Greenwich House Pottery

GHP is my favorite pottery studio in NYC. I’ve been coming here at least twice a week for almost 3 years now, and will continue for as long as I’m in the area (or as long as I get lucky with registration 🙂). The staff are all excellent, and the community is really wonderful. I’ve met people who have been “students” for over 10 years. The pottery offers wheel throwing, hand building, and slip casting, among some other classes, but the wheel throwing and hand building are definitely the focus. For wheel throwing, I think there are roughly 30 pottery wheels in the building, split across 2 studios. GHP is over 100 years old, which, in addition to the fascinating history, means they have access to grandfathered Cone 10 gas firing kilns (not allowed in new studios). There is only 1 other studio in Manhattan that has a Cone 10 kiln. You will need to be a member of a semester long class in order to use the studio — there are no studio-only membership options. Though they have started offering “Sunday Samplers” which is probably the way to go for most beginners interested in trying things out. The only catch — the semester-long classes are extremely competitive to get in to. There’s no preference for previous students, and it’s not uncommon that every class sells out within minutes of registration opening. But if you can get in, this is the best studio in NYC and I can’t recommend it enough.

Nice instructors but good luck getting your pieces fired or even finding them in the end. Every class I’ve taken has resulted in missing (or stolen?) work which btw you PAY in advance to be fired and then end up with nothing?? Additionally the place seems highly disorganized—- maybe they need a new system? I believe part of the problem is that many ‘students’ sign up for classes just to use the studio as their professional workspace and put hundreds of pieces through the firing process which burdens the system and makes it difficult for regular students to get their work fired (how are you supposed to learn???). Open studio should not be $10 a day ($25 seems to make more sense to me). They should either have less students or limit the number of pieces you can fire in a semester. I don’t think I’ll be taking classes here anymore.

So much fun making wonderful things with wonderful people! Highly recommend everyone go make cool things here!

What a wonderful experience at Greenwich House Pottery! I just completed a 12-week beginner wheel course taught by the amazing Taylor Stone. I learned so much, and felt so comfortable in this class. Wheel basics, centering clay, proper tool use, handle making, lid making, slips and glazing -- plus so much more! I am definitely signing up for another class!!!

The pottery classes I've taken here have been phenomenal. The general staff has been rude and elitist. Definitely a mixed bag. Take a class or two, but I wouldn't recommend making this pottery house your home; inviting in new artists and fostering community doesn't seem to be the staff's top priorities.

Nice place. Classes are ok. Staff and technicians are helpful. The studio is well organized. Unfortunately, there is a group of longtime members that are rude, racist and mean.

Inspiring environment to take ceramics w amazing teachers in a beautiful old building. I have taken 3 different beginning hand building sessions.

I took a beginner hand building class with Wren. She's a fantastic teacher.

Came here for a Handbuilding Sampler class and loved it! Prior to this class, my only knowledge of pottery was on theoretical level for wheel and not for handbuilding. The instructor was really nice, helpful and patient. She went through the basic techniques with the class first. And then we were each working on our own pottery/project, she offered great tips and assistance throughout. It was kinda like adult play doh lol After you're done, they would bake your items for you and you get to choose from 4 different colors: Blues (Darker and Lighter), Earthy brown/yellow ish, white. It could take couple weeks for it to be done and then you could pickup. (I think mine took about a week or so.) Also had a tour of the place. This place has a long history and their oven is the old fashioned gas oven opposed the more modern electric ones. As a result, the glaze and color of each batch would vary and therefore produce unique results!

Love this place and all its history. The staff is great and do their best! Running a clay space of this size is no easy task. I've read some of the bad reviews and I wonder how many other clay places this people have tried? Their selection of glazes, washes, free clay is more extensive than any other place I've been into. Most places don't have gas kilns which is great to have that option and they are big ones too!

I went here after buying a groupon for 2hrs of pottery that was byob. We showed up a little late and had missed the tutorial, but Jamie was nice enough to do it again. She is a pottery wizard with tons of experience and has a masters in ceramics - no glass in her house! So it's BYOB. Amazing. The two of us brought 1 bottle of champagne and 1 bottle of white; standard. The class was small and only 2 others where there and they also brought booze: ONE bottle of beer. WTF!? I guess they think BYOB means Bring Your One Beer (and share it). Losers. Anyways, the class is awesome and Jamie provides tons of guidance since I haven't done pottery since 2nd grade. You're given as many clumps of clay as you wish with the game plan to skillfully mold it into a perfectly symmetrical vase/pint cup/bowl -- this proved impossible to master, even with my skills. The end result was often missing a chromosome and needed serious help! Even though the finished products were less than stellar, it was a blast to learn how to mold clay into not art. The booze helped and my pandora station was insanely awesome! We didn't sit near the BYOB rookies and that was a big plus. Sucks to suck. Cons: you don't get to fire the finished result or take it home with you at the end. Biggest negative, you're supposed to clean up your station at the end. No thank you! Minus 1 star. I'd go here again and it's a great date spot or place to bring a group of people who know what BYOB means!

This is not a "paint a mug" place. It's serious pottery, taught by seriously good instructors in a seriously well equipped studio with a long history. Thus it's a lot of fun. Got it? If not, read on. Space: An old industrial building in the heart of Greenwich village. From what I remember, it used to be a space where they taught immigrants new trades. Most of the original details are kept, including the skylight. Adjacent to the wheels are the kiln and shelves where all artwork is kept until it's fired. So you get to see other people's work, which may stroke your ego or make you scratch fake initials on the bottom of your mug. Sat classes are 3 hours long and taught by the most patient man I've ever known: Peter. Three hours may seem like a long time, but once you get your "hands dirty", I don't know what it is, maybe the hypnotic revolving of the wheel, maybe our innate connection to earth but you lose the notion of time. Fee covers instruction, all the clay you can throw (firing extra but not prohibitive), and open studio time where "cool kids show up" since it's on a friday evening. TIPS: 1) Don't go with a hangover, spinning doesn't help 2) Listen to Peter he knows what he's talking about (too much water means too much water) 3) He'll do the "Ghost" thing on request 4) No matter how original you might think your work is, please put your initials on it. You'll be surprised how banal your work might be (at first). Also, if your work doesn't make it out of the kiln, it either blew up or it's on the "hospital shelve" where the injured pots sadly wait for the hand that create them to take them home...Final subtip on finding your pot is, when you glaze it and expect it to be blue, well, don't. Unless you are a pro. It comes out, green red, yellow kinda randomly, but not blue. 5) If you don't bring an apron, you'll get mud all over you. I've been solicited for putting up a drywall once, after I left the studio. Not a joke.

I've been taking here for a couple years, and I've compared with other studios around the city (Manhattan and Bk). I've had just about every teacher at GHP, and I can say the teachers are largely good. Some are actually great. (Dave Gibson is particularly gifted in both teaching and creating). The way the studio is run, however, is incredibly hostile to customers. Not once in my experience has a "liaison" as the cashiers are preposterously called, been accommodating or even patient. Emily is one exception to this. Otherwise they are inflexible and rude. I have had to fight tooth and nail for simple things like having the value of my firing credits recognized, or allowing extra space I paid for be redeemed, or even having my pieces measured for firing. Everything seems to be a chore, a burden imposed upon the staff. Like they are doing me a favor by doing their job. Oh, I've forgotten the most obvious point; price!!!!! I've compared it w a few other places including 92nd st Y, Mud Sweat & Tears in Hells Kitchen and Choplet in Williamsburg. ITS INSANELY MORE EXPENSIVE. And for what? A gas fired kiln? NOT WORTH IT. If you compare price per hour, Mud Sweat and Tears (though very small) and Choplet (which offers all the same options except gas kilns) are way cheaper. Both are around $41/hr (including almost unlimited open studio in the case of Choplet), whereas GHP comes out to $53/hour!!!! The difference is actually bigger than this because the above comparison doesn't count firing fees which are more than double than the othert places I've tried out. Honestly, I feel ripped off every time I enter through the doors. After trying a few different places, I moved on last spring.. Currently I enjoy Choplet, but I think a number of other places are also a better value for the money.

if you are white, old, and love drama, this place would be your paradise. that said, all my 3 stars go to the excellent staff there.

I left work early to seek out Greenwich House Pottery -- with the holidays fast approaching, I knew I wanted to find some lovely pottery for some special gifts this year. There was a young lady working the front desk and she did not say hello as I came in. No worries. I eventually I found a map and figured out how to navigate the space on my own. There was another gentleman there, too, who was picking up each piece and admiring, as I was, the craftsmanship. I narrowed down my favorites and, before purchasing, wanted to know more. I don't know about you, but I don't think I'm able to buy a special mug without first holding it in my hands. I approached the woman at the desk and asked whether I could, as the gentleman was doing, touch any of the pieces. To my surprise, she said no, that that was not permitted, and that the gentleman was an employee of the space. This I almost understood. I know that art is precious, and I understand the need to protect a gallery space. What I find unfathomable is that she offered no follow-up assistance -- no questions, no inquiry, no conversation at all. I was so disappointed. I came to support local artists and their work! But I cannot do so when I am not likewise welcomed into the space. I really don't recommend this gallery. Spend your hard-earned money elsewhere, where artists appreciate the people who appreciate them.

There was a long while that I loved GHP, The teachers are great, the support staff amazing and the students friendly and open. That was true until the first of this year when the studio manager was fired on the basis of seemingly unsubstantiated rumors. Not only was Danny a spectacular studio manager who kept everything running, he was also a teacher - one who topped a lot of students' wish lists. He is SORELY missed. The studio is dirtier than it ever was, the wheels are squeaking and a lot of us students feel betrayed and sad. Also, appeals to the Board of Directors go unanswered.

I signed up for classes here during the New Year when I was intent to create a better, more cultured CK. Um, note to self for 2009 - GREAT idea, but do it in moderation (Basically, I have no social life now due to my enthusiasm. Read: 3 different courses all at the same time. But hey! I'm turning into one smart cookie ;) I signed up for the spring courses which run from April - June. Because I did it in January, I sorta, kinda forgot the exact date the courses started and so missed the beginning session :( But I rocked up on the 2nd session and it was all good. Be aware it is a little on the pricey side and you have to pay a one off $50 registration fee if you're a first timer, but golly the campus (an old townhouse in the West Village) and the facilities are wonderful! The class is about 8-10 students with a range of ages and experience. Each session runs 3 hours, which seems long, but once you get into it the time flies. The instructors are great and provide a lot of feedback and ideas, but more or less let you do your own thing. Wednesday's are also "Open House" which means you can use the studio outside of classes to finish working on pieces or take a peek at the gallery of your peers' work. You do need to bring or buy your own tools, as well as pay for firing, but to see the pieces created, you can tell there are some amazing artists at GHP (Just not me. I made a statue of my dog to which my instructor inquired: What's that? A horse?) Sigh.

Update: my pots look like a 6-year-old made them! I was going to bring one to work to hold paper clips and push pins but I'm afraid of people judging me for my horrendous artistic skills.

this place is a treasure. with not only a fantastic city history of almost one hundred years, the GHP has a trove of talented artists with incredible skills, attitudes and perspectives. there is also a qualified instructor for almost every kind of pottery work -- modern, antiquities, vessels, sculpture, photo transfer, studio/gallery, etc. AND there is also an instructor who is in sync with your work, your ideas, your directions to encourage you and guide you, answer questions. if that isn't enough, the studio space is filled with kind, heuristic folk who can aid, abet, advise and amuse. it is a great place in so many ways with a living community, which means it is important to understand that many great new york city artists have been here for a long time and bring the spirit of power and longevity to the place. this is almost a church to the dirt gods, a home for the kiln people. for the newbie, this can mean adjustment, patience, and a willingness to observe with a spiritual openness in order to receive the maximum benefits of all the amazing people who inhabit this building. and be careful, there is bug called the dirt bug and it can get into you and make you its mignon/minion!!!

The service here is fantastic. You have to have a lot of patients to work with a diverse group of skill level. The only thing that I was bummed out about was with this one time groupon that I bought they said we could not fire the items in the kiln. I wanted to take my masterpiece home. :(

I am very sorry to say that I had a mostly unhappy experience at the Greenwich House Pottery. It was my first time taking pottery, and I was very excited. I found the teacher Whitney to be mostly detached and uninterested, the overall working atmosphere to be complicated and very crowded, and the overall experience to be very disappointing. Since then, I have shared my feelings with others who have taken pottery there for years, and have had on and off very mixed feelings about staying or leaving for similar reasons. A friend of mine who was there for years because she lived literally across the street and it was so convenient recently moved on to another studio because she could not take it anymore. I have since then myself been doing pottery at another studio in the Village, and it has been a difference of night and day- the teacher is amazing, cannot be more helpful and more talented, the place is happy, spacious and colorful, and everyone seems to be having a great time. What is really bad is that I called the Director Adam to give him feedback about my negative experience, and instead of showing interest and concern and offer maybe some conciliatory words or even a one time trial class with a good teacher, he totally resisted my comments, and even became openly unpleasant with me. When leadership does not hear what community members have to say, it is usually bad news for the organization. So before you enroll in Greenwich House Pottery, think of trying another studio first. You might be much happier.

I had heard great things about this place, and I was very excited when my sister gave me a Groupon to attend their Wheel-throwing class. Warning to others: DO NOT GET THIS GROUPON! Greenwich House Pottery is unfriendly, inflexible, and rude. I called 2 months in advance to schedule a class, and no one got back to me. Then when I was finally scheduled for a class, they canceled it because they did not receive a high enough enrollment. After they canceled my class, they would not let me extend my coupon past the expiration date. I tried to get into another class - they said no. I tried to extend the expiry date - they said no. I tried to get a refund - they said no. Every time I dealt with someone from Greenwich House Pottery, I felt they were condescending and entirely unprofessional. This is NOT a nice small business, and I would not recommend anyone going to classes here. There are plenty of places in New York City that hold similar classes and are staffed by kind, flexible people. Let them receive your business instead of Greenwich House Pottery.