East London is the capital for pottery classes, pottery markets and beautiful studios. East London is famous for its maker's community, with regular events celebrating it. It is also home to the likes of Hackney Wicked, Urban Makers East and the redevelopment in Olympic Park, Here East that are huge makers hubs dedicated to inspiring creatives and makers alike and giving them an accessible and affordable place to create, work and teach.
Pottery courses have seen a huge rise in recent years, and we are proud to be working with East London's incredibly talented ceramicists and potters to bring you the best selection of pottery classes East London has to offer.
Top 10 Best Pottery Classes in East London:
- Beginners Pottery Wheel Class
- Pottery Wheel Throwing Class
- Introduction to Pottery Workshop
- Group Pottery Workshop
- Pottery Taster Workshop
- Intensive Wheel Throwing Workshop
- An Introduction to Ceramics- Hand building and Surface Decoration Course
- Make Ceramics Plant Hangers
- Improvers Intensive Class
- Beginners Ceramic Week Classes
Beginners Pottery Wheel Class
Location: Plaistow, East Ham, Forest Gate, East London
This is the perfect class for beginners who want to learn how to throw on a pottery wheel. The class is run by Suzan, a professional pottery artist. The class is a maximum of two people Suzan can then assist you one-to-one on the wheel making sure you are using the correct technique.
By the end of the class you will have created a number of pots. You will be able to choose a piece that you have thrown during the class and choose one of the glazes available. Suzan will finish the pot by adding the glaze after the workshop is finished.
This is one of the best pottery classes in east London and taught by an amazing teacher. Suzan fell in love with clay in her early teens in Turkey, but didn't have the chance to get her hands dirty until after she came to London and enrolled to a part time course in 2004. After finishing her BTEC certification classes in Kensington and Chelsea college Suzan practiced her pottery in a studio share in Kilburn.
Book now on ObbyPottery Wheel Throwing Class
Location: Bow, East London
This studio workshop is based in Bow, which is slightly hidden from London city, making it the ideal place to relax and enjoy working with the most therapeutic material in the world.
This 2 and a half hour pottery class is designed to help students discover the possibilities of clay. Let your creativity take the wheel in this beginner workshop!
Down to Earth with KC is run by Ka Ching and her fellow course mate Neil. They are two people who are passionate about clay as creative material and enjoy teaching students how to exercise their creativity with clay.
Book now on ObbyIntroduction to Pottery Workshop
Location: Dalston, East London
Create and unwind as we explore the benefits of mindfulness whilst handcrafting ceramic objects from air-dry clay using traditional hand building pottery techniques. This tactile intentional process offers you the opportunity to disconnect from the busyness of your world as you relax and get lost in moments of sculpting and carving with your hands.
Recess Living have a wide range of creative workshops designed to help students exercise and discover the benefits of mindful practises. Nina at Recess Living is now on a mission to minimise the stress and burnout suffered by those in high pressured roles, especially creative freelancers and business owners.
Book now on ObbyGroup Pottery Workshop
Location: Hackney, East London
This is one of east London's best pottery classes. During this workshop, you will be taught both how to hand build pottery such as mugs, hanging planters and pots. More experienced students will be helped to improve their existing skills. You can expect to make between 1-4 pieces during the course. This course can cater to all levels and is a wonderfully fun course to learn or refine your pottery skills.
This workshop is taught by SkandiHus. SkandiHus was founded by the Danish ceramicist, Stine Dulong, who works and lives in London. When Stine is not busy making her own designs, she teaches classes from her studio in De Beauvoir in Hackney. The SkandiHus brand is inspired by a love for Scandinavian design in which beauty is radiated through light colours, the ample use of natural materials, minimalism and functionality. Her designs have been used by Nigela Lawson and Yotam Ottolenghi.
It is very important to her to minimise her impact on the world in which she lives, so she reuses materials whenever possible and many of her pieces are made from reclaimed waste clay from her students and fellow studio members.
Book now on ObbyPottery Taster Workshop
Location: Hackney, East London
This is one of the best and enjoyable pottery classes in east London. In this class you learn to throw like a pro from expert tutors, relaxing atmosphere with in the old zip factory hidden away from the crazy world. Learn how to throw on the pottery wheel. Get creative and relax and find your inner peace through the art of throwing on the wheel. Skills to be learnt on the day will include hand building using coils and slabs then the pottery wheel throwing.
"Excellent, Excellent, Excellent. Enjoyed my time and Nam, the teacher is very good. Class is very good too, learn a lot in 3 hours. Very calming." - Augustina Meniru, Obby student.
This class is taught by Nam Tran who is an award-winning practitioner who gives lectures and demos at universities and exhibits internationally. Nam specialises in wheel thrown raku, bringing years of experience and craftsmanship to every object made. Tran's work focused primarily on exploring the physical properties of clay and material experimentation is a strong characteristics of his work
Book now on ObbyIntensive Wheel Throwing Workshop
Location: Hackney, East London
On this throwing workshop, you will learn a little about the properties of clay and the importance of wedging. You will also learn how to centre, open and pull up the walls of your pot. This is an opportunity to experience studio life and practice in a comfortable learning space. There will be a maximum of seven people on this class and each person will have their own dedicated wheel for the entire length of the workshop. They never run more than one class at a time, so participants have exclusive use of the entire studio.
This workshop is one of the best pottery classes in east London. It is taught by Sak Beh Studio Pottery which was founded by Tessa Robinson, who lives and works in London. Her idea was to create a comfortable, homey place to work and be creative. Situated in a very busy and central location, just off Stoke Newington High Street, the studio is a drop of calm in a very fast moving world.
Book now on ObbyAn Introduction to Ceramics- Hand building and Surface Decoration Course
Location: Woolwich, East London
This hands-on weekend course will introduce you to the versatility of clay, from making functional items like tableware to conceptual sculpture artwork. You will be fully supported in making objects of your choice through group demonstrations and one-to-one guidance, in a fun and friendly environment, from tutors who are specialist ceramics graduates from the Royal College of Art.
This course is ideal for a beginner who would like to experience and explore the main ways of making ceramics through pinching, coiling, slab building and slip decoration.
London Sculpture Workshop is an independent sculpture studio offering exceptional facilities for artists and those interested in making three-dimensional work. Their short courses covers a wide variety of technical and skill-based processes, taught by practising artists in superbly equipped workshops. They teach a range of skills including welding, casting, mould making, metal and wood work, ceramics and hot metal practices.
Book now on ObbyMake Ceramics Plant Hangers
Location: Hackney, East London
In this 4 hour long workshop you will make 2 plant holders for succulents in red terracotta clay. Learn how to make one free-standing and one hanging pot which will be fired and ready to pick up later with a selection of plants and hanging material also available. Explore pinch-pot methods and surface decoration techniques as well as how to stamp impressions and add additions of moulded or cut clay shapes.
The Potting Shed London is run by Su Leaver, an experienced ceramicist who has been teaching and running classes for many years. Their classes are based in a professional Hackney studio and are limited to 4 students, so all students can get the attention and guidance they need to develop their skills.
Book now on ObbyImprovers Intensive Class
Location: Stepney Green, East London
This intensive four-day course is a great way to focus on improving your throwing, learn new skills, making bigger and better pots. This is one of the best pottery classes in east London for intermediates.
On the Monday you would work on the basics and your core technique, improving height with cylinders, developing these into bottle forms. Tuesday is spent mastering flatware with plates and serving bowls, working on scaling up your pieces. Wednesday is a chance to try different clays and work on your own projects. Project ideas include learning lids, pulling handles, attaching two-part forms. Thursday is spent trimming down pots and making them your own. The glazing class is the following week.
The teacher Laura Hughes is one of the best potters in London and currently makes ceramics for restaurants. She currently teachers for Jess Jos Studios in Stepney green.
Beginners Ceramic Week Classes
Location: Hoxton, East London
Enjoy some of the best pottery classes in east London with Turning Earth. In this summer beginners ceramic week course you will learn everything you'd get in our 12-week course - plus some extras - in a single week. It's a great way to get going in the craft quickly without the commitment of a weekly time slot.
So Plan a mini London 'staycation' and get creative in their beautiful East London studio. Which is now running socially distanced courses in their large and airy Learning Hub.
Turning Earth E10 opened in March 2017 due to popular demand for Turning Earth's services, after its sister studio in Hoxton redefined the way people approach ceramics in London.
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Obby out.