would demonstrate or advise us. She explained things very clearly and also answered tons of questions so it was all very helpful! Had so much fun in this class and even without the studio hours I still feel like I learned A TON and improved so much in that short time. I definitely will be signing up for another class later in the year when work is less busy and I know I'll have time to go in during the week more! read more

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I had such a great experience at clay by the bay Marbella was such a pleasant instructor, very professional, welcoming and patient... I look forward to another class after such a great experience read more

Clay By The Bay - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Recently attended a 6 week session on hand-building large clay pieces. Crimson was a great teacher and provided excellent tips on how to build large projects. The clay studio also provides a spacious work space with a million dollar view of the bay. I highly recommend! read more

Clay By The Bay - Hand building class at Clay by the Bay! - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is my first time taking pottery classes in my life. I absolutely love the studio. I took the 6-week Intro to Wheel classes with Alex B. My instructor was helpful and provided me with good directions and support. My first pots were too thick and too small. After my first class I almost thought this was not for me. Eventually I took advantage of their open studio hours (Walk-in between 10:00am-6:00pm) and practiced till I got better. The key is also to ask your instructor questions and help. My instructor was always willing to help me get better. Ultimately it became my go to to relax and get a sense of achievement. They teach you how to make mugs/cups/bowls, then how to trim and carve them, ways of adding colors to them using slips, underglaze and glaze. They offer a lot of techniques, tips and tricks. You also have the free will to create anything you like. You can also get extra clay for $15 and keep practicing at open studio times through out the six weeks. They provide you with all the equipment you need, all you need is to bring a towel. You can take this class alone or with friends. The weekday evening classes literally get sold out in a matter of hours so I suggest adding yourself to the mailing list and keeping an eye out. Also, wear old clothes because you'll end up with clay on your clothes all the time. It does go away with you put your clothes in the wash. read more

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I've been taking classes here since they moved to the new location and would highly recommend the studio and their six week courses! Ricky, Sammy, and Diane have all been wonderful 6-week course instructors, all always more than willing to help or demo any techniques. Each instructor has different teaching styles so it has been great to learn tid bits from each of them. Also shoutout to Conrad and Todd for answering my miscellaneous questions during open studio time. Overall, the studio itself is a spacious and welcoming place with very friendly staff. I always enjoy my time here! read more

Clay By The Bay - 3rd classroom area - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

Took a one time beginner class with Conrad and he was so nice and helpful with all of us newbies! Learned so much in the small two hour period we had with him but definitely worth it! read more

Clay by the Bay is a beautiful and welcoming studio that's made pottery a hobby I genuinely love. I've taken several classes over the years, and the instruction has always been excellent. Big shoutout to Crimson--she's been an incredible teacher! Her patience, creativity, and thoughtful advice have really helped me grow. Whether you're a beginner or looking to build your skills, this is a great place to learn and create. read more

Clay By The Bay - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I took the 6-weeks intro to pottery wheel with Ricky and had a very fun experience. I've never taken a pottery class before and this was great beginner's class. Ricky was great at explaining things and walking us through each step. I appreciated that he walked around asking each student what we wanted to work on and he would spend time demonstrating certain techniques. If the location wasn't so far from me, I would sign up for additional classes. read more

I was gifted a 6 week course by friends and what joy it brought me! I havent touched clay since college (10 years ago) so was unsure if I should do the beginner wheel or intermediate. Alex B was my instructor (@alexbeckceramics on IG), and he let me know after our first class I should be able to stick to the intermediate course. He's great - very patient and will to help at a moments notice when things go array on the wheel. You get a bag of clay included in your course and get to pick from Bmix (intro level up to premium bags (porcelain etc) at no extra cost which is really nice. Most of the students had taken the previous level course, I was somewhat of an outlier. I definitely struggled to remember the basics so will likely retake this course again in the future after my tennis elbow dies down (clay is hard work!) If you cant make any of your classes you're allowed to come in and take a makeup class on a different day that week by another instructor which is great exposure to other teaching styles. I took Crimson's course once and loved her unique approach to different techniques. If there is any room for improvement here on the company side as a whole, I'd recommend a few digital touchpoints archived int eh curriculum for students to reference. How-to video libraries, vocab sheets, glazing combination cheat sheets etc. Would have been helpful to reinforce learnings from week to week. My only pain point was the delays in firings in the kiln from week to week. As an example my test tiles sat on the shelf for 12 days which really threw off my ability to wrap on time at the end of the course. A more regimented system would really ease that anxiety. The studio also has open hours almost everyday for you to come in on your own time to work or glaze which is really nice. You get to meet students and instructors at all levels and I always appreciated the insights on technique, glazing combos etc. I was slightly disappointed the students didn't really have any desire to grab a drink or celebratory dinner or something at the end of the course. Would have been cool to have a happy hour on site or something with all the other students completing their work for a gallery walk or something. Alex mentioned they used to have potlucks pre-covid, hopefully those will make a come back! Will definitely return next year:) read more

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I was given a gift of a six week course here and so far I am loving this studio ! Having had lots of experience with hand building, I wanted to try throwing which had been a challenge for me last time around ( like 40 years ago - yikes) . Our instructor Diane has been so helpful and supportive, I feel like I've made real progress in just a few sessions. Her advice and guidance has given me confidence that I will keep progressing towards the results I want . Highly recommend taking a class here, it is super fun! read more

I took a 5 week beginner to wheel class led by Crimson and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I thoroughly enjoyed this class, so much so that I signed up for another session! Crimson was a great teacher, easier to learn from and incredibly helpful. I'd absolutely recommend her class to any beginners. read more

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Let's start with pros, amazing location, huge studio, airy and lovely. Always fun to come. Gwendolyn and Todd are the best! I've taken their classes before (a mix of one time and old classes), wonderful instructors. Still the most helpful and friendly in open studio even to people not personally their students. Cons: I love throwing but decided to do some hand building, which I've done at other studios before but thought I'd try CBTB because I had a great time here before. What a bad decision. Alma, the course instructor is awful. She doesn't care, is dismissive, is rude while giving her lecture but then ignores you if you have questions. At first I thought it was me but over the past week I've talked to the others in my large class, and met people from her smaller classes and they all agree. In fact, we discussed that this feedback needs to be given to CBTB seriously. While Crimson has rave reviews, the few times I've seen hand building students interact with her, she's been pretty dismissive as well. I'm really disappointed especialy because my other experiences here have been wonderful. Please CBTB talk to your hand building instructors to have them take this seriously. read more

For the last 8 weeks, I've had a fantastic experience at Clay By The Bay!! My therapist recommended I try ceramics as I'm in a very transitional period of my life, and a creative outlet where I can work work my hands seemed like a good idea. Well, I can happily say I've taken to it and have found it to be fun and gratifying to learn to make things with my two hands out of a lump of clay. I've had classes now with Alex and Todd, who have both been excellent in totally different ways. Eleanor at the front desk has been extremely helpful and warm (today she gave me a tip about the new clay I selected that changed the game for me in using it and was just what I needed to know!). I'm completely addicted to playing with clay and I look forward to continuing my time in the studio while I work through this tough stage of life. I'm so glad it exists so close to where I live. What a gem of a space. I'm attaching some photos of work I completed in my very first class. read more

Clay By The Bay - Some of my first pieces made at Clay By The Bay in the Intro to Wheel class. - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

Thank you Alex C. and Clay By The Bay! I've been wanting to take a pottery class here for years and am so glad I was able to get a spot in my very awesome 6-week handbuilding class taught by Alex C. Alex is a supportive and encouraging teacher who covered a variety of specific methods and styles of handbuilding while also making sure to keep checking in with our class about anything we were especially interested in learning, trying out, or covering again. It's no small feat to facilitate a class that is so welcoming and comprehensive over such a relatively short span of time. My handbuilding class felt engaging and productive, Alex's teaching style is accessible, creative, and fun, and having access to open studio hours outside of class was great (the studio is awesome and I was always so inspired watching other people work). Plus I am so looking forward taking home all the pieces I made! I am so happy I was able to get a spot in Alex's class and plan to continue taking classes at Clay By The Bay. read more

Clay By The Bay - So many tools available to borrow - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I've taken classes at a few studios around the city and this class (next step wheel) and instructor (Gwendolyn) were the best I've come across. The studio is gorgeous and parking was easy on a weeknight (either $3 metered close spots or free a few blocks away.) Definitely recommend! read more

Clay by the bay was an amazing experience! I've never thrown clay before and have learned so much in the 6 week intro class I took. Sammy, Crimson and Gwendolyn were great instructors and provided so much insight while allowing you to find your own style. It's a great place to explore your creativity, get down and dirty, step away from the screen for a couple of hours, and make something from nothing! read more

I took the Into to Pottery Wheel course. I enjoyed it and learned so much that I am continuing with the Next Steps course! My instructor Ricky was fantastic! Very kind, knowledgeable, answered endless questions and gave great tips and advice. His demos were easy to follow and understand as he is a great communicator and covered everything in great detail. And I love the studio! I use it as often as I can to practice and create! As a student - you get access to it every day of the week! I'm so happy that I found this place and discovered this hobby of mine :) read more

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I've taken two 6-week classes at Clay by the Bay, and it's been a wonderful experience. I genuinely look forward to class as the highlight of my week. The benefit of getting access to the studio outside of class is also a huge perk because it's such a positive environment and a great way to learn from others in the studio. Crimson is an incredible teacher and brings such great energy to her craft and her students. Just signed up for another one of her classes! read more

Clay By The Bay - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

Massively fun classes and instructors. I had Conrad for my intro to throwing class, and I learned so much (and had a blast)! The studio is massive and well ventilated. They're offering tons of different classes and have a pretty open schedule. Coming in on weekends is my jam! Big shoutout to Conrad, Eleanor and the whole staff for being supportive and kind throughout my 6-week class! 10/10 would recommend this studio! read more

Clay By The Bay - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great spot to learn pottery as a beginner! I've now taken 3 classes and have done a couple months as a member at this spot. All three of my classes (two Intro to Pottery sessions and one Next- Step Wheel) were taught by Crimson- who is a fantastic instructor! If you'd like to take a class, I'd definitely recommend signing up for their email list to be notified when classes are out. I took the 6:30pm classes during the work week and consistently see those sell out the quickest! The classes are great if you are learning for the first time or want to build up your foundational skills. I recommend taking advantage of open studio as much as possible to work on your skills and fail early! Open studio is open during all open hours if you're a member and from 10-6pm every weekday and during the weekends. read more

Had a really fun date night here, would definitely recommend it to everyone! Definitely wear some short sleeves so it won't get in your way though. Alex C. Was a great instructor. Very kind and helpful. Explained everything thoroughly and tended to everyone. Definitely saved more than one student's project here. read more

They took 3 months here to glaze and fire my item. It's now been 6 months and I've been trying to pick up my item which is difficult because I'm not from in town so I only have limited opportunities to do so. Despite reaching out ahead of time and letting them know when I planned to swing by to pick up my item AND receiving confirmation from Todd that he would he there to point out where to get my item and to just let him know I'm there, I showed up ahead of my flight and wanted around for an hour and nobody who worked there ever showed up. Incredibly unprofessionally run studio. If you are looking to take a class or do a team event here GO SOMEWHERE ELSE where you'll actually get your item at the end of it. read more

I've lived in Russian Hill for 6 years now and can't believe that it took me that long to try classes here. Now I'm hooked. I took a 6 week wheel class a few months ago with Crimson and more recently a 6 week hand building class with Alex C. Both instructors were fantastic, supportive, and encouraging. Throwing was tough at first but it help me establish a foundation. After 6 weeks I definitely felt like I got a lot out of it (my family and friends loved their mugs). Hand building is less structured and that challenged me to be even more expressive with my creations. Combining these skills together is where things got really fun - I loved throwing mugs and then building a fun, wacky handle to attach to it. I also really enjoy the surface design and painting parts of the process. As someone who lives close by, having daily studio access was such a plus and really help me hone these skills in my spare time. The staff, studio members, and students here are all great, and it definitely feels like a warm and welcoming family when you spend enough time here. The community party they hosted earlier this year was such a blast. I'm looking forward to taking more classes here next year! read more

Clay By The Bay - Still WIP - A vase with fingers crawling up the sides I made in Alex C's intro to hand building class - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I just completed my second next step class with Crimson and the more classes I take, the more I love the studio! I'm excited with the helpfulness and knowledge of the staff. Crimson is a wonderful teacher!! I'm excited to continue my journey at CBB!! read more

Clay By The Bay - Vase - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

Wanted to leave a (5 star!) review for Diane's class. I've done pottery on and off my whole life but was never able to really make anything...but within my first beginners class with Diane I was already centering clay and by the end of my 6 week beginner course I fell in love with pottery! Dianne is a great teacher for anyone whether they're beginners or looking to move on to more advance work. She is a wealth of knowledge and is always patient with her students, offering individual attention when needed (which is critical when you're trying to advance), and is always happy to answer questions. I also like that she doesn't rush through the lesson, which makes it easier to follow along. Even though I'm not in Diane's class anymore, she is still more than happy to help me whether it's a quick tutorial in person or answering my questions when I DM her on instagram! I sometimes even drop into her intermediate classes just for an extra lesson! I've gotten great recommendations on tools to buy (which have significantly improved my pottery). read more

Just finished the six-week handbuilding class for beginners (Tues 6:30-9). Very disappointed with the whole experience. The Instructor doesn't know how to teach and totally lacks clarity in her instructions. I can tell everyone was quite confused and didn't know exactly what to do. I basically went from excitement to boredom almost as soon as she started talking:( The worse thing is that after we've made our pieces we have no idea when we can get them back because there's a long line in waiting for them to be placed in the fire so that we can glaze them after. So we ended up just taking our work with us unfinished now looking for another place to glaze. Things are pretty disorganized at this place. I will not recommend this class with the very same teacher. Will give 1.5 star but really couldn't get myself to give a 2. read more

This review is long overdue, and I've had a difficult time putting into words all the delight and sweat & tears that this studio has given me. I've had 5 instructors here and all of them were great at their craft. Some were better at explaining techniques than others and I would have loved to get a better idea of their teaching styles before booking a class (perhaps with a video intro) and I wished I had the same teacher as I advanced. Although I still haven't reached an experienced level, I love the art form and meditative feeling of creating functional pieces out of clay. I was here from its grand opening and during some high growth in membership, so I've seen a lot of change happen here. There were some mishaps with my items getting thrown away, misplaced, or taken, which is why I'm docking a star. The space is beautiful and open, the people are friendly and welcoming. There were times the room was too packed and my knees were hitting my neighbors'. During the high growth stage, there was a lot of ego in certain members and staff, which made me start looking elsewhere. But because Clay by the Bay does has a large community that keeps it well-funded and provides it with good instructors, I hope those mishaps were just growing pains. They have done a great job with introducing pure beginners like me to pottery, so I truly hope they continue to improve and expand. I've moved a little further south and it would be great to have a studio near me. read more

Took a class here. Teachers are experienced. We had different instructors b/c our main one was out sick. It turned out to be a good thing b/c I learned different techniques from each of the instructors. The cost of the class is $$$ but the location is very close by. I want to take more classes. read more

This review is long pending! But we organized a corporate event in November with Clay by the bay with about 17-18 people. The team had a blast making their gorgeous pots - and clay by the bay team was absolutely amazing and accommodating. The teacher was so patient and clear with the communication. The clay by the bay team also let us have a networking session making some space for our food and drinks. After the session, we had the time to network and learn about the studio and the teachers. read more

Clay By The Bay - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

Clay By The Bay is the perfect place to get started with pottery for the first time. The studio fosters a friendly learning environment and has amazing instructors. I can't say enough good things about Gwendolyn -- she's incredibly talented and her sense of humor makes the process lighthearted and fun. I've taken multiple classes at different experience levels with her and highly recommend. Looking forward to continuing my pottery journey here. read more

I took intro to pottery with Crimson and highly recommend it! Crimson was very patient and encouraging. She was happy to answer any questions and focuses a lot on the decorating stage in pottery which was fun to learn about. She also seemed genuinely interested in making sure everyone had a great experience. In general I have found the studio to be a great environment, every was is super helpful for beginners like me. read more

Clay By The Bay - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Crimson is the best teacher. She is patient, kind, and an excellent leader. Can't wait to take another class. read more

Clay By The Bay - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

I am just finishing my 6 week intro class with Todd and starting my Next Steps, next week. I had been wanting to do this for ever, but pre-Covid their classes were always full. So when they started their virtual classes I signed up and it was one of the best decisions I made in COVID times. It's been so fun, therapeutic and almost addictive! Todd is an amazing instructor and I look forward to his classes. He is always giving up new tips and tricks and is super patient with our questions. The studio is super clean, and they are taking a lot of precautions to keep everyone safe. It has a great vibe and I always feel very welcomed. I also appreciate how all the instructors(Grace, Lindsey and Eleanor) are always checking up on students and helping us with our work. read more

Clay By The Bay - Unfinished - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California