I've been taking handbuilding pottery classes at another space in town but I wanted to try out wheel throwing before committing to a full semester. My hand/eye coordination is not great (which is why I tend to gravitate towards sculpture and more controlled building) but wheel throwing is such an amazing artform I wanted to give it a shot, but I knew if I didn't enjoy it right off the bat that I didn't want to be stuck for weeks doing it. Luckily, Yourist offers a "try it out" wheel throwing session once a month and I was able to sign up for the May session along with my husband, cousin, and aunt. It was so fun to do this experience together with my family and I surprisingly took to the wheel pretty easily. During this session you're given a tutorial on the equipment then a demo with explanation of how to throw your own bowl, including posture, hand positioning, and tips for success. Then you're given three balls of wedged clay and are let loose to practice on your own as they instructors work the room to help you if you're struggling and cheer you on if you're doing well. You're then welcome to keep any three of the bowls you make and they'll fire and glaze them (based on your choice of glaze for each piece) for you for pick up a month later. First piece is $10 with every additional piece $5. I'm proud to say that I made 2 very nice bowls and one bowl that turned into more of a sake cup after I got too ambitious and the top of my bowl collapsed. But they all looked nice in their own way so I decided to keep all three. The glazes they have are really lovely, too, and make any piece, no matter how wonky (like my sad sake cup) look beautiful. I also found I loved the experience so much that for my next class I signed up for a hybrid wheel throwing and handbuilding class so I could get better at both. I also really enjoyed my time at this studio and have bookmarked several classes I'd like to take there in the future, including day workshops focused on specific topics. Once I feel confident enough in my foundational education I hope to also join the community workspace where, for a monthly fee, you have access to their studio to work independently. It's such a welcoming environment, I highly recommend checking it out! read more

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This is a cool little studio. I was actually just stopping in at the convenience store that's in the same little strip mall and thought I'd stop in to see what Yourist was about. They have a tiny one-room gallery, but it's full of nifty pottery. Some of the items are mostly decorative, but the display also included useful items, like an olive oil/garlic plate, a soap holder, mugs and so on. There were many items for sale under $20 and even several under $10, and this would be a good place to pick up unique gift items for the artsy friend on your Christmas list. The other half of the Yourist building is a studio/art school. They offer classes for beginners and more advanced students, ranging from a beginner's class in throwing pottery on the wheel to a class in learning to glaze and paint the pottery you've already created. In addition to several classes for adults, they offer after-school kids clay classes as well, at pretty reasonable rates. read more

Yourist Studio Gallery - Art Galleries Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

What a great place to expand your horizons and stretch those creative muscles! I took a 6-week Coffee n Clay class where we made small bowls, easy plates, a box, your own stamp, an inflate-vase... and whatever else you wanted to make, which for me was a cake stand and a cheese plate and some soap dishes as well. I like that you are free to do whatever you want, but the instructor is there to teach you different methods and ways of making things. I highly recommend the classes for anyone curious about pottery. It was all really fun and the people are so nice. I'm having pretty withdrawal now that my class is over! read more

Came here for a Valentine's date "Try it out" class. Staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating to all of our beginner needs. Very helpful in making our pots look presentable and stepping in to guide us during the difficult steps of making a pot. Our pots had an issue due to the clay used during the session and all of them blew up in the oven. The staff reached out to me and offered a free class for us to attend, refunded our original visit and pots that we purchased and comped our new pots that we made at our "re-do class". Very very nice of them to do all of that and thought it was very generous of them to offer us an entire re-do class free of charge, as well as letting us take our pots home without paying for those new ones as well. They have a lot of heart and clearly take a lot of pride and joy in hosting these classes and showing this art to new people. Would recommend anyone interested in pottery to stop by for a class! read more

I've taken classes with kay and nancy and rented studio time at Yourist. It's a great place for all ages, levels of expertise for the newbie, intermediate/advance and even working artists. I only done ceramics at AA art center and Kay's. i love the that Yourist is just ceramics, easier parking and the people are really nice and talented. read more

A very pleasant atmosphere to learn. Instructors have a wealth of knowledge and skill and help each student learn at their pace. Classes include additional open studio time to practice. Would recommend for anyone looking for a supportive atmosphere to get started in ceramics. read more

Got a groupon last year and got completely addicted. It is so relaxing after a rough week to focus on creativity and clay. Aside from great teachers - there are some "regulars" at the studio who are really helpful and talented. They helped a newbie like me to go from things that look like my daughter did them in art class to lovely functional pieces really quickly. read more

I've taken introductory and intermediate classes at the Yourist Studio and have had a wonderful time. Kay is a great teacher, there's a fun, relaxed atmosphere and each term there's a wide variety of classes and open sessions to practice and hone the craft. We also had a 12 years olds party there with 10 kids and 3 adults doing pinch pots and pieces from the slab roller. The kids loved it and we returned for a painting party a few weeks later after their pieces had been bisqued and fired. read more

I took an introductory class here recently and enjoyed it. The studio is nice and relaxed and Kay was a great teacher and very accommodating, especially since I was a newbie. There are a wide variety of classes that you can take at just about every level, all of which are well priced. read more

On somewhat of a whim I signed up for a class at the Yourist Pottery Studio. Everyone's nice and really encouraging and it's a great environment for exploring your creative side. The instructors (especially Kay) really encourage me to let loose and have fun! I will be signing my daughter up for one of the kids classes and plan to attend one of the Coffee and Clay classes. Money well spent!!! read more

This is a great studio. All the people at the studio are friendly and helpful, and are willing to share tips and ideas. The studio is very well equipped for wheel-throwing and handbuilding,and many wonderful glazing choices to complete each one of a kind piece of pottery. The gallery is a great place to see a creative display of reasonably priced and locally produced ceramics. Overall The Yourist Studio is a terrific place to visit or work. A great destination. read more

This is the only pottery studio I've been too, but I have nothing but great things to say about it. Everyone (students and teachers) are really friendly and amazingly supportive. Each teacher has a slightly different style of teaching and are very good at teaching the basics. But they encourage creativity and seem to genuinely want to see you improve. I can't say enough about the staff. Great place to get your hands dirty! read more

Got a Groupon to take a beginner's introduction pottery class. Instructor was rude and pushy. Cut our class short by a half hour and made us throw out anything that wasn't done at that time (even if it was over half way done). Would probably never go back for any other classes here. read more

Best pottery studio ever. If someone needs help and support it is always available. This is an extremely well equipped studio with professional teachers and talented studio members. The gallery has beautiful art pottery at reasonable prices. Also there are rotating exhibits and shows by nationally recognized artists as well as local and regional artists. A huge selection of clay tools are displayed for sale. A very positive pleasant environment! read more