Clay Pottery Studio

We had a FABULOUS experience at Clay on First for our team-building ceramics class! Brandon made the whole process smooth and easy to plan, and our instructors, Angel and Marc, were fantastic—patient, fun, and super knowledgeable. A+ all around. Team CBC Blair HIGHLY recommends!

I’ve been looking for a new hobby, so I decided to visit The Pottery Studio in Long Beach for a class. The instructor was so patient and made sure everyone was comfortable, whether you were a beginner or more experienced. The space itself is really cool—lots of colorful pottery on display. I was able to create a small bowl that I’m now obsessed with. It’s a great way to relax and do something creative, and I’ll definitely be returning!

I'm currently have a membership at this pottery studio. I have been going here for a few months now and I can't lie but I love this place. The workers are friendly and honestly do a lot to keep this studio running. In the front of the studio, there are pottery pieces that members have made and are for sale. In the middle theres a shelf of things you're allowed to use and 6 wheels available to use. Towards the back, there are the kilns, sink, and restroom. Currently we are in a pandemic but Clay on First has been doing really well keeping the place clean and tighty. There are disposable masks available to use. Hand sanitizers available in 2 different places. Lysol spray to disinfect. I could tell this studio really cares about their members. Whenever I had questions about anything during after hours, I would shoot them an email and they have always responded pretty quickly. The staff are amazing and they have a lot of things available to use along with their membership. Some things this studio has the following available to use: -restroom -Roughly 20 cone 10 glazes / hand drill to mix glazes -under glazes -Bats / bat pins -Wax /wax brushes -sponges -Trimming tools / needle tools / ribs / etc -slab roller -pot lifters -Scale -6 throwing wheels -spay bottles -aprons / towels PS. This list is not everything but most things I could think off my head. This studio has a lot of things so you don't really have to go out to buy your own things unless you want to. I honestly think I'll keep the membership here because it's a good studio and playing with clay is really relaxing.

Great facility and community! Classes are led by talented and friendly instructors. The teaching studio (classes) are all mid fire (cone 5.) The membership space is primarily high fire (cone 10) with the option of firing your work at a lower temperature. This place is run by a friendly couple, Long Beach locals and is an artist led community space. The membership studio boasts 24/7 access and a strong, friendly community; I quickly felt at home here. Grateful studios like this exist! The staff is very knowledgeable and incredibly friendly. Great place for all skill levels. 🔥 5 ⭐️

Signed up for the one time class and absolutely loved it. Instructor was very nice and knowledgeable. Will sign up for more classes.

Super fun experience! We went to here on a Groupon deal and spent 2 hours making 3 projects. If you leave a Yelp review, you will be able to get one of your projects glazed for free

My daughter is a member of the studio and took me for Mother's Day. ❤️ They offer lessons at the studio if you're interested in learning a very calming skill. There is also an attached store that would be a nice stop if your in the neighborhood.

This was my first ceramic sale in a long time. In spite of the rain forecast, I had a few happy clients. 😊

First time here and took intro to clay making. Kenzie (sorry if misspelled) was our instructor was highly positive and engaging learning environment. Kenzie was knowledgeable, approachable and made the experience so fun! Definitely going back!

A cute little studio spot in downtown long beach! Attended a throwing class here and the instructor was very knowledgeable and friendly. $80 gets you a 2 hour class with 2 attempts and 1 piece to take home. The instruction time is well used and we definitely gained an appreciation for the difficulty of working with clay!

Class was great! The instructor seems to really know what he's doing. He explained everything and helped us with our pottery pieces. We got a couple's class and it included drinks and a charcuterie board. I gave them only four stars because at the end of the class the instructor was left alone. He ended up doing the work of two since the other person left. I would also suggest to have someone go around the room to take pictures of the couples since everyone's hands are dirty from the clay.

I took a class here randomly. It's something I've always want to do. I forgot the instructors name but she was super nice and helpful. If you told her what you wanted to accomplish she gave advice. She was super helpful. For the price it was pretty good. You get an excellent teacher and can make two pieces. Though you can only get one for free. I think it was great. Will be back.

At first, I was scared, but Mark quickly helped make our party comfortable. This place is a fun local easy going spot. You get personal 1 oh one attention classes are usually small. Bring your friends you don't need to know anything about pottery. It's a lot of fun. Had a blast. Thank you, Mark.

Good people! Positive experience! I noticed that they were kind and patient. Ceramics is so fun...have a great time with clay and expression!

Great Birthday surprise! My daughter signed us up for a pottery class, hosted by Kenzie. Kenzie was very kind, great with instructions and super helpful & encouraging! Small class of 8 people, very comfortable. Recommend wearing clothes you can wash, even with their aprons messy fun!

I've always wanted to try out pottery but had no idea where to start until my friend introduced me to Clay. This is a local pottery shop in downtown Long Beach and it has now been my favorite studio to go to when it comes to classes and practice! Since it is located in downtown, they only offer metered street parking, but I've always been able to find a parking spot somewhere nearby even on busy days! I was able to easily purchase my pass online and it's pretty standard pricing compared to all of the other pottery studios I've checked out. But I do appreciate how they offer sales every now and then, because it definitely helps with the overall cost. They have a small storefront where they sell cute knick knacks and in the back is their actual studio. I've been attending their multi-class series and my favorite instructor has to be Mark! He's so attentive to everyone, provides great feedback, and also is so supportive in whatever it is you're trying to create! It's been an amazing time learning from someone so talented and kind.

GREAT Place. Staff are all amazing. It is fun taking a class by yourself or with friends. The teachers are very helpful.

I have been a member for two years and would never have left if not for the fact I am leaving Long Beach. I have been a member of other studios and this one is particularly well staffed, organized, and is full of very skilled potters. The skilled members make it a particularly great studio. Olivia, a staff member, was always so kind and knowledge and offered great advice whenever I was trying to solve a pottery challenge. She goes above and beyond to make sure everyone is taken care of. I will always remember my times at Clay and will miss it dearly. Five stars!

What a beautiful experience! It was calming and healing working with my hands. My friend and I took the intro class. Kenzie was an amazing teacher. She provided a calm atmosphere and made the process easy. It was my first time doing pottery. I learned a lot and enjoyed it. I recommend this class for couples or groups. It's a good bonding activity.

*Responding to the most common complaint about contacting the studio - You can text the phone line! It is not like someone is next to the phone the whole time - there are literally only two workers (often not there at the same time) that have multiple tasks like unloading/loading the kiln, preparing classes, assisting in production etc. The best thing to do is to come in during the open hours to ask about ceramic ware pick up. Also Eloise (co-owner of Clay) is super on top of the email so feel free to reach out that way. Remember this is a small community studio and be nice :) As a first responder, I felt burnt out especially after Los Angeles county was hit so hard in the winter of 2020/2021. When Clay opened back up around May, I was excited to join for classes. I took the basic series (9 classes) with Jojo and Cole. I loved it so much that I decided to become a member where you get a shelf, a key to the studio, and free firing and glazing. Almost everyday after work, I would go to wheel throw. I have since moved across the country and joined another ceramic studio. I can now more accurately describe how special Clay is after having another studio to compare. This studio is EXTRAORDINARY. Incredibly affordable, I will argue the most affordable pottery studio on either coast for the membership. The studio offers several options for clay bodies as well at a discount compared to big companies due to the whole sale discount. It is a very big deal that they do not charge members and students kiln fees. The two technicians - Collin and Olivia are literal gems and quickly became my good friends. They are very very hardworking and I always see them hustling. After going to another studio, I realized that other studios are not as inviting and community oriented. The studio is relatively diverse with a young crowd as well. Overall, I miss this studio so much. For those interested in a membership and more regular ceramics, this is the place. I hope to return soon! So jelly that they have a handbuilding class now :O

Such a fun place to bring the kids for clay classes. The lady that runs the classes is kind and patient. Every time we have attend their classes my kids come out wanting to book another class. Such an awesome learning experience.

I tried to talk to someone there. One of the employees came to the door and proceeded to close and lock the door in my face without even asking me anything or saying anything to me. It was actually the second time that happened at this location. I had already bought all of my supplies. I wanted to ask questions in person. The 2 different women act so entitled. I am a local artist. I do MANY crafts. I will never go back and preach what terrible people work there. SOOO Disappointed !!!

This was an absolute amazing experience, we went for the pottery class for kids and the instructor was so amazing. Super patient, informative and creative. Hands on experience with options for different sculptures and colors to choose from. Definitely have your kids take a class or grown up class both are fun and interactive.

I'm currently have a membership at this pottery studio. I have been going here for a few months now and I can't lie but I love this place. The workers are friendly and honestly do a lot to keep this studio running. In the front of the studio, there are pottery pieces that members have made and are for sale. In the middle theres a shelf of things you're allowed to use and 6 wheels available to use. Towards the back, there are the kilns, sink, and restroom. Currently we are in a pandemic but Clay on First has been doing really well keeping the place clean and tighty. There are disposable masks available to use. Hand sanitizers available in 2 different places. Lysol spray to disinfect. I could tell this studio really cares about their members. Whenever I had questions about anything during after hours, I would shoot them an email and they have always responded pretty quickly. The staff are amazing and they have a lot of things available to use along with their membership. Some things this studio has the following available to use: -restroom -Roughly 20 cone 10 glazes / hand drill to mix glazes -under glazes -Bats / bat pins -Wax /wax brushes -sponges -Trimming tools / needle tools / ribs / etc -slab roller -pot lifters -Scale -6 throwing wheels -spay bottles -aprons / towels PS. This list is not everything but most things I could think off my head. This studio has a lot of things so you don't really have to go out to buy your own things unless you want to. I honestly think I'll keep the membership here because it's a good studio and playing with clay is really relaxing.

My teenager and I took the intro to wheel pottery class with Kenzie and Chris. We had an awesome time, and the instructors were wonderful. They were helpful, and kind, and encouraging. We can't wait to go back and take a full series.

Shout out to Daniel for being such an awesome, helpful, fun, and patient instructor. My sister and I attended one of the throwing classes with him today and he created such a community in those two hours. He made it feel safe to mess up and was always offering pointers. He was super duper cool and we will absolutely be coming back. Even the cleaning up part was cool! It felt very much like we were a community taking care of the space and not like a chore. The whole thing was awesome. Oh also, tip: if the Clay store is closed you can enter through the mushroom store

3.5 stars. What a fun experience with my boyfriend on 8/6/17 :) The process of booking the Groupon was easy, but on their website was a bit difficult as it confused me when I entered two different codes. I ended up with two different confirmations under my name, but that's okay because it was fixed right when we got to the location. Parking was also a bit confusing, but alas we found one that was available and we scored on free parking! You get one giant block of clay to work with and cut into 4 different pieces. You gotta pound it to make it more malleable. It can be stressful at first because of not being able to mold your clay. Our instructor, Ariel, was pretty knowledgeable and able to help you if you somehow tear into your clay model. I kind of got the hang of it after a few tries, but still found it stressful, lol! After the 2 hour session was over, we all had to clean up our stations... which took awhile because there was about 10 of us and only 2 sinks. You also get an option to purchase a colored glaze for your piece, which is an additional $5 per piece. She stated that it will take anywhere from 6-8 weeks and they hold it up to 8 months for you. I didn't enjoy the fact that we didn't get a receipt with our payment and had to ask for one. Anywho, thanks for teaching us the basics! We can't wait to pick up our 4 pieces!

I felt so bittersweet about my experience at Clay's so it has taken me a while to gather my thoughts to give a fair review of my experience. I was torn between giving a 3 star or a 4 star, but I had to really ask myself, would I come back here? The answer is no, I would not come back so I can't really give them that 4. The studio is intimate and I can see that if I had a different instructor, I may have enjoyed my experience more. Our young and friendly purple-haired instructor KEPT INTERFERING with our artwork ... I actually really liked my first piece but she kept insisting that I keep on messing with it and it literally tore right in front of here and she just walked away... like do better on your next one... This also happened with my cousin where she was hands on trying to show him something and she told him to step on the pedal and his amazing artwork tore up right in the middle. We had 4 things to make and on the 4th thing she was going on and on about how she would leave us alone unless we basically begged her to help us... and guess what? She still came by and interfered. I was so over it... After we were done we had to intensely clean... There was only 2 sinks and about 9 of us had to wait to wash up all of our tools and work station stuff... It was like slave work. I would pay a studio more just to avoid this whole cleaning thing. It really takes away from the fun of the experience. Hidden fees!! If you would like to keep any of your pieces, that is not included with the course fees. Each piece you would like to glaze and kiln is an additional $5. My cousin and I both pondered if we cared to come back to Long Beach considering we didn't looooove any of our other pieces. We paid for 1 each but I might be too lazy to drive to Long Beach to pick it up... If it's your first time, wear clothes you aren't afraid of getting dirty... probably pants since you have to put your legs around the wheel. Dresses are not recommended. I also recommend trimming your nails down short so the clay does not get stuck in your nail or tear up your artwork. Good luck!! I hope you get Clay teaching your class and not the instructor we had.

Such a fun experience!!! Came here on a date with my bf not knowing anything about pottery making. We got the introductory lesson that last about 2 hours and gives you the ability to mold 4 pieces of clay into a vase, bowl, cup, and a design of your choosing. I chose a ring holder! Everything from the actual prepping of our clay pieces to the spinning of our designs was very informative. I love that I got to learn more about pottery and the different techniques you can use throughout. Our class went by very fast and our instructor, Cole, was great with helping us and being very patient. At the end you are able to purchase one (or all) of your pieces for $8 each with a glazed color added. You just have to pick them up in 6 weeks. Overall, we really enjoyed ourselves and I'd recommend anyone who wants to try out pottery for the first time, to check this place out! Note: Make sure to wear something you don't mind getting dirty. They do offer aprons, but there's a chance you could still get clay all over your clothes.

Our Girl Scout troop did a class here and the gentleman ( sorry I forgot his name) who taught the class was so patient and attentive to the girls. I recommend this class to all scouts girls and boys.

Can't say that I wanted to do this beginner class but the wife and friend's spoke and I went. Well, I have to say, quite a bit of fun working with clay and the wheel to create three different things. Admittedly, very simple and basic but the time working with each project and working the clay was more fun than I ever imagined. Highly recommend for anyone. Also, a big shout out to Jackie, our instructor. Patient and very helpful which allowed all of us to have some success and a great experience.

Hi. Could the Manager plz message me? Every time I'm in Long Beach or near there this store is closed. :( Re: Image...I called and left a voice message on Sunday, however it's now Thursday (after closing) and nobody has called me back. Our pottery pieces are on hold until 11.31.18 per the text message, however there's only 30 days in November. I can swing by on Saturday 12.01.18 (aka "11.31.18" lol) to get these. Please do not toss them out (we already paid). I'll update this review to higher stars once I hear back and get this resolved. Thx.

Love the staff! The you g lady with green eyes always helps me every time i deliver and pick up my clay creations. She's been helping me with knowledge about clay as well. Such a sweet and helpful gal. I love how cheap it is to use their kiln.

I found this spot because of Groupon. The Groupon offer was $30 per person for a 2 Hour Introduction to Wheel Thrown Ceramics. I've never done this before so I definitely wanted to check it out. The place is pretty small - I think they can take about 8 people per session so it does get booked. Make sure you book in advance so you get the date and times you want. We arrived on time and found meter street parking. To my surprise, each of us got 4 pieces of clay to work with. The first 3 were for a Cup, a Bowl and a Vase. The last one was for your imagination lol. Before we began, we had to play with the clay for it to become softer and let the air out (kind of like kneading dough for bread). After that, we sat on our stations behind the wheel and started making our masterpieces. Since arts and ceramics is not my forte and I have pretty fat fingers - I destroyed 3 of the 4 clay pieces in the middle or near the end of each piece. However, the instructor was very nice and gave me 3 extra pieces. In the end, each of us made 4 pieces. You get to choose which ones you want to glaze/fire and keep for $5. Theres many colors to choose from. It takes 6-8 weeks for them to prepare that and you have to pick it up which is the only downside. You pay in advance as well. I just got the pieces back and they are great! It was a great experience. My GF and I had a blast although we didn't make the prettiest of them all. The instructor was very nice and friendly. I recommend coming in with normal clothes because you WILL GET DIRTY.

Clay was awesome! I came here with my gf after browsing for a fun activity on Groupon. FYI - they also have offers on LivingSocial if that works better for you. You buy the voucher, make an appointment online, and just show up. Parking is meter parking on the street until 6pm, $1/hr with a 2hr max. After that, its free. Our session was supposed to be with 6 people, but the 4 others ended being no-shows, which was great for us since we essentially got a private lesson, but bad for Clay I guess. Our instructor, who I forgot the name to, was extremely friendly, patient, and helpful! Our voucher covered about an hour or so of activity - she taught us how to prepare the clay and eventually how to use the spinning wheel to make four things - a vase, a cup, and bowl, and a fourth item of whatever you want (we chose a plate). A helpful tip is to wear something you wouldn't mind getting dirty, because you definitely will get at least your pants dirty. Another helpful tip is to not think highly of yourself. Pottery can be hard for beginners, I went in thinking I was going to make some kind of fancy-pants vase; but the outcome was...a vase that looked like a wide cup ha. If you want to keep your "masterpiece," its $5 a piece, a reasonable fee. And the firing process will take about 6-8 weeks I think. If you haven't tried it, give it a go and take advantage of the discounted offers from Groupon/LivingSocial! It's a great date idea and I'd consider going again.

This is a gem of an experience and something great to do whether visiting LB, on a date/hang out or just wanting to learn something different. Totally unique and fun! Thank you to Dan for sharing his experience and artistry with us!!!

Booked this place for a private group event and WOW Mr. Cole who was our instructor was AMAZING!!! Who knew pottery could be so fun and Mr. Cole was absolutely attentive to each students ability, encouraging, and very helpful in the detailed instructions to ensure everyone had some success in their created piece! Thank goodness for that! But to further hype this review, if you have done pottery and the throwing wheel, it's absolutely fun! I mean for reals, it's every bit as fun as the movies! I mean it's a really peaceful form of art and just creating a bowl, cup or vase is really satisfying. It's not easy Ofcourse, you may need more lessons and practice but it's definitely a worthwhile experience. I highly recommend you get some close friend a book a pottery 2 hour weekend even cause it's worth it!

Creative and fun activity to share with friends. Friend came upon a Groupon deal that got a private lesson with an instructor for the four of us. The class was two hours long and was taught how to prep and use the wheel pottery. The instructor was informative and helpful. She was great with explaining what needs to be done and assisted us when we struggle to keep up. We prepped the clay to get it ready for the wheel, got to learn how get rid of bubbles. We brought them over to the wheel and learned the basics. First attempt was to make a cylinder shape like a mug (without the handle). Second was to make a bowl or a dish and third was to make a different variation of the bowl. The last attempt was free form to revisit any of the skills learned. The time was tight and we felt a bit rushed in the end. We were unable to design the pieces other than the shape. Each of the pieces can be glazed and picked up after completion for $8 each. They would help clean the edges, glazed the piece in the color of your choice and ready for pick up 6-8 weeks. Overall, it was a fun experience. Would have wished that there was sample of the results before the class started so we know what to expect (but I understand that if people were to see what we are attempting to do, they would work ahead of themselves without learning the techniques). Would recommend checking this place out as an activity to do with small group of friends. Reservation for classes is strongly recommended for first timer.

The Studio: Small studio. There is a small section of retail selling cute little ceramics. Step inside, there is a big table for prepping the clay. There are total 8 stations. The Class: Small class (6-8 people) which is great because everyone can get some attention from the instructor. Our instructor, Alice, is AWESOME!! She is young and has good energy. Super friendly and explain every step in detail in the class. She will help you when she sees you are "struggling". This is an introductory class. We learn about how to operate the machine and get to create 3 items (bowls & cups). Nothing fancy for the first class but it is definitely a good learning experience. They only have 3 aprons in the studio so if you have one at home, bring it with you. You are going to get dirty, don't wear nice clothes or any jewelry. Wear something comfortable. After you finish the raw piece, you can choose what color to put on the ceramic. The studio will finish the item for you, $5 per each piece. It takes about 6-8 weeks to pick up the final product. Overall, EXCELLENT hands on experience!! FUN FUN FUN~ The Parking: Street metered parking (2 hours, free after 6pm), during weekends, might be challenging.

I came here for the beginner 2 hour class via Groupon with my girlfriend. Everyone in the class with us was a complete noob at pottery and our instructor, Teresa really went out of her way to make us comfortable and to help us along the clay making process. Teresa explained the methodology and the reasons behind them extremely well and made sure we were all on the same page the entire time. Pottery making has been something I've been wanting to try for a while now, and Clay really was a great spot for me to break into the hobby. I will forsure try to be back in the future to try more of their classes!

Daniel was a wonderful instructor. We did the valentines clay package and it was a blast. I was pretty nervous at first but after asking for help we had a lot of fun with it and learned from Daniel. Emaanat (I hope that's how you spell her name!) was also very sweet and helpful.

Parking can be found on the streets with meter and free on Sundays. Walked into class early and explored the space a bit. It can be tight but luckily my class had four people. Deal was found on Groupon for a beginner class in which we made four different types of ceramics from clay ranging from vase to cup to bowl and the last one was up to our own interpretation. The instructor Sara was very friendly and helpful. She was thorough and had good energy. If you wanted to keep a pot you would have to purchase one for $5. The wash sink section was very small and you do have to clean up your space after the work is complete as they were on time with their two hour schedule. Overall a fun experience and good teachings.

I went here at the peak of COVID to pick up clay because I was trying to support local businesses! I also emailed them to see if I could pick it up instead of them delivering since I knew it would be easier for them. However, my experience with the staff during pick-up was very uncomfortable and disappointing. There was a group of people giggling and chatting in the back so, I waited up front for someone to help me. Eventually, someone from the group came up to me and asked what I needed help with rudely. Made it seem like I was inconveniencing her for being there. I got my clay, then asked her about classes and she said there aren't any and turned away and walked back over to the group of people. I will not be taking my business to Clay anymore. I suggest if you are looking for a ceramics studio and can make the drive try: Costa Mesa Ceramics. Wonderful staff, clean studio and welcoming environment.

This studio has everything I need. It's well run, the staff and members are helpful, Turn around time is fast. I have been a member of many pottery studios and this has been the best. My work is always improving.

Overall ... kinda meh. To start things off they double booked our session, which was totally fine, but they did that thing where they asked us in front of the other group if we'd be ok sharing --- and we were, but that's a social no-no. Even if I didn't want to share, you can't ask me in front of the people I'd be putting out into the streets (figuratively and literally). Anyway ... I get that you're not paying tons of money for this, but the organization of the class is kinda all over the place --- it felt rushed at times, and I didn't feel like I got any real direction. Add to that the fact that we had to clean everything ourselves AND that anything you make you have to pay $5 dollars to keep (and come back in 6-8 weeks to pick up) ... and I don't think i'll be going back. Stay Cheerful ;)

This rating isn't for the class , but for the pick up process and end result. We went to pick up our two pieces that we made for our special Valentines Day Class, which was $210, with this price we got one free piece and paid extra for a second piece. Upon picking up our pieces, one of them was not ours. When we brought it up to them they said " well it has your name on it " , first of all we didn't put our names on it, they do before firing and glazing our clay pieces. We then had to show video proof of the actual pieces we made for them to care and realize their mistake. As we waited for 45 minutes ( having to put coins in the parking meter for this time ) for them to dig through boxes to find our piece, they finally found it, it was glazed the wrong color and had someone else's name on it. They sanded the wrong name off and handed it. We kindly asked if we could get a refund for this one piece, since it's not what we asked for as far as color and for the inconvenience of it all, also our other piece had our name spelled wrong as well. They didn't care and said these were personalized items so no refund could be given (personalized to something we paid for that was made wrong ? )They then said we could paint it to fix it ... sure let me spend more of my time and money on something that you shouldn't have messed up on. The class experience was so nice, it's unfortunate once they get your money they don't care about service anymore.

I got a studio membership to Clay back in September and I absolutely love it here! I'm so happy to be able to pursue my passion for ceramics here and strengthen my skills as well. All the other members and staff are extremely friendly and knowledgeable. They supply wheels, tools, glazes, and much more. They also offer classes if you're interested in taking ceramics up as a new hobby! I also really appreciate that they enforce covid-19 precautions (masks and social distancing).

Awesome staff, and the class was absolutely interactive and easy for a newbie . You will need $5 per price you want to keep and you'll need to wait 6-8 weeks for the price to be ready. I paid $135 for three people for the Groupon 2 hour class.

I purchased a deal on Groupon for a private 2 hr session of up to 5 people. I took my family here for Mother's Day. Parking was easy to find as there was plenty of street parking. Unfortunately, I don't remember our instructor's name but she had a pixie cut and was so freaking awesome. She was very helpful in every way and answered every question that we had. We all had so much fun and learned a lot. Throwing is NOT a easy thing to do! It costs $8/piece that you want to take home. We decided not to purchase anything because we wanted to improve our skills before purchasing, but we did purchase a bowl from one of the artist's shelves. I highly recommend taking a class here if you're interested in throwing!

CLAY IS AWESOME. I've been wanting to try my hand at the spinning wheel ever since I was a little kid..and I jumped at the Groupon deal and did it in June and let me tell you, it was amazing! Alex was the best instructor ever. She was great at describing the physical steps and making sure no one got too far behind during the lesson. I got pretty lucky-- only two other people showed up to our class of 6. You essentially get enough clay to turn into 4 balls that you throw onto the wheel. We did a bowl, then a cup, then a vase, and then had free-will. Everyone in our group was able to make something they wanted to keep, and I actually kept all 4 of my pieces for $5 each. Afterwards, you get to choose which glaze you want and they have plenty of pretty colors with neat names i.e. Teadust, Angel Eyes, Pinky. I can't wait to see how they turn out! But wait I must, because it takes approximately 6-8 weeks for them to be ready. Sunday is the best day to go because you don't have to worry about the parking meter! And wear casual clothing because it's about to get messy. I called 6 weeks afterwards, and they said my items had been completed ahead of time! Yee. I finally went to pick them up and I was so pleased.

I am handicapped when it comes to the pottery wheel. My first creation, which was supposed to be a bowl, ended up being a weird ashtray-like object that fell over to one side. Clay actually requested a moment of silence from the class to pay our respects for my dead creation. How sad! I tried really hard to make a nice bowl, but in the end, all I got was a couple of bumpy pots -- HA! I paid the extra $10 to fire and glaze them anyway. Maybe they'll look better after all is said and done. I took my mom to the class using a LivingSocial deal. We had a great time, even though nothing my mom made panned out. :( Out of everyone, I was the only one who left covered in clay. My pants, front and back, were decorated with the stuff. A lady on the street actually pointed it out before realizing it was all the way around. A little while later, I found some on my forearm, and a little while after that, my mom asked if my glasses were broken, because she thought I had taped them back together. It was actually clay. Oh my! I was thinking about taking a series, in order to improve my skills (or lack thereof), but I'm holding off for the meantime, since I'm not sure the wheel is my friend. I'm blaming it on my nails, since they make it a much more difficult process. :)

Clay on First...dont hesitate for a second! Of all the spots i visited while i was up in Long Beach, i spent the most time here! I rolled in one day to see what was up with the studio and what classes i could take to learn the art. I jumped at the chance to take part in one of the "open sessions" and, it was like, as soon as my mound of clay hit the wheel, i was hooked! The machine, had instantly become an extension of myself. After some basic instruction directly from the expert owner Clay, it was time for me to get dirty! I threw a bunch of different items on the wheel while i was there and got schooled in various pottery techniques...everything from the creation, to the glazing, firing, and finished art-pieces. So much to learn so quickly, but Clay was a great teacher and dudes really on top of his game! Once i had some of the techniques down, i then, could really get down to exploring my creative inner workings! The more i practiced, it was becoming increasingly difficult for me to pull myself away from actualizing this art! It got to the point where i had to have Clay lock me in the shop overnight! Like a true "crazed" artist! Seriously, i was so thoroughly in the zone, that i had to construct and compose---until the damn sun came up on a new day! And then, i finally, ran outta clay! As my head rose up to a new day, after passing out on a mound of clay---still stuck to the pottery wheel, i hear....kids? I open my eyes and look towards the front of the studio and remember; oh yea, they do a kids pottery day camp! So, being the kid that i still am, i run out to grab a coffee (kids shouldnt drink too much coffee!) and rush back to the studio to kick it with the kids for a while and to fine tune my newly learned craft! Before overstaying my welcome, i realized, i had to make moves up outta there and at least get some food in me! But not before signing up for the next "wheel workshop" class which is starting soon! Cant wait for that! Thanks Clay for putting up with me and my "crazed artist" mentality! Much obliged, i'll be seein ya soon!

As for learning a new technique, There no actual modeling on how to mold the clay after your first attempt. You just figured it out on your own after one time of them showing you what's it's supposed to look like. But like I said the class itself was enjoyable. I wouldn't do it again due to the hidden fees and the long wait for your final product. What I dislike is how they charge an extra $5-$7 to glaze your final product. And if you don't pay it, you can't take it home. That seems a bit ridiculous after paying so much the class itself. People should at least be able to take their art work home without having to glaze it. And when you do glaze it, it takes super long to get it back. I mean months. It is not worth to pay for the glazing at all. I'm a supporter of small businesses. This is just my opinion on how to improve the experience.

Didn't meet my expectations... the instructor was late and we didn't get our full 2 hours of private class. She didn't give good instructions and rushed thru the class really quickly. Our group was disappointed with the experience at clay. We will look for other classes some where else. The price we paid should have included 1 piece of pottery to take home, then charge more for any additional pieces.

thanks to living social i got to mark something off of my bucket list. for a cheap and affordable price my bf and i got to try something new. warning: wear clothes that you dont mind getting dirty. especially the lower half of your body which includes shoes. Mines sure did get dirty. girls bring a hair tie. when you're molding your clay don't place your hands too close to the bottom because you'll injure your hands like i did and now i have a scar from it. They provide towels but that doesn't do much. employee of the month is clay's dog chopstix. clay is a pretty funny guy! he'll make jokes and would make you laugh. there's a bathroom you can use. they offer summer courses for kids. clay and his side kick [who i forgot his name] likes to golf as well. He is pretty patience at teaching. They get lots of comments in reference to the movie "ghost". So don't say anything in correlation to it lol it's pretty hard to mold your clay into what you want. i kept wanting to make a nice vase but it ended up being a cigarette tray. which is epic fail on my end. after my third try i got better at it but it was definitely challenging. clay made it look super easy. i paid extra to get my product glazed and fire so i can't wait to see what it looks like. since i have to pay an wait like 6-8 weeks for it. it took me a long time to create something semi-decent. it was a nice new experience. i'm not quite sure if i'll do it again any time super soon. but i enjoyed it. it was memorable and definitely took a lot of patience and concentration. make sure you find deals on livingsocial.com then print the voucher go to his website and check of openings, email him to reserve your spot. it took me 2 months before i was able to find a time slot and availability for the opportunity to take the course. Please come early or on time. My bf and I had to wait like 20 minutes for one chick. When most of the RSVP shows up he'll start the course. Try to keep your work space as clean as possible because the mess you create is the mess you'll have to clean up afterwards on your own just FYI! Remember that clay is an expert and anything he does will look amazing. Street parking which is metered. I came on a Sunday so no fees for street parking thankfully. The decor of clays could be improved slightly. Happy creating!!!

I called beforehand to ask if they accommodated kid's parties, so I think it's fair to review it according to how kid-friendly and well set up it is for a child's party. I brought a few kids to celebrate a birthday. I asked on the phone BEFORE I ever booked for a teacher who was patient and liked to work with kids. Our instructor did not smile or seem to enjoy being there......or encourage the kids at all. Not one nice word, encouragement, compliment, atta boy .....nothing. Sorry, a kid's birthday is all about fun. It comes with the territory, and is part of the job. She seemed to be a nice person who just didn't put much effort into it. When it came time to clean up, the instructions were given once, unclear and incomplete. I listened very carefully. So the girls were sent off. I got up and directed the kids and checked their cleaning. The instructor sat and checked her phone. Okaaay. I helped organize the cleanup for 20 minutes, and instructor came at the end to let us know what still needed to be cleaned. I was surprised that there wasn't a CLEAN place to eat....table and seats isn't expecting too much. Again, I asked BEFORE I booked.Now I realize that when I was told, "There's a table.", that's ALL there was. There were work stools that were very low that couldn't possibly work at the work table that was very high. Also, room was cramped, and we just bumped into each other. There were only 10 people. On the upside, there were two very nice young ladies in the reception area who were friendly and genuinely made us feel welcome! They even brought us the three tall stools that they had and set the music for us. I wish they'd been our instructors. Also, we were there 15 minutes after our time, so I really appreciated that as it gave us time to eat cake. But clean up could have gone a lot faster with the instructor's help, and then we wouldn't have run late. The actual space is too small for a party. I only had five kids and five adults, and we were bumping into each other and squished into a tiny area to eat. It's pretty comical now, but when I invite people somewhere, I want them to be comfortable and be in a nice space with some room to move around. I realize it's a pottery studio, with dust and clay, but I seriously assumed there would be a clean area off to one side. They said I could bring decorations....lol!! Is it so wrong to assume that there would be an actual nice area to decorate? To be fair, I called the manager before I wrote this review. She was nice and apologized. She said that the instructor should have supervised the clean up. I wanted to speak specifically to the owner about not having a clean enough or big enough area to eat. I asked to speak to the owner, but she told me that, "He doesn't get involved in the day to day running of things." Okaaaay. So if there is a problem, you will get an apology. Update...5 months later, and the owner never bothered replying to this review. I guess you can't reply if you don't talk to your customers (What???) or you're not going to offer a solution. Went from 3 stars to 2 stars. There are other places to do the pottery wheel with kids. In fact, there's one in Santa Ana. I'd recommend you check that one out instead.

Olivia who helped me out was absolutely incredible. So so kind and just made our experience