Sometimes you need to set your phone down and get your hands dirty. We like to get ours crusted with clay.
Crafting ceramics is one way to exercise the right side of your brain (and it’s phone-free to boot). You can learn how to throw your own bowls, plates, and pots on the potter’s wheel, or craft boho pinch pots and sculptures with nothing more than a handful of clay and some ingenuity.
We’ve put together a range of Tampa Bay ceramics studios offering everything from six-week wheel throwing classes to date night experiences perfect for toting your left-brained partner along. Ready to start your pottery journey? We’re firing up the kiln.
Morean Center for Clay | St. Petersburg
Located in a historic train storage building, the Morean Center for Clay is the largest working pottery center in the Southeast US. The center offers six-week classes on hand building + wheel throwing year-round for all skill levels, weekend workshops on everything from surface design to wood-firing, studio hours, kids camps, and a gallery with rotating pieces you can check out for inspiration.
Muddy Potter Art & Clay Studio | Dunedin
Embrace the Muddy Potter way of life with one-day wheel classes — perfect for getting the basics down — or four-day wheel classes and open studio sessions made for more experienced ceramists. The downtown Dunedin spot also hosts private parties and corporate retreats.
The Clay Co-op | St. Petersburg
Originally the site of Charlie Parker Pottery — founded by one of St. Pete’s legendary potters, this studio offers smaller wheel classes for those looking for closer instruction.
DRIP Ybor | Tampa
DRIP — Do Really Inspirational Projects — is the place to be for budding creatives with 20 pottery wheels, pottery painting, hand-building and mosaic art classes, and firing services. The Ybor City studio is also home to live music performances, gallery nights, movie nights, and after school sessions for kids.
Bring the book club or the fam for a little something different.
Photo via @youdothedishes
You Do the Dishes | Tampa
Not into throwing on the wheel? You can still get in on the fun at this paint-your-own-pottery and coffee house. Perfect for groups, the shop offers themed classes (think decorating ornaments), daily specials, and can bring the class to you.
MCS Clay Studios | Clearwater
This bustling studio is home to working artist studios + your next pottery class. What’s on the lineup? MCS hosts to six-week wheel or hand-building classes, Groupon clay or wheel classes, and one-time private sessions.
The Ceramic Garden | Lutz
This Lutz studio operates under the belief that art is therapy and hosts team-building ceramics courses, an after-school art program, and a range of other pottery classes.
The Hive St. Pete | St. Petersburg
This community-focused space offers a range of kids, teens, and adult classes, date night courses, and one-on-one instruction time for honing your skills with an experienced potter. The space is also available for holiday parties and other events.
Calling all master ceramicists. Did we miss any other spots? Let us know.
