Bay Area Ceramics Classes

Community Colleges

Many colleges offer complete ceramics programs, including sculpture, hand-building, wheel, glazing, and pottery classes. Studio hours often allow access outside of class times.

City Programs

Morgan Hill Community School

Beginning and intermediate ceramics classes. Beginning classes for children.

Palo Alto Art Center

Beginning and intermediate ceramics classes. Class fees include studio access.

Sunnyvale Community Center

Beginning and intermediate ceramics classes. Adult and children's classes available. Discount for Sunnyvale residents.

An educational setting where participants can learn and share basic skills in ceramics.

Beginning, intermediate and advanced students all participate in this studio, where the emphasis is on developing skills and not production ceramics.

Private Studios

Black Bean Clay Arts Center

Our Mission is to create a working studio environment so artists can experience creative independence and have the opportunity to collaborate with others. Black Bean provides all the equipment: pottery wheels, slab rollers, extruders, electric kilns, Olsen 24 gas kiln, a yard for Raku and Wood firings, and much more. We offer Artist Membership for experienced ceramists and Technical Support Membership for the novice.

Blossom Hill Crafts Pottery

Ceramics classes in hand thrown pottery are small, individualized, and offered in day and evening sessions Monday through Saturday. Tuition includes unlimited practice time - when classes are not in session.

Higher Fire Clayspace & Gallery

Higher Fire is both a teaching studio and contemporary ceramics gallery. Classes for adults in wheel throwing and hand building are offered in many packages to suit a variety of schedules. Workshops are offered by local and nationally known potters. Private lessons and parties may also be arranged. Our gallery features work made by our instructors, members, local clay artists, and nationally recognized potters and sculptors. Visit on First Fridays so we can show you what we’ve been up to the rest of the month! Browse new work, watch demonstrations, or test-drive one of our pottery wheels.

Peggy Ann Johnston Studio

Studio clay classes for adults (handbuilding, extruder, etc.), clay and other media for grades 1-3, studio clay classes for grades 3-12, pique assiette classes for adults, summer art classes in a variety of media including clay (tile-making, mask-making, mosaic, boxes, animals, studio). Electic kiln to cone 10, reduction firing to cone 10 and raku firing.

The ClayGround

A ceramic art studio and school in Silicon Valley, California. Ceramics classes for both children and adults from 4 years old and up. Offers after school and evening classes, birthday party, school projects, and summer camp.

Choosing a Ceramics Class

If possible, talk to the instructor in advance about your background, interests and goals, to make sure the program is suitable for you.
Ask about additional fees for tools, supplies, and kiln firings.
Some programs allow use of the studio outside of class times, either as part of the course fee, or on an hourly basis. Be sure to ask about studio hours if you think you will take advantage of this extra work time.
Inspect the studio. Ceramic artists use potentially hazardous tools and chemicals, so studio spaces should be clean, organized, and well-ventilated to minimize problems.

Suggest a Program

We are happy to add bay area college or city-run programs to our list. E-mail information to webmaster@ovcag.org.

We provide private studio listings for our members only.