Whether you're looking to make some magic at the wheel or you want to take a shot at hand-building, these are the best ceramics classes in Los Angeles to officially launch your pottery era.
Andrea Alonso - Staff Writer•
Let’s start with a quick exercise: open up your phone and head to “Screen Time” under settings. What’s your daily average? Are you sitting somewhere between 3-4 hours or hovering more around 8-10 a day?
In our tech-obsessed society, it’s difficult to fully disconnect and tune out the outside world for even a few hours a day. That’s why spending time outdoors “touching grass” or picking up a hands-on hobby feels more alluring than ever. If you’ve been interested in taking a stab at pottery, we’ve rounded up the 10 best pottery classes in Los Angeles to get your hands dirty!
1. Bitter Root Pottery
Last but not least, Bitter Root Pottery specializes in wheel throwing classes at its two locations in Culver City and Fairfax. When it comes to atmosphere, Bitter Root’s penthouse studio at their Fairfax location definitely takes the cake for most breathtaking.
Find your zen while shaping your soon-to-be ceramic masterpiece against the backdrop of sweeping LA views. If you’re looking to have your romantic Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze moment a la Ghost, this is the spot.
🎨 Book a class
📍 Locations:
- 7451 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
- 3609 Hayden Ave, Culver City, CA 90232
- 7461 Beverly Blvd 5th floor, Los Angeles, CA 90036
2. POT Studios
More than just a ceramics studio, POT is a deeply intentional community space that exists to prioritize and champion people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, the youth and anyone who is often marginalized by most ceramic spaces. Both of their locations are bright and welcoming spaces that instantly feel familial.
Their mission is to “cultivate pleasure, community, and new career paths in ceramics for BIPOC communities while breaking opportunity cycles in our industry,” and this sense of community care is felt throughout their programming. Alongside the standard offerings of hand-building, wheel throwing and figure sculpting, you’ll find Spanish-led ceramic classes, Iranian pottery nights led by Iranian teachers and hosted for the Iranian diaspora and sculpting classes that focus on self-expression and body acceptance.
In line with their mission statement, they also offer scholarships for students and members, free workshops for the community, work-trade programs and career training. Trust us — after one class, you’ll be hooked on the good energy of this place.
🎨 Book a class
📍Locations:
- 1933 Echo Park Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90026
- 3228 W. Jefferson Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018
3. Cobalt & Clay
This cute and cozy ceramic studio in the Silver Lake/Atwater Village area offers wheel throwing classes for beginners, private classes, a 5-day Clay Camp for kids and studio memberships. Cobalt & Clay was founded by LA-native Nicole Reyes in 2017 and is proudly woman-owned and Latina-owned. The space is intimate and community-oriented, with a distinct family feel that fills the space during classes and workshops.
Cobalt & Clay also has a small retail arm that sells wares made by Reyes herself and the rest of the instructors. From tiki mugs to ceramic pour overs, this is a great place to snag someone a sweet handmade gift.
🎨Book a class
📍 Location: 2017 Riverside Drive Los Angeles, CA 90039
4. CLAY CA
CLAY CA is a beautiful artist-run studio nestled in Chinatown that offers memberships (with 24-hour studio access), wheel throwing intensives, sculpture classes, glazing courses and coil building workshops. They also offer kiln access in case you’ve made pieces at home that need firing, charging 3 cents per cubic inch for each firing with a $25.00 minimum for all drop-offs.
The space is warm and intimate, perfect for disconnecting from the constant stream of technology and tapping into your flow state.
🎨 Book a class
📍 Location: 900 N Broadway Suite 1080 Los Angeles, CA, 90012
5. Good Dirt LA
For those seeking a community-minded pottery studio on the westside, Good Dirt LA is the perfect choice. This women and first-generation Latina-owned and operated space offers mixed-level classes for adults and teens, one-time introductory classes for beginners, a 6-week ceramics boot camp, private at-home lessons, and open studio hours.
With a maximum of 6 students per class, the intimate setting enhances the learning experience. The atmosphere is incredibly friendly and meditative, ideal for either immersing yourself in your work or connecting with others in the space.
🎨 Book a class
📍 Location: 4505 S Centinela Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90066
6. Throw Clay LA
Connect with your inner artist in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles at Throw Clay LA. This gorgeous studio offers hand-building and wheel throwing classes, as well as an in-depth six-week course that is required to become a member of the studio.
With 7500 square feet of space, this studio is one of the biggest and most spacious on the list. If you’re looking to kickstart a pottery practice and you live in or nearby DTLA, we can’t recommend Throw Clay LA enough.
🎨 Book a class
📍 Location: 1006 S Olive St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
7. Maital Ceramics Studio
A bit over 20 years ago Maital Sabban fell deeply in love with the art of clay sculpting on a trip to Egypt and never looked back. Inspired to share her passion for ceramics with her community, she opened Maital Ceramics Studio in 2014 and has been offering classes in wheel throwing, sculpting, hand-building and painting for all ages.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or a pottery veteran, this bright and colorful studio is the perfect place to get your hands dirty.
🎨 Book a class
📍 Location: 649 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
8. Echo Art Studio
Art and healing intertwine beautifully at Echo Art Studio in West Los Angeles. Established in 1999, this creative studio is one of the oldest ceramic studios in LA, taking pride in the quality of its instruction and firing services. Echo Art Studio also serves as a healing space, offering a diverse array of activities including watercolor, acrylic painting, drawing, beginner and intermediate ceramics classes, and private energy healing sessions.
The ethos at Echo Art Studio emphasizes mindfulness and nurturing your creative spirit, whether or not you consider yourself an artist. If you’ve been wanting to embrace your creativity as an adult but have felt too timid or unsure where to start, the welcoming and unpretentious community at Echo Art is here to support you.
🎨 Book a class
📍 Los Angeles: 3375 Motor Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90034
9. The Pottery Studio
The Pottery Studio is a stunning, spacious space situated in Culver City (with other locations in Cypress Park and Sherman Oaks) whose classes are geared towards adults who are just starting out on their pottery journey. The Culver City outpost is a particularly inspiring studio, with giant skylights that flood the space with natural light.
They offer classes in wheel throwing and hand-building, as well as studio memberships. If you happen to live around any of their locations, The Pottery Studio is a great place to get comfortable with clay.
🎨 Book a class
📍 Locations:
- 8455 Steller Dr, Culver City, CA 90232
- 2808 Elm Street, Los Angeles CA 90065
- 14943 Califa Street, Sherman Oaks CA 91411
10. Claytivity Pottery Studio
You’ll be sure to find your ceramics pals at Claytivity Pottery Studio, a community-first ceramic studio with locations in Silver Lake, Frogtown and Burbank that offers studio memberships, alongside hand-building and wheel throwing for beginners and intermediate students alike.
They also regularly offer more specialized classes including a raku workshop (an ancient Japanese firing technique) and slip casting. Be sure to keep your eyes out for their pottery sales where members set up individual booths to sell their pieces.
🎨 Book a class
📍 Locations:
- 3028 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026
- 2910 Gilroy St. Los Angeles, CA 90039
- 912 Isabel Street Burbank, CA 91502
11. Pottery Studio 1
Pottery Studio 1 in Los Angeles offers a delightful space to craft unique pottery and ceramics pieces while unwinding from daily stresses. With lessons available for all ages and no enrollment fees or memberships required, it’s perfect for both children and adults. The studio also hosts private events, making it an excellent choice for memorable gatherings.
🎨 Book a class
📍 Location: 8384 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048
Edited by Sofía Delpueche.
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