My daughter and I had a fantastic time at the open class on a Friday night. We each got to make two small pots on the wheels. Absolutely okay for complete beginners! Pick up pots at a later date after they are fired. read more

Came here with a couple friends before the new year. I haven't painted pottery in several years and it was fun to find this place tucked away! I saw that beyond painting you can also use wheels and make your own stuff. There's a decent selection of things to paint (always the hardest choice) and then a wall filled with different paints and little pictures of what it'll actually look like once glazed. I appreciated the emphasis on how the color will differ based on how many layers you paint it. There's also soooo many stamps and lace and texture type stuff to help you in your design. You pay after finishing and then they'll call you once it's done (for me it was like two weeks later but it was also the holiday season). Very enjoyable time! read more

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The best place for all things clay related! Supplies, classes, art exhibitions are all very high quality with friendly and knowledgeable staff. read more

I absolutely love spending time here. I always go to the store area where they have the glazing tables where you can go and pretty much paint pre-molded pottery. one of my favorite stress, relievers, creative outlets I love having things that I could actually use and create myself when I have more time I plan to take some classes the staff is so helpful and kind definitely personable and knowledgeable It's nice to be greeted. The prices are really decent. There's things you could do for under $10 and they also have larger projects you can work on. Just depends on what mold they have at the moment. Turnaround time is usually like two weeks. They really organized. I have nothing but good things to say about this place.. read more

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Queen City Clay is awesome! The atmosphere is very welcoming and collaborative, the teaching is great, and you're playing in the mud. What more could you want? read more

Queen City Clay is the best studio I've ever been to. I've lived in 15 different locations in my adult life and have seen and used many ceramic studios, and it's by far the best. Friendly, helpful staff and members, with all the support and supplies anyone could ask for. Classes are great too! I'm hooked. read more

I've taken a few classes here (both 8-week and 1-day) and have loved them all. Very friendly instructors, very helpful people in the studio. I had never done pottery before and have had a great experience. Would recommend for beginners! read more

A great community where you can learn from the very basics up through very advanced skills to work with clay and glaze. The classes fill up quickly so you might need to be patient to join an 8-week session but the open wheel class is an easy way to try it out. You won't find a better equipped studio or more capable instructors anywhere else! read more

Queen City Clay - Wheel thrown plates - Arts & Crafts Near Me - Norwood, Ohio

OH MY GOODNESS. 1st of all- this is the dream, like seriously, community studio, classes, workshops, artist rental space is upstairs, full storefront with everything you could need to work your craft! PLUS gallery space throughout- oh my! This is the Queen of clay, hands down. I was told first thing this morning to go to Queen City Clay today, so when I was growing tired of walking, I headed over and still ended up walking a ton. They had a sale going thanks to NCECA being in town- so I bought a couple glazes, a pair of pottery earrings and one tool... and then bought magnets from one of their upstairs artists! I was having way too much fun. Then the studio- so. many. wheels!!! And so many kilns! I was just in awe. And the gallery displays of fantastic art everywhere. They have displays in the store and then several dedicated spaces to show exhibits. I didn't even go downstairs where they hold kids classes! Future visits to Cincinnati will always include a stop here. Seriously the best, hands down, pottery studio I have ever seen. 50 thousand square feet dedicated to clay and art! #lifegoals read more

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My friends and I took the Adult Open Wheel class (which is BYOB!) and it was a great girls night! JW was an AWESOME (and funny) instructor and the helpers were great too! We were able to practice on 2 pieces and then you had a choice to glaze one or both. We will be coming back! read more

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Amazing place with amazing people! You'll learn a lot and be surrounded by great people.

We had our daughter's birthday party there last week and the staff were amazing! They handled 14 six year old's wonderfully, keeping them engaged and happy! We also used their party room for cake and ice cream. Such a great spot for all the kids and parents to gather, lots of room and we were able to use their freezer for ice cream. Awesome experience, thank you Queen City Clay! read more

My friend and I attended the holiday bazaar. There were 50-ish vendors selling all sorts of different pottery in different styles and glazes. I bought several pieces for myself and one I can't wait to give as a gift. Very reasonable prices compared to a retail store or some arts & crafts area like Gatlinburg. At one point, a worker noticed our arms were full and helped us "start a cart" by putting our items in a box and labeling it with our name. That was helpful and we picked up more pieces. I definitely could see making this an annual trip. They also had plenty of off-street free parking as well as two food trucks serving food and beverages. There are two checkout lanes and they are both a little slow. It's because they take the time to wrap your pieces so they make the trip home. Be patient and make some friends in line! read more

Queen City Clay - Small pottery bowl from a vendor - Arts & Crafts Near Me - Norwood, Ohio

I originally took an "open wheel" class on a Saturday night with my girlfriend. She has pottery experience, I had none. It was a great class for beginners and for people who had some pottery experience but haven't gotten to use a wheel for a few years. We both loved the class so much that I bought a studio rental membership for my girlfriend so she can get back into making pottery. The store offers everything someone could need to make professional pieces, and they even have a purchase price for members of $1/pound to fire pieces in the kiln. Everyone working here is very friendly, and it is just an overall great environment to be in. read more

Queen City Clay - Arts & Crafts Near Me - Norwood, Ohio

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My girlfriend took me here for an open wheel class. Great for newbies and people that have put a hold on it and just need a refresher! I loved it so much that she got me a studio membership as a gift. Staff is very friendly and helpful! The studio membership has been amazing so far! I can't wait to renew my membership :) read more

Went with a group of 8 girls for a friends bday (age 28). I didn't give them much time (1 week) before I called to book but they were able to find someone to teach our class (thank you!!) I would recommend calling further in advance so they have time to plan. But they were very accommodating. When we go there we had brought wine and some small plastic cups as it can get very messy with the clay. There isn't much time to drink as we were all focused on making our pots, but we didn't really need to. The 3 instructors were very laid back but willing to help when needed. The instruction was broken up into 3 sessions to assist each person in being self sufficient at the wheel. The first pot you make is included in the price but any additional pieces are $5 for them to glaze. I am not an artist at all and I had so much fun and ended up with 2 pieces. Overall, the group had an amazing time and it was a fun way to learn a new craft. Will definitely be recommending this to other groups. read more

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I set this up as a date night with my wife and from what I read, it seemed like it would be pretty laid back and we would have plenty of time to cobble together a few pots on the open wheel. They even encouraged BYOB...so bring we did. Class started at 5p and we arrived 10 minutes early. Walked towards the desk and there were two people checking out. Their check out took over 10 minutes and when the girl at the desk took us to the back, the instructor and the class gave us a, "Finally, they showed up" sort of thing. Nothing harmful, all in good fun, but it certainly got us off on the wrong foot...even when we were early/on time. Instructor was a guy and really funny; I want to say his name was Jason, but I don't remember. There were 4 other people in the class (another couple and two friends.) We went into it not expecting to walk out with world class pieces of pottery and the instructor made that pretty well known from the get-go. No worries--we're here to have a good time, maybe make something we can say, "I made this," and casually enjoy a beer. Class started off with all of us bringing our stools to the front while he showed us the basics of how to turn our wheels on, get them wet, etc. I have no idea how they would accomplish this with a bigger class, but for our group of 6 it was fine. Turned our wheels on, sat correctly in our stools, got them wet, yada yada yada. 10 minutes later, we're called back to the front to show how to throw the clay on the wheel, get it spinning at the right speed, start forming, etc. This, for me, was the meat-and-bones of our instruction for the night. Our instructor kept it very loose, but it was still informative. After 10 minutes of instruction, we're sent back to our wheels. Instructor did his thing at the front while we all got started. He walked around offering advice to each person as they needed it. My wife was like a fish to water and got the hang of it pretty quickly; as did the guy in the other couple that was there. The rest of us were pretty lost and the girl behind me demanded a lot of attention from the instructor. She was asking for his assistance or a question of him every 2 minutes; not an exaggerated "every 2 minutes" but literally every 2 minutes. After 20 minutes of us spinning clay, he brought all of us towards the front with our stools. He showed us a few more things on the clay: how to do different designs, how to finalize it, and how to take it off the wheel if we liked our finished product. This instruction was another 10 minutes. Back to our wheels we went. During this time, he could tell I was struggling so he came over to help me fix my mistake. Got it off the wheel for me and said, "Go ahead and make another one." This was the only one-on-one instruction I got and it probably occurred around 6 o'clock. This could be taken two ways: 1.) I'm not a pottery expert, I (very clearly) had never done this before, why am I getting any kind of "help" after being in class for almost an hour? (All others were being visited like a bee collecting pollen from flowers) 2.) There's still an hour of class left...for the reasons I already stated, why didn't I get any, "How's it going? Do you like how it's turning out?" going forward? There were 6 of us, not 60. Started with more clay thinking I could do this. After 10 minutes, I had a pot completely collapse. We were told to pitch this clay so air left in the collapse wouldn't lead to explosions in the kiln. It made sense to me, so I got more clay. Good attempt, but same result: collapse. During this time, everyone is still being visited. My wife and the other guy are doing a really good job (and the instructor is stopping by each of them to tell them.) The girl behind me is still keeping pace with her questions and the other two people in the class seem to be having a good time. I'm just putting clay on a wheel and forming pots that collapse. Alone. :`( At 6:20p, the instructor starts telling us to wrap up the pot we're working on because clean-up will start at 6:30p. I was kind of stunned because I thought we'd be having fun until 7 (as their site says.) I have nothing to show for a pot, so I start cleaning up. Full disclosure: clean-up there is a HUGE time commitment, especially for a beginner. My thoughts would be to have the class be a full 2 hours and list there will be clean-up afterwards -or- include it in the price to pay someone to do it (instructor and the person in the front for example.) 90 mins of class with only ~30-40 minutes on the wheel seemed not worth it. He went on and on about how everything needed to be clean and he made a crazy claim at the end about McDonald's putting clay in their milkshakes (no sarcasm.) I checked Snopes afterwards (not true.) No beers the whole night. We picked up our glazed pieces (they do that for you) a few weeks later, glazes look sloppy. I'd give them 2.5 if I could, but "meh" overall and pricey for what it is. read more

Queen City Clay has the largest class selection in the city and absolutely great field trip programming!

This is pretty much my favorite place on the earth. Everything here is wonderful, and it is wonderful because of the people. Ben, the owner, sets such an amazing tone. All experience levels are welcomed and encouraged. The staff follow suit... just a great team of people. The students and studio members are kind, considerate and encouraging. From wheel throwing to hand building to sculpting and painting, the resources are there. The talent/knowledge in this space is incredible. I spend as much time as possible at Queen City Clay. read more

I have been taking classes at Queen City Clay for over six months now and have loved every second of it. The staff is amazing at helping you learn and grow into someone who has never worked with clay before to someone making quality pieces! The value for your money on classes is also great as it includes class time, firing, glaze and also open access to the studio. Whether you're there for classes or open wheel nights, you're bound to have a great time. I highly recommend checking them out! read more

This place is really wonderful. I came here with absolutely no experience with clay. Now, I'm able to form great pots, vases, etc. I have been able to rely on Queen City Clay as a place to learn and grow. It's my outlet to my stressful job. The environment is really wonderful. Everyone is very kind, the instructors are very informative and its a great pottery community. Great place to make friends and pick up an awesome hobby! It just takes practice :) read more

For years I wanted to learn how to throw on a Potter's wheel. I previously lived in a city where the closest place to learn was well over an hour away. But once we moved to Cincinnati I jumped at the chance to take a class. After looking around and comparing prices I came here. This studio was the only one I saw that lets you come practice as long as you want, when you take an 8 week class, without paying for extra time on the wheel. Class was amazing!! Great teachers. Very helpful. The first night was so cool to actually see something I made. Now this piece wasn't a work of art. You have to practice to get better. And practicing there is easy since you don't have to pay extra for time on the wheel. You only pay for extra clay and extra firings IF you go beyond the 25 for class (which is hard to do unless you are there everyday for hours). Practicing in the studio is very amazing. The community of potters who go there are so helpful. There are instructors around on their off hours and if you have questions or struggles they will help, I've never seen anyone be told no. I'm beyond happy to have found this studio. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity! read more

Best place in the region to develop as a ceramic artist! I first attended Open Wheel with a girlfriend. We laughed, we drank, we got our hands dirty, and we ended up with pots that we were proud to display. The studio glazed and fired the pots for us and they were ready for pickup in about a week, totally worth the money for an entertaining night out and I have recommended the event to basically all of my friends since then. I returned to take their 8 week Wheel 1 class, which led to Wheel 2, which eventually led to their advanced Wheel 3 class. The studio is exceptionally well equipped with wheels, slab rollers, clay tools, extruders, plaster molds, several glaze choices, glaze spray booth, and both electric and gas firing kilns. The teaching staff are incredibly qualified and have helped me develop many technical and artistic skills on and off the wheel. The student environment was welcoming, helpful, and friendly as well. Each 8 week session is something like $230, but with it you get 16 hours of quality instruction, unlimited studio time, access to all studio glazes, and firing for up to 25 pieces (basically, you are getting a really good deal). If you are looking for a date night, try Open Wheel. If you are looking for something more long term with a bit more depth, this is the place to be. Becoming a ceramic artist at Queen City Clay has been one of the best investments of both my time and money! read more

Great staff, great studio, great vibes, all great! I highly suggest Queen City Clay! I love that they have classes ranging from intro to fascinating advanced topics that rotate from session to session. So there's always something new for everyone. Such a positive environment. read more

The people here are amazing. Plenty of room, good vibes, and an amazing selection of glazes.

This is such an amazing place to work and have fun :-) my husband John and I have been coming for almost 2 years, and it gets better every single day. We love the sense of community, positive, upbeat, interesting, & extremely talented staff, and the facility is very inviting. I highly encourage anyone interested in trying out working with clay, to come and give it a try. It's a great place to spend time, relax, and get rid of stress. John and I both have full-time jobs, yet we find time almost every evening and weekend to come and enjoy. Working in Clay is very grounding, creative and fun! read more

This studio is HUGE and offers so much more than you would expect. There is an open wheel night to check out throwing pottery just to see if it's for you. There is a pottery painting studio where you can paint what you want on any piece you want. There are classes for beginners and more experienced people too. The staff is knowledgeable, creative and willing to share. Seems there is always a party going on in this place...great fun! read more

This place is amazing!!! I have a really stressful job and this has become my haven. Everyone is so nice and super helpful. Whether you are a beginner or have thrown before there is a class that will appeal to you each session. read more

I have been coming to this studio for a long time. I can't imagine pursuing my passion anywhere else! The staff is knowledgeable, courteous, helpful, fun to work with and learn from. They bend over backwards to get what you need or teach you what you want to learn. It's like family. So much talent under one roof! So, what are you waiting for - Get down here!! read more

Queen City Clay is an amazing clay studio with classes at every level of making pottery and ceramics. It's a big studio with a painting studio enclosed! Great teachers, professional staff, and happy students are in abundance! Take a class and come in to work whenever the studio is open. Community is a big plus, too! read more

Queen City Clay (Formerly Funke Fired Arts)....Great place to learn for the new, mid and advanced student. Classes for everyone. I have my own studio but take a class about once per year and have recently taken their workshop on making your own brushes (loved it!). Highly recommend their classes. read more

Attended a high school field trip as a parent chaperone. The facility was clean, well organized and had a good inventory. The staff was very knowledgeable, however, the lead instructor Tony, in an attempt to be funny, was very sarcastic and rude. He singled me out to be the butt of his jokes for the day, and, having 6 brothers, was able to take his jabs in stride. However he went over the line and essentially told me I was stupid and couldn't follow directions. I was fuming when I left. I thought it was just me, but the other parents and students had same/ similar comments. Further, in speaking with others that had attended on other occasions, they all felt the same. It's been said you may not remember exactly what someone says to you, but more of how they made you feel. I definitely felt angry and belittled and would never go back. Tony either needs to be re- educated or re-assigned. His female counterpart was not much help/better. Further, I read and agree with another review that related a large amount of time devoted to clean up as part of the class time. For the cost of the class I agree this should be reconsidered. read more

I attended the open wheel class on a Saturday morning for my first experience at throwing clay. I had a blast! The instructors were extremely friendly, funny, and very talented. The instructions are given and demonstrated step by step as you make your items. Most everyone completed 2 items and then you are given choices on a glaze. You pick the items up a few weeks later once they have been through two (bisque and then glaze) firing processes. Fun and exciting! Definitely recommended! read more

I would highly recommend Queen City Clay (used to be Funke Fired Arts) to anyone who wants to either experience clay for the first time or who wants space to work. It has been a fantastic part of our first year in Cincinnati. My teenage daughter is there regularly. The many potters who work or rent space there range from novice to professional, and my daughter has been able to see a huge variety of work. People are supportive of one another, and she has been able to attend lectures and workshops and to get individual instruction. We had a friend visit from California, and she took a private lesson just for fun and loved it. My other daughter has done work in the painting studio, and Laurie, who runs that section, is extremely knowledgeable about and helpful with the glazes. If you want to make pots from scratch and are new to pottery, keep in mind that your initial lessons are just that, lessons - you will learn, but you might not take home a piece you are happy with initially. It's like other craft/art forms - making pottery takes skill, and skill takes practice. read more