Clay

I came here with 6 girlfriends just because we were looking for something fun and creative to do. We had such a fun time learning how to make pottery! Our instructor, Teresa, was very good in explaining and demonstrating what needed to be done, and she was very patient with my loud and obnoxious group. :) We created 4 different pieces (a vase, a cup, a bowl, and last was freestyle!) and I really wasn’t sure if we’d end up with a completed piece, and at a minimum I figured we’d go home with a measly paper weight … however, lo and behold, we were all quite happy with our creations! Most of us will be taking 3 of our 4 pieces home after they finish glazing (they have a variety of colors to choose from) and baking them up! I highly recommend this place — they’re pros and have a very efficient set-​up! All the splatters from the wet clay are washable but plan on getting your pants and shoes a bit messy. It’s all part of the experience!

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.

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.

This was a fun experience!!! The instructors were patient and helpful. When I booked the class only one seat was available so I called to ask if I could book one more seat for my friend and they were accommodating and very friendly. Parking is a bit of a hazel since its in downtown long beach but the whole experience is worth it!!!

Really disappointed. We went here with a groupon for the beginners class and unfortunately our instructor was more interested in talking with her colleagues at the front than teaching us. It was a consistent struggle with limited help and when she did help, she just fixed my errors for me instead of teaching me how to do it. Although it’s supposed to be a 2 hour class, you spend the last half hour cleaning up and picking colors for the items you made that cost $ 5 to take home and that turned out badly due to a lack of teaching.

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 purchased the class thru groupon. The class instructor was very good and she had a lot of patience. This class is good but I doubt I will ever do it again. You have to have a lot of patience and I recommend DO NOT HAVE LONG NAILS! Nails make it very hard to control. Also make sure to wear clothing that you don’t mind getting messy in. However, if you ever want to try pottery this is the place to go. P. s. You do have to pay to have your items stained and to take them home which I thought was pretty messed up.

I spent a glorious few hours at this amazing studio. My daughter is a ceramics lover and I got to spend a few hours trying «throw» a pot. It was a blast. It was a great «one on one» time with my precious child in a place with a fantastic ambience. There is ample space in the studio with a variety of work areas. We spent most of our time at the pottery wheels (I think there were 12 but I am not sure there might have only been 10). The other people in the studio were busy doing their thing and there was lots of friendly conversation. If felt like a real family atmosphere. Toward the end of our time at the studio, a class of 8 students began their group lesson. The class did not cause us any problem. In fact it was fun watching them work for a few minutes on our way out. Clay (yes the owner’s name is Clay) is a very friendly fellow who makes you feel right at home. I was mesmerized watching him work on the wheel. My daughter took a private lesson with Clay and she said it was quite valuable (this from a young woman who was worked with a pottery wheel for years). Clay’s nephew Zach is a major part of the studio and he is also great. I can recommend Clay on First to both beginners (like me) and experts. The only reason I gave this a 5 star rating was because I couldn’t give it a 6. Go check it out. Time well spent.

Went there for a beginner’s class. You get 4 chunk to build four things, bowl, vase, double bowl and your imaginations. The bad part is you need to add 5 dollars for each piece you want to keep. I think it makes sense. But it made me feel weird bc for classes like these, you normally expect to have something you made to bring away. Anyways, we didn’t order one. Just the experience is still fun. Street parking btw.

Did a Living Social deal with my girlfriend. Our instructor Alex was really hands on helpful and informative. Will be back for more lessons. Very relaxing.

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.

Came for a Groupon deal for a 2 hour intro class. The whole experience was very rushed and I think our instructor moved way too fast. She didn’t wait for us even though it was evident that folks were behind. She explained things quickly and didn’t give many pointers, tips on how not to fail. It was not the de-​stressing event that I had hoped. Just trying to keep up with her made it feel like work instead of fun.

I was looking for the things to do in the local deal section on Groupon and came upon this. I figured this was pretty interesting and bought one for myself. As soon as I bought it, I got a space for a Sun on the same week. (Spaces are limited to people per class).
There were plenty of metered parking near Clay. Since I came on Sun, all the spots were free. Once the class started, Sarah, the instructor, gave each person 4 clay to and instructed us on how to massage the clay to get those moisture out.
Once the massaging was done, the real fun began as we moved on to the spinning wheel and creating art. Sarah walked us through step by step on what needed to be done. Being a first timer, molding the clay into the shape you want is super difficult. You have get the wheel to the right speed, keep adding water, and be very patient the whole time. No matter how hard I try to make a vase, it always turn into a bowl.
When 30 minutes before the class ends, everyone will have to start cleaning up. By that time, everywhere will be a mess, including all my clothes. If there is one clay that you make to your liking, you can pay 5 dollar to have it glazed. All 3 bowls of mine turned out to be very uneven and ugly so I decided to skip it.
Overall, 2 hours class time went by so fast. I guess it’s always like this when you are having fun. This is also a great date activity so guys should take definitely take note and bring your gf here. In my class, everyone went as a couple except me so sadly I was the fifth wheel.

I just love Clay! The owner, staff and studio are wonderful… not to mention entertaining (which is a big plus). I looked and looked for ceramic classes all around the South Bay and this is the best of the best! The class was fun, supportive and inexpensive. I decided right away to get a membership and I am so glad that I did. I have learned so much there… plus I got my own shelf… which is was incredibly exciting for me! I would encourage anyone who likes ceramics… or even thinks they would like ceramics to check it out!

I never knew I would be hooked up with pottery for this long when I first went there for a one time class through Groupon.
My first class was in December and I took a month-​long-​workshop twice then became member since March.
Once I started the workshop, I could go to the studio to practice during their business hours without any additional charge and ask anything to the manager or owner about pottery. They are always willing to answer to any stupid little questions from a newbie like me and it helped me a lot!
Membership or month-​long-​workshop is very affordable and members and staff are really nice too.
I love this place!

Bought a groupon deal and finally made the time to come out here.
Can’t register online the day of, but if you call ahead of time and space permits, they will take your name down. I thought that was really nice.
Teresa was our instructor and she was so friendly and sweet! Massaging the clay to get the air bubbles out hurt my wrists at first but I got used to it fairly quickly.
We were suppose to make 4 different shapes in 2 hours and I wish I had kept better track of time and hurried on to the next shape when I was done … I thought we had to all stay on the same pace. As a result, I only made 2 pieces :(it would have been 3 but my first piece decided to just give up on me.
Teresa was VERY patient, helpful, and fun. She helps each individual out if they are struggling with their piece.
I already bought another deal and I will be coming back soon! I’m determined to be better at it this time :) I wish they had a place in my area, I would totally sign up for the classes.
Parking is pretty difficult … because the class starts at 0530pm, we parked at on the street and it was metered parking until 6pm so that was okay.
Be prepared to get super messy though !! I accidently spinned the pottery wheel too fast and it sprayed onto my hair, face, arms, and legs. Lol, whoops!

Throwing clay is way harder than it looks, but the instructor was very nice and helpful.
It was a fun outing with friends. Definitely wear old clothes, tie your hair back and cut your fingernails before.

What’s in a name?
The old adage is as true today as it ever was. A name is just a word, unless it is leveraged correctly. Like Clay Wood.
Yes, Clay, the artist & his studio, is a name that presents value, enjoyment (for all ages) & brings about a feeling-​of-​creating something beautiful. Perhaps, we loved it here, three friends & I, because it was chill — calming even. Working-​the-​wheel, we all commented, that it helped us focus on the bright side of things or look to opportunity or how to make the most of whatever was happening.
Think of it as feeling good by Clay or skilled emotional intelligence over-​a-​pottery-​wheel. Clay is an advocate of functional classical pottery, and his focus is on the harmony between form and function.
The Team here encourages and inspires. Honestly, I can not envision any one ever leaving here unhappy — some Unilocaler’s reviews shun the tangible. due wait times? Ceramics is a craft that requires skill, some creativity, but a whole lot of patience.
Your thoughts create your feelings. How you think about and interpret what happens to you influences your feelings. You get what you focus on and in this case, fire-​up. If you focus on the negative side of a situation, your mood will reflect it. Clay and working-​with-​clay approaches the meaning you assign to events and experiences which shape your thoughts and your mood into a form, or in my creation, a bowl.

I loved it! Zach was the instructor & helped me throughout the class. I had a living social voucher & they went out of their way to accommodate me. I really enjoyed the class. It was fun & sort of stress relieving. I wish I lived closer to long beach to take more classes. I would highly recommend this place.
There is a parking lot across the street for $ 2 for two hours. A lot of places to eat & drink around the store which will keep your belly happy. I plan to go back in 3 months.

This place is awesome!
I came here recently (thanks to Living Social that introduced me to this place) with my mom who majored in ceramics about 30some years ago & my sister who was trying for the first time! I also have taken ceramic classes back in the day about 10years ago, so it was a special outing for the ladies in my family.
The classes were too full from way in advance but they extended my deal with reserving the class 3-​months prior. Overall, everyone here was super friendly, especially out instructor Sara!
During our two-​hour beginner’s class, they taught us how to take the air out of clay, how to spin the wheel, how to make few things from bowls to vases and let us just have fun doing our own thing! I liked that the class was pretty intimate and you were able to ask questions on your own & ask for help if needed!
I just wish that they had a parking lot available or some type of validation because I drove around many times. I suggest that you park in the lot across from Clay because the structure nearby is too pricey & street parking is only up to 2hours which might not be enough.
I can’t wait to return here because their classes are so affordable even if you were to purchase them directly from Clay! It’s also only $ 5 additional if you want to keep the piece you make — trimming & firing and all included! I highly recommend Clay to anyone who wants to spin the wheel like the scene from Ghost or anyone who wants to make a special piece all by themselves which they can keep for a long time!