Pottery & Ceramic Classes
Parent Q&A
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Pottery for mom and daughter
July 2007
My 7 year old daughter and I are interested in taking a ceramics class together. We want to learn how to use a potters wheel. Are there any classes in Berkeley/Oakland for adults and kids together? Lisa
There's a GREAT drop-in studio (also offer classes) in West Berkeley: ''Brushstrokes Studio'', located at 745 Page St, bet. 4th and 5th Sts in Berkeley (close to the 4th St. Shopping District). see: http://www.brushstrokestudio.com/ (I made my daughter a b'day present there anon
Clay sculpting or pottery for adults
June 2004
My friend and I are looking for a clay sculpting or pottery class in the Oakland Park Ave/Lincoln Heights or Berkeley area. Hoping to find one on Wed. nights. We are beginners, not rich, and just want a creative, fun experience. Any recommendations? Caron
I took a beginners pottery class at UC Berkeley Art Studio. not for students only. it teaches you the basics and you can use the studio when there are no classes to practice on your own. check out their web site: http://www.asucartstudio.org/pages/ceramics.html have fun! Roni
May 2001
Re: pottery class for teens
The Albany Arts Gallery (on Solano Ave. at Masonic) offers ceramics classes for both beginning and intermediate level students, who are taught slab, wheel and sculpting.
They are small classes (maximum 8 students). They are not teen-specific classes but very teen friendly. My daughter, 14, has taken them during the school year and during the summer.
The sessions (2 weeks each) for this summer are: June 19 - 29, July 17 - 27, Aug. 7 - 17
For more information, call: 526-9558
Sally
In response to the Oct. 5th request for afterschool parent-child pottery class, I recommend Dianne Stockler. She offers afterschool classes and holiday workshops at her Berkeley home studio. I've done parent-child pottery classes with 2 of my sons, one at a time, when they were 8-12 y.o. We all enjoyed it and appreciated learning and creating together. Dianne can be reached at 849-3654. Celia (Oct 2000)
Ceramic Classes for Adults
I took an evening class at Piedmont Adult School that was very good and not expen sive. The teacher actually was able to teach me how to center on a wheel, which had elu ded me up to that point. This was a while ago, so I don't know if the class is still available.
Susan (5/99)
Re adult beginning ceramics classes: try Studio One in Oakland. It's a city facility, and they have lots of classes. Summer schedule is just about to come out. Classes fill fast. Montclair Rec Center may offer adult ceramics sometimes. Piedmont Adult School also. All phone numbers are in phone book.
Linda (5/99)
Hi! I walked past a place on Piedmont Avenue recently that seems to do this. It must be this place: https://www.kollektivclaystudio.com/ and it seems like it might fit the bill!
I’ve never been here but heard of a place called Kids n’ Clay that does this!
https://kidsnclay.com/one-time-visits
I'd check out Kollectiv Pottery on Piedmont Ave. They offer both 6-week classes and one-time drop ins where you can create something and then glaze it.
https://www.kollektivclaystudio.com/classes
It's not drop-in per se, but Kollectvie on Piedmont Avenue offers one-time classes and has summer camps for kids. People I know who go there love it. https://www.kollektivclaystudio.com/
How fun that he loves clay and wants to create with you and his aunt! Building with clay and painting it is a multi-step process that requires the clay piece to be built, dry completely, be fired in the kiln, glazed, and fired again. It is impossible to do in one sitting, hence the many paint a premade item places you are finding. Your best bet is probably to sign up for a class.
Cass Ceramics in Albany. My 12 year old daughter just took a private class with them to learn how to throw/use the wheel. They have open hours where you can just drop in and purchase the clay to use. The hours are listed on their website, but I had reached out to them with a handful of questions and they were very responsive. I recommend calling or emailing them with your questions, they were very helpful in getting my daughter started up.
Kids N Clay is a fantastic pottery studio in West Berkeley (San Pablo Ave) and they allow one-time visits on certain days/times: https://kidsnclay.com/one-time-visits I'm not sure if they allow adults as well or just kids, but might be worth reaching out
Hello! Look at the sticky art lab. They don’t have regular pottery sessions but they are exactly what you described.
Otherwise there is Kids n Clay but I don’t know if they have kids and adult classes.
There’s a place called Waveform on Aileen st that may fit your bill, I’m not 100% sure of their policy on children but I took a class with a teenager in it so I think they could be open to it. A great, smalll intimate studio.