Kouta Shimazaki is an amazing potter and an awesome instructor. San Diego Ceramic Connection is therapy

Came to get my SONO Chili fest Ticket and Bowl. I was so mad I missed last years event (first one after lockdown was lifted) that I knew I had to get here for the pre-sale! Did not disappoint! The line went down the entire BLOCK and around the corner-seriously!! At least 50+ chili heads were shivering in line when I got there around 6:40pm and they opened at 6:00! Who knows how long the line was before that! Picked my adorable bowl with the help of volunteer students from the studio and checked out super easy! The line turned out to be mainly because everyone was trying to find the 'best bowl that sung their heart song' lol. I even grabbed a yummy pizza and antipasto next door after, too! read more

The place is a hazard in all senses. There isn't enough lighting, the floors are uneven, the bathroom doesn't even have a functioning sink, the whole studio is so dirty and not kept up. Kouta is just a mean and if you aren't a favorite of his then be prepared to be ignored completely. Takes little to no accountability for teaching (if he decides to teach that day) or how he is rude and belittling to people. Do not recommend. read more

I've been coming to classes here for almost 2 years. Kouta is passionate about his art and provides a very relaxed studio atmosphere. You can get as much or as little instruction as you need. I hope I can continue coming here for many years! Thanks for teaching me so much Kouta! read more

Unfortunately I had the exact same negative impression of the owner dude- Kota, Kouttey - [ whatever his name is ] My friend and I have been an artistic team, very successful in public art installations, as well as, the design and installation of large commercial projects. Our work is all over the SD Zoo- Museums, etc. ..so having just beat four dozen teams nationally for a half million dollar project downtown [installed @ Crosby St. near Harbor Drive]- we got busy creating life-size human figures to be poured in bronze, we were creating an abstract stainless steel arc of fifteen Albacore tuna.....so we just wanted to find someone who could efficiently fire 2 little custom tiles with our names. The tiles would be set within an 850 sq. ft. mosaic area for the park - which sits there now. So we call ahead -he wasn't that communicative ...and told him the basics and then drove to SDCC. Basically, he was rude and unreceptive. Like, a person who eats a poor diet and so the result is poor brain function or social retardation. We didn't want to purchase a kiln- I could've fired these in my sleep...but sorry to say that this guy is a prick like the former reviewer expressed. Another thing: his building looks like a pile of S#=T! on cute little Thorn Street. DO SOMETHING dude!#&$*&#!!!! $! What a freaking eye sore for the businesses across and next to this dump. Oh. btw we had our names cast in bronze with our business logo. Capiche'?! read more

San Diego Ceramic Connection - front of SDCC owner: clean up this eye sore in our neighborhood - Art Galleries Near Me - San Diego, California

SDCC is great! I used to do a lot of ceramics in High School and College and have been looking to get back into a studio since I graduated and moved to San Diego. SDCC was the only studio to return my email and invite me to come in for a tour. All of the instructors are amazing, Erika, Katie, Kouta and Meredith are all awesome! I could not imagine being a part of another studio. I was a little rusty when I first started, so Katie and Meredith really helped me remember techniques and how to get my skill set back when it comes to throwing/hand building. Erika runs the open studios on Fridays, and even though it is an open studio with no real "instructor", Erika never hesitates to put her own work aside and help any of the students whenever a question arises. This is an amazing studio, and I have made so many friends since I started coming here in 2015. Sometimes it is hard to make the drive out to SDCC in the evenings, but I always try to make it there every week so I can interact with all of the incredible artists in the studio. All of the instructors work very hard to make the studio an inviting place to go. I could not have asked for more :) read more

San Diego Ceramic Connection - Photo from the Student Art Show at SDCC! Sold my first few ceramic pieces here :) - Art Galleries Near Me - San Diego, California

If you have always wanted to try your hand at the pottery wheel, this is the place to go. Kota, the owner, is cool, mellow and takes his art seriously while making sure you still have fun. It is almost like a local hangout for the students who come in and just pick up where they left off the last time they were in. Kota will start you off by showing you how to work with the clay, then you will go onto the wheel almost immediately. He will occasionally break open a bottle of wine or beer (for which there is a money jar that you can add to - no pressure though) and everyone sits and drinks at the end of the class. The class is very free form because most people are at different stages in the learning process. He also hosts a chili cook-off every year where students can sell the bowls they made. Purchasers of the bowls then try out all the chili, cornbread, dessert, etc. that neighbors/students have brought and vote on it. He also has an annual Mother's Day sale where students can sell their wares as well. This is a great neighborhood class and is super fun too. It's a good deal for the price and the comradarie. If you're hungry afterward, you can stop over at DeLuca's pizza just next door. Note: there is only street parking around the neighborhood, no actualy parking lot, but it should be pretty easy to find parking not far. read more

This is the place to go if you want to learn ceramics. Kouta makes learning ceramics super fun. You can bring in wine or beer (or sho-choo for Kouta) and enjoy it while playing with clay. For $200 you get 8 lessons, 8 open studio sessions, and unlimited use of supplies when in class. You get to learn everything from making plates, to the handles on tea cups. There is not very much structure to the class, and people move at their own pace. It's art--so you can't force it. You have to just let your talents unfold naturally. Another thing: Kouta seems to be the cornerstone of the community there. Neighborhood kids stop by and chat. You'll see him scolding them for not wearing a helmet while on their bicycle etc. He kind of has his finger on the pulse of his 'hood in North Park. It's cool. Especially if the parents are obviously not paying attention! read more

This place brought me back to my high school art class where I made the most kick ass jewelry box that the world has ever seen! Ok...so it wasn't that great, but ceramics is one of my favorite forms of art. I recently stepped in to this place get a bowl for the SONO Park Chilipallooza and found out how awesome the SDCC is. They do lessons with unlimited supplies, the staff is friendly, and you get to keep whatever creations you come up with. If you're looking for a new hobby I challenge you to make a better jewelry box than I did. read more

If you want to learn ceramics..SDCC is where you want to go! The class is taught by Kouta Shimazaki who is also the owner. The class is super chill and he just makes ceramics so much fun !! Personally, I thought everything I made was ugly. But Kouta always looked at everyones ceramics piece as "awesome" or a unique work of art. Everyone's ceramics piece will be different and everyone goes at their own pace. Kouta knows this and he is very helpful with making sure all his students have fun. I am definitely taking this class as many times as I can, and encouraging more people to take it too. -JOM read more

I appreciate the response from Kouta (owner) in regards to my previous review. He apologized for the misommunication and admitted that administrative tasks were not his stongest skill. I received a full refund today and thought it fair enough to update the review. I still look forward to putting these funds to use on some ceramics somehow. read more

If you are an experienced ceramicist and looking for little to no direction, this is the place for you. If you are just beginning ceramics, be aware the teacher/owner (Kouta) is either inebriated or lacking the patience to teach. Although the prior reviews boast about an atmosphere that is laid back; it should be pointed out the teacher simply lacks social skills and is unprofessional and makes for a tense working environment. If you are accustomed to disorganization and simply do not want to find your piece of art, this is the studio for you. If you like to be threatened into picking up your ceramics; even before it has been fired for the last time, Kouta is the teacher for you. While the instructor informed students the pieces were to be picked up by September 16th, he informed they were discarded even prior to their completion without further discussion. The teacher is unprofessional, has a bitter disposition and is simply rude. Do not waste your $200 here. read more

I'm only giving the SDCC a one star review because I never even got the opportunity to take classes here. I filled in the online registration form, and after a few days I didn't hear back so I called the number (as the auto-reply email said I should), but the phone number had been disconnected. So I sent an email with the same details as my registration form. I got a reply a few days later asking when I would like to start classes because there might not be availability, so I replied with my dates (which I had already stated twice; but I also said my dates were flexible) and I never received another response. I appreciate that the person running the SDCC might be busy etc, but if you want to offer classes to the public, than you actually have to respond to people who are interested in taking classes. read more

I went in to sign up for a class the guy was weird and not helpful. I would not recommend this place. The end.

I've been working with clay on and off for the better part of 15 years, so I was eager to find a studio when I moved to San Diego. At first I was skeptical of the concept of multi-level classes, where everyone goes at their own pace, but I came in with a couple of friends and decided to give it a try. And I couldn't be happier with the results! Kouta, the owner and instructor, is a phenomenal teacher. He is always available to demonstrate techniques or answer questions. With my friends, who had never tried ceramics before, Kouta spent as much time as they needed showing them all the basics of wheel work. For me, he was happy to let me do my own thing and just ask questions as needed. It is a testament to Kouta's abilities as a teacher that so many of his students end up loving ceramics and coming back for more and more classes. The studio is clean, the atmosphere is casual and friendly. There's always music playing and there's always food and/or beer that someone brings in. People stop by just to chat. There's open studio every Friday, and the price of a session gets you 8 classes (plus open studios, if you choose to go) plus unlimited materials. You will not find a better deal. read more

I love this place! I thought the price was fair for a 8 week course. I made some bowls and a vase. I turned my bowls into succulent displays. I was surprised how patient the owner was especially after reading the other reviews. The other students were also friendly and helpful so I didn't always have to bug the owner. Plus its next to Thorn St. so it was nice to grab a beer before class. I am hoping to sign up for additional classes....I really wanted to have Ghost moment....maybe next time! read more

SDCC is a great place with a very positive atmosphere. I have made a lot of great friends here. Kouta is an excellent instructor and artist. read more

Wonder if this place has gone out of business. I called and left messages last week and earlier this week, but have received no response. Don't know if staff are all on vacation (voice message doesn't say so), or they don't respond to calls inquiring about class information. Was hopeful to start a class so am disappointed. read more

I have been taking classes at SDCC on and off for several years. The atmosphere is very open for learning at all levels. If you have ever wanted to get your hands into clay, this is the place. Kouta, the owner and instructor, is a truly amazing artist. I don't feel like I could get this experience and exposure anywhere else. The classes are always filled with great people too. You will find this to be a fun and rewarding atmosphere for working with clay. read more