This studio is located at the outskirts of mission. There is a lot of street parking in front of the studio. I loved this studio, it was well decorated, cozy, clean and the members/studio staff were all very nice. They also had studio hours that matched well with my schedule. The had really nice glazes with hansen clear being my fav! Hickory gradually became more expensive over time, and they started charging members a firing fee for larger items. Understandable, especially given the current economy. I experienced a few issues with my pots being mishandled. On one occasion, a kiln overheated, causing a large batch of my pieces to bubble. Handful of my pots were damaged during firing because some items were placed in the kiln before they were fully dried. read more

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I took an intro wheel throwing course with no prior experience. I had never thrown on a wheel or even set foot in a clay studio before, so everything was completely new to me. Because of that, the class felt overwhelming at times. A lot of information is covered very quickly, not just technique, but also vocabulary, processes, and cleaning procedures. If you're a complete beginner, I strongly recommend watching a few wheel-throwing videos beforehand to feel more prepared. The class includes 25 pounds of clay, which is quite a lot, especially considering that most beginner pieces are around one pound each. I also can't stress enough how important it is to come in during open studio time. A 6-8 week course moves very fast, and extra practice is essential. Unfortunately, my experience was negatively impacted by the instructor. While he was clearly experienced, he lacked patience and often appeared visibly annoyed when I asked basic beginner questions or made mistakes. His tone sometimes felt condescending, which made me uncomfortable and discouraged me from asking for help. That's not the kind of environment you want when learning something completely new. I believe I would have enjoyed the class much more with a different instructor. read more

10/10 studio. I love the space, everything is always super organized and clean, I always have the best time going to the studio. read more

Hickory Clay - Hand building piece by me! - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

I took the Friday beginner one off wheel class and unfortunately had a negative experience. The instructor was honestly quite cruel. He seemed visibly annoyed and angry when students made mistakes if it got the studio a bit messy at all. Like he actually berated my partner for getting the wheel too wet. It was uncomfortable and honestly kind of humiliating. There was very little actual instruction - he worked on his own projects for a good 30 minutes during class and even disappeared toward the end. I didn't really feel comfortable asking questions because more often than not he would just seem annoyed and say that because I was a beginner things wouldn't always be perfect vs trying to help me improve Overall, the class felt very transactional. There was no real effort to foster a love of pottery or help beginners feel supported. Ultimately didn't even end up with pieces that I'm proud off. I'm not sure of this guys name but he said that he taught every Friday so would avoid those classes. Also the clay had giant chunks of porcelain in it and airbubbles so not sure who was processing it but that ended up impacting 2 of my pieces read more

This is by far the best pottery studio I've ever been to. The space is gorgeous - there's a large table in a designated area for hand building and plenty of pottery wheels + high top tables on the bottom floor. Upstairs is the area for painting + glazing. They have a large variety of beautiful glazes for all clay types. The staff are always friendly and helpful - they've helped me save some pieces that I thought I'd have to toss. I've taken an 8 week course here and learned much more than a course I took at another pottery studio. I'm at a point where I'm able to go in and make some fun pieces by myself so clearly the course paid off! Their one time classes are also pretty great for a fun date night or weekend activity with friends. We made some gorgeous planters and I've been eyeing their glass fusing class (I haven't seen anything like it at another pottery studio). I highly recommend checking out hickory clay if you're looking to get a membership, take a course or even just try a one time class! They also host free events (we went to a really fun collage making night). Everyone at the studio cares about having a strong community and that really shows. I'll be going here for as long as I live in SF! read more

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I found Hickory Clay while searching for date night ideas. I was not disappointed! Ashley, our instructor and co-owner of Hickory Clay, was so great! This was both me and my partner's first time and we had such a great night! Side note; I mixed up the date for our class and Lorraine was so pleasant and accommodating. She helped me change our date to another night with no issues. I highly recommend taking your loved one here for date night or checking it out for yourself! read more

Hickory Clay - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Hickory is a wonderful pottery studio and I love making pieces there! * The interior is BEAUTIFUL - it's very thoughtfully designed and organized. It gets amazing light and the refreshing and calming space puts you in a great mood. I felt very inspired just being inside. * I'm a beginner and I felt very comfortable trying new techniques and learning - everyone is kind, friendly and supportive, will answer and guide you if you have questions. * The glaze library is unreal!!! So many colors and hues - in addition to the board of colors, there's also dozens of WIP colors you can use as well. They're also constantly developing and adding new glazes to their library. I've been in an art school pottery studio and even they didn't have this many amazing glazes. * Depending on your commitment level, there are so many fun classes and options to choose from - I've tried one-time classes before and other places haven't let me keep my piece, let alone glaze and fire it for me like Hickory will! Also the fact that a member can bring a friend to try out the studio is wonderful. * After you take a one-time class, you can also do drop-in sessions in the studio without having to make a monthly commitment! The class and membership prices feel very fair and the different options / commitment levels mean you can easily find something that works for you. * The fact that they have multiple colors of clay available is amazing-- I've typically worked in studios that only have one option. All to say - Hickory Clay is fantastic!!! read more

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Great pottery studio! I've taken 4 classes at the studio now and the instructors are fantastic and very knowledgeable. Hickory was my first class and Keisha and Jerry are both very knowledgeable and are great at guiding you to complete your projects/vision. Additionally the techs and more advanced potters around the studio are very helpful and kind and are always very happy to give guidance as well. Hickory is a great community and I would recommend for all skills levels. read more

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Been a member here for 6 months now and have been pretty happy with my choice of studio. There's always enough wheels available for members or students coming in on their off nights and the community has been very helpful and engaging. There's plenty of shared tools available, including bats, and the damp room always has room for more work. The clay for sale is reasonably priced compared to most studios, starting at $25 for a 25 pound bag for most types, and only $10 for recycled clay and includes firing fees if your piece is under ten inches. You definitely notice regulars on certain days but if you want to do some heads down work, that's fine too, good mix of both. Overall, love the studio and plan to be here for a while! read more

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I've done ceramics in the past, but it's been over 5 years! So, taking the beginner throwing class at Hickory Clay was not only the perfect class to get my hand dirty once again, but also an excellent date for you and friend, partner, secret lover, co-worker or whoever you bring to try a new skill. The instructor (I forgot his name unfortunately, but he is leaving the studio to learn sculpture building in Italy soon) was a world class ceramicist who was friendly and very encouraging, which made the experience relaxing and fun! Even though throwing is pretty hard to teach in just a few hours, the 3 hour workshop allowed up to try out throwing multiple blocks of clay (3 pieces each) which were trimmed and glazed. I would be eager to return for the calming atmosphere and friendly instructors! They offer a few different types of intro classes that are a great way to delve into the world of ceramics! read more

Summary: Very limited glazes, lots of additional fees in the last year, dull tools and dirty wheels. You'll be much better off going to Clayroom Soma/Potrero both for their class and environment quality -- it's much nicer to build there. Most of the prior reviews here were before the further 2024 fee/usage changes. Looks like this studio has become a 1-day tourist workshop mill. ---- Have been going to this studio for the last year and am saddened by many of the recent changes. 1. Glazes are relatively minimal and nowadays are empty most of the time -- this is especially frustrating when there's only a few food safe glazes. 2. The hours are pretty restrictive studio wise (except Sat/Sun) with Mon-Thur only open from 5pm-9pm and you may get kicked out by classes which sometimes can take up the studio. 3. The owners have grown fairly unhelpful and make untoward comments towards work and when they kick you out from #2. 4. Membership prices have gone up, with also newly introduced kiln fees with no reason: $10+ for clay with 10+ inches in *any* dimension. Yet the tools in the studio are quite old with many of the carving tools blunt, the plaster broken, and the chairs/wheels having quite a bit of clay on them. 5. To save on water fees try to maximize reuse of existing water which means a lot of dirty clay water used everywhere. 6. The community seems to be nonexistent and I rarely see folks interact or even be friendly. There's now some meet-ups like a bowl exchange but it's still very impersonal. 7. They throw away pieces within 2 weeks because the studio is small, and are not open to keeping or setting aside pieces even if you email them, you only get strongly worded emails. 8. It gets really hot really fast as there's little ventilation / fans and being above a bar means it also smells like weed and loud karaoke frequently. 8. You don't get unlimited clay for classes anymore and they've added on additional fees when trying to bake your pieces. 9. Upstairs glazing area is incredibly dim and cramped and stairs have been a tripping area more than once. read more

I loved taking classes at Hickory Clay! First off, the environment is stunning. It's so peaceful working there after work or on the weekend. It's also great because the studio is open until 9pm on weekdays, which is way later than some other studios in the city. I appreciated this because if I got off of work at 6pm, I still had plenty of time to head over to the studio. Second, they put together so many fun events to encourage building a community. I went to collage and paint night and a Friday happy hour which were both so fun. I was able to bring my friends who haven't taken classes at Hickory Clay to the collage night, which was great! Last, it's the perfect studio for someone who is interested in improving their pottery skills but isn't quite committed to the membership yet. After you take the intro course, you can buy drop in classes and get full access to the studio. I took classes at the Clayroom where after the intro classes your only option was to take another set of classes or become a member. I found this incredibly restrictive and not to mention, $$$. Would highly recommend Hickory Clay to anyone looking for a studio in SF! read more

A good friend of mine is a member of Hickory and I've been joining them for $25 for a day every once in a while for years now. The studio is sunny (which I loved when I lived in the Sunset), I've always found the employees helpful, and it's a great place to bring my nephew to paint all the pieces my friend throws. Location is super easy to get to, too, and located within a short walk of Dandelion Chocolate and a grocery store, both of which are great when a hangry 10 year old finishes painting bowls. read more

I've been a member at Hickory clay for about a year and half now. It has been a truly excellent way to dive deeper into the world of ceramics and continue practicing at my own pace, while still getting the benefits of working in a communal space. The studio is the perfect size -- not too big, not too small. Even when it is fully packed (for example an ongoing class and nearly full capacity at the member throwing wheels) it's still possible to navigate the studio and get things done. There are two sizable hand building tables downstairs which usually have plenty of room, and a table upstairs to sit at for any glaze-related work. The studio hours are great for anyone with a 9-5 that wants to slip away earlier on Fridays (at the time of writing, hours are 5-9 M-TH, 1-9 F, 10-6 Sat, 10-9 Sunday). In my time here I've rarely felt the need for the hours to be expanded as it fits my weekly schedule pretty nicely. The studio offers a wide variety of clay bodies for purchase at reasonable rates, and also offers discounted recycled clay from classes and drop-ins. The recycled clay is a great choice when practicing since it's cheaper and often produces beautiful swirling patterns due to the variety of different clay bodies. You do need to wedge the recycled clay pretty well as it's sometimes still pretty wet, but it's well worth the effort. The studio offers a spacious damp room so that your pieces don't dry out too quickly. If you wrap up a piece well, it can remain at a pre-leather hard stage for a week or more, and unwrapped it will reach leather hard within 1-2 days. This is critical during the summer because otherwise it might be difficult or impossible to keep pieces trim-able unless you're coming to the studio within a day or two after throwing. Speaking of trimming, the studio offers a variety of trimming tools for free use. You might have to search a bit to find tools that aren't too dull, but there are so many different shapes and sizes of trimming tools to select from that usually it doesn't take long to find something that will work. The studio also sells new trimming tools if you want something a little more personalized. The studio has two kilns that are almost constantly in operation. Usually there's a glaze firing and a bisque firing going at the same time. This results in a pretty low waiting time for anything you have in the pipeline. Once they're fired, they're moved to a set of shelves, the left half for bisque-ware and the other half for finished work. As time goes on, work moves down the shelves to make room for new work until it's too old, at which point its moved to some boxes in the corner of the studio. If you don't pick up your work within a couple months it's tossed out. I've never had this happen to me and if it happens to you it's pretty much your fault for abandoning it for so long. Let's talk glazes. The studio has a wide variety of different glazes to choose from. They make them all in house, which is a fascinating process to watch and learn more about. One thing I really appreciate about this studio is that they actually test their food-safe glazes (as in send them to the EPA) to make sure they are ACTUALLY food safe. They are constantly experimenting with new glazes and from time to time make large batches of successful new glazes. The techs working on this are very experienced in the industry and in the last couple months especially have been producing some extremely exciting new glazes. The owners are also open to working on new glazes that fit your particular needs. I've never really asked about this because so far I have not run out of combinations to experiment with in the last 1.5 years. Hickory is the place I go to in order to "get away." It's a beautiful space, everyone there LOVES ceramics, the techs do an incredible job to keep the space clean and tidy (not to mention keeping all the firings going at full capacity), and it can be the environment that helps you express yourself in the medium of ceramics if you let it. Folks here are always willing to chat about ceramics or anything else. A lot of the time members like to be more immersed in their work (the stereotypical ceramicist with big headphones on is real) but everyone is really friendly when you do strike up a conversation (if you need help breaking the ice, just say "wow I really love what you're making, what's it for? How are you going to glaze it?" etc). Overall, I'm a big fan of the studio and think they're doing a lot of things right. They create an environment with extremely low friction to make what you want to make and that's worth so much to me. read more

Great glaze selection, fast firing turn around, staff and owners are helpful and friendly, studio is cute and sunny; and of course most importantly is the price! For a membership or day passes, hickory ends up being way cheaper than anything else I was looking at. Bonus points for being allowed to use a day pass to bring a friend! read more

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I found this place and was excited to stop by and see the facilities. Lets just say any welcoming or correspondence from the staff who was present was non existent. There were no classes in progress and three staff members present all of which looked to be miserable upside down frown and very bios almost a bland cold feeling in the room non communicative can I say zombie like? I myself have spent years in this craft on both kick wheels and electric throw wheels so fairly advanced in this art but found nothing uplifting in this art studio but did experience a high level of snobbish attitude as my first impression, a art studio is supposed to represent an inspiring creative atmosphere to say the least in all my years I have never encountered such an uptight environment within the art community. Seems like some people that come here to San Francisco and open a art studio with just an idea to pray on people who don't know any difference of what true artistic community values are. but rather just a business scape designed to cater to people who have no clue, to be honest I really don't think any of the staff on hand had anything real to offer in ceramic art but more or less just people going through the motions rather then a evolving inspiring place for true art from the heart or soul just kinda sad that this establishment is not a intrinsically inspiring place in any sense but looks to be a formula designed not for success of evolving but rather just for the tourist passing through SF. read more

I just moved to Hickory from another studio and so far I love it. I come most weeknights after work and so far I've never had any trouble getting a wheel. There's always plenty of space and I can focus on my own pieces without feeling crowded. One of my favorite things is how fast my pieces have been going through the kilns - under a week! I was so tired of waiting 6 weeks at my old studio. Hickory also has really nice glazes that I'm learning to use, mostly matte which I love. They have about 20 standard glazes plus some brightly colored small batches. I'm told they add new ones all the time. They do happy hours for members every month so we can all get to know each other. I had a blast at the Christmas party throwing blindfolded and competing against the teachers. All in all I'm so glad I switched studios. I was a bit nervous to leave my old community behind but I've found such a welcoming new one. read more

Hickory Clay - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The studio is beautiful space, nothing you'd immediately image as you walk up to the inconspicuous metal gray door. Inside it's well lit with high ceilings and wooden beams, very warm and welcoming. I took a one-time wheel pottery class here with Ashley and really enjoyed it. After getting a quick introduction to clay as a medium, Ashley walked us through the step by step instructions of centering the clay, opening and lifting the clay and introduced us to the wheel. Once she finished, she gave us each some clay and let us get started, walking around helping each of us as we had questions. A few things I really loved about this class that was different from other studios 1) You are given the creative freedom to make whatever you'd like in class as you practice centering, opening and lifting. We each created a wide range of different bowls, plates, vases, trays, etc. 2) Smaller class size makes it easier to have 1:1 help/instruction. Ashley (one of the two owners) was great about helping with specific questions but also letting you explore. 3) Great option to be able to take a wheel only 2.5 hour class. 4) The studio is a beautiful open space, warm and inviting and location is very easy to find parking in the evening . 5) You get to chose from 3 glaze options for each of your pieces and the turnaround time for pick up is pretty quick (a few weeks). Will definitely be back! read more

Hickory Clay - My 3 completed pieces from the 2.5 hour wheel class. Looking forward to seeing the finished product! :) - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

Ive been a member at this studio for three years and I have been enjoying it. They have a lot of wheels, a great selection of glazes, colored slips, and clays. They also have a damp room, plaster shapes, and extruder. The staff are friendly and helpful and the atmosphere is very comfortable. I will continue to go here. read more

My partner had been hinting that she wanted to take a wheel class for her birthday, and after reading reviews at a half dozen studios, I can across Hickory Clay. Although I only had a few reviews to go by, Hickory seemed to have just what I was looking for: a welcoming space, small class sizes, very hands-on instruction (it's necessary), and a sensible price point. I went ahead and booked the intro class hosted on Friday nights for the both of us. We had an incredible time of it! Ashley gave a succinct overview of the medium, provided a demo, then guided us through our first (rather rough looking) clay pot/bowl. From there you can make as many attempts as you wish within the 2.5 hour long intro class. Ashley was very attentive to each student's needs and questions - I quickly figured out where I made mistakes and how to avoid them with her guidance. In the end, we were both surprised by our progression over just this one intro class! I highly recommend giving this newly opened studio a shot, whether it's your first attempt at wheel throwing or you want to adopt a new hobby. I'm thinking of doing just that myself! read more

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Honestly, I know I'm a newbie, but I had no idea clay could be glazed by dipping. I thought everything was painted. Not only did I learn that here, but I actually did it! I learned about that, better understood components of clay and the fact that the type of clay matters, the glazing process, and even about the stages of kiln firing. When classes open back up, I'm totally signing up. At a different place a couple years ago I took a one-evening class to create a coil jar + a bowl via throwing wheel. I didn't make very good pieces, even though the classes were small, I didn't get much coaching, and both pieces were pretty bad. As a result, I was really discouraged. But having gone here, I feel like I learned so much, amid community pottery artists who were doing their own thing making super cool pieces (and who I hope to be like one day!). read more

I had a great experience last night at their beginner's pottery wheel class! The studio is beautiful and spacious, so it was a fun activity to do even during the pandemic. I learned a lot and I'm eager to re-visit soon! read more

Hickory Clay - The pieces I made, they will fire and glaze them for me! - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

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What an incredible oasis! I've gone to different ceramic studios over the years for classes or doing drop in days, but they never really seem to have the same vibe as me... Maybe some are too hippy dippy, but walking into this place inspired me to start throwing again! I did a class once a week for 6 weeks, and it was great! Super friendly and knowledgeable staff, but also a great way to meet more creative people in the city, which seems to be getting harder and harder to find. Thanks for opening Hickory, and it's been worth the trip from Marin each week! read more

Hickory Clay - Throwing wheels - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

I really wish I could give the Hickory Clay a honest and fair review about their pottery class, but unfortunately my boyfriend and I were not given that opportunity now or allegedly in the future unless we want to pay twice only to take one class. My boyfriend bought me a pottery class for Christmas and our class was to take place today from 11am to 1:30pm and I was beyond excited! Fast forward to this morning in which I wake up with conjunctivitis. I thought it would be poor manners as well as a health hazard to attend the pottery class with such a contagious condition. I had asked my boyfriend to call to studio to reschedule while I scrambled to get a last minute urgent care appt and to my surprise, but really to my dismay, they told my bf that they could not reschedule the class nor give him a refund stating that they need at least 3-days notice in order for them to fill our spot. I find this completely absurd that they have no sense of flexibility when it comes to rescheduling and payments. So keep this in mind when booking a class, god forbid an unexpected health, family, work or a general life problem afflicts you! So not only am I dealing with a icky illness but I'm also out of a Christmas gift/experience. So unless you are 3 days in advance certain you can attend a class, I wouldnt recommend anyone to take a pottery class here read more

Beautiful studio, really wanted to love the experience. We booked the 2.5-hour intro to wheel-throwing class ($75) and were looking forward to our first experience with clay. The class started late and ended early, even including 20 minutes of clean-up time. I totally understand cleaning up after yourself, but it's a little misleading to say that the class itself is 2.5 hours. Our instructor was helpful, but somewhat impatient at times. I would've appreciated a little more guidance, as I was clearly struggling. The space itself is warm and welcoming, with lots of natural light. read more

I wasn't finding any one-time pottery classes in SF (instead only multi week commitments) so I was excited to find Hickory Clay. My husband and I were looking for a creatively-minded date night and came for a "Try It Night" - a 2.5 hour class to learn the basics of pottery. Neither of us had done pottery since we were kids and so we were definitely starting from scratch. Ashley was wonderful and could not have been kinder or more patient. She showed us the fundamentals of how to make a small vase/cup/bowl. Then she turned it over to us and our wheels to practice! I was amazed how much strength it takes to guide your piece. Ashley was very attentive, going from person to person to offer advice, help, encouragement, and as much new clay as we could take on. The average person probably made 3-5 pieces at their own pace with time for chit chat and laughing at some of our flops. Ashley will later fire and glaze each with the color of our choice. That's a lot of work and a great value. The large space is modern and beautiful. We had 7 students but it looks like there's room for up to 18. I highly recommend a visit for anyone who wants to take the first step learning about pottery and I promise you'll leave a fun event with a new found appreciation for the artisanship that goes into such pieces. read more

Really nice time spent here with a few friends. It is relatively quite place in the city, so I was really focused on the mug. Ashley was really nice, positive, encouraging and fun. read more

An ok beginner's studio with okay intro classes. Very limited selection of commercial-looking glazes that are often contaminated. Class sizes are large for the space and tend to be overcrowded. Techs and members tend to be unpleasant to be around--a techy younger crowd. Unlimited clay is a plus for classes if you can put up with members who seem quite insular. read more

Gave my boyfriend a ceramic class as a gift last Christmas and I'm still mad about it, he had a great time at the class but they didn't follow through with the bowl he made... I paid for it, and it said you'd get a to have the bowl you made and it would be glazed... we called and called, and emailed and nothing, no response for what happened. It kinda ruined his excitement, he's been depressed and It was gonna be an outlet wanted him to look at the thing he made and be happy. Just wanted to get him started in clay, but they ruined it with poor customer service. I see tons of hipster rich techi people get great customer service around SF by businesses like this, but idk seems to fall flat for the rest of us. I don't get it. Guess we're not "cool" enough. Don't waste your money here, plenty of other studios. read more

The space alone is so beautiful and elevated, while still feeling approachable and functional. Ashley's thoughtfulness and knowledge is evident through both the studio and her teaching. I gifted a 1-night Try the Wheel class to a friend, as we both had heard great things about this clay community. We both loved the class; it satisfied a lot of our ceramics curiosities. And we successfully left with complete pieces (well, will pick up later)! read more

Come join the most awesome clay studio in San Francisco!!! I just took the best glaze class at Hickory Clay this week. Small classes with lots of information. Or If you want to throw/build in a setting without dozens of people in a super clean, organized, glaze generous environment, go there!! I was so I impressed by Ashley's, one of the owners, knowledge and skill. The setting is gorgeous with 18 wheels and plenty of space. Parking was super easy too. Truly a happy place to be!! read more

Ashley was super helpful!! She was very considerate and helped us learn more about throwing on the wheel. Loved the vibe!

I just picked up my clay projects from a one-time clay class with Jerry. Jerry was a great instructor. His instructions were clear and he was very patient with me. I was impressed with the studio. It was clean, filled with natural light, and had a great vibe. I am planning to take the eight-week beginner class this Spring. I can recommend this class to everyone. There is plenty of easy parking. read more

Just left our "Couples" Try-it-out pottery session at Hickory Clay! It was such a blast! The instructor, Ashley, was incredibly kind, patient, and helpful, to the point of providing warm water for our buckets on a cold night. The greatest! We left with a super fun date night, a new hobby (hopefully!), and about three little pieces each! Highly recommend, although I'd selfishly like to keep this place a secret before the classes are full forever. read more

My girlfriend and I just did the "try it night wheel" class with Ashley and had an awesome time! We both had never worked with clay before and Ashley made it a really enjoyable experience. We attempted and failed throughout the night, but ultimately ended with a number of pieces we are proud to put our stamp on. Highly recommend the class for anyone seeking out a fun date or to get a little messy. The studio is beautiful and they keep the classes small for plenty of hands on instruction. Perfect city adventure. read more