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What is it about the art of pottery and its ancient alchemical process that draws people to this artistic medium? Maybe it’s the transformation that takes place — from the earth to one’s hands to the kiln — and how something derived from nature, with a little intervention, can result in a thing of beauty that can also be tasked with providing day-to-day functionality in the home.
Today’s Peninsula studio potters and clay hobbyists continue California’s pottery legacy. They share their love of the craft with ceramist visionaries such as Edith Kiertzner Heath, Peter Voulkos and Robert Arneson. We rounded up several pottery studios on the Peninsula where people of all ages and abilities can get their hands dirty and mold or throw.
Pottery is not an inexpensive art to explore, and prices for classes and memberships vary. Some studios charge extra for supplies like clay and glazes and charge members extra for open studio hours they attend. Most studios require students to take at least two classes before applying to become members.
Palo Alto Art Center
One of the oldest places to explore the medium is the Palo Alto Art Center, part of the city’s Division of Arts and Sciences, Department of Community Services. Palo Alto residents are afforded a place at the front of the line when registration opens four times a year. Studio program director Fanny Retsek doesn’t want nonresidents to be discouraged, though, and said, “We do our best to accommodate everyone and encourage people to sign up for waiting lists because people are always adjusting their schedules and dropping out.” She also recommends people sign up for summer classes that can take up to a week or two to fill up.
Lucy Larson, the center’s director of education, runs the youth programs and talked about the inclusivity that the ceramics classes foster. “A lot of teens who enjoy art find their people here,” she said.
And even though Palo Alto High offers yearlong ceramics courses, she stressed that many teens opt to take classes at the center instead as it frees up their academic schedule. The center’s resources such as a light box are great for teens applying to art school. Inclusivity and accessibility are always at the top of Retsek and Larson’s minds. Last year’s purchase of an accessible potter’s wheel for wheelchair users is another example of the center’s accessibility commitment.
Palo Alto Art Center,1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto; 650-329-2366, Instagram: @paloaltoartcenter. Studio open Monday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Halo Pottery
If an intimate experience is what you’re after, Los Altos’ Halo Pottery in the Rancho Shopping Center is an option. Owner Hila Itzhak originally studied engineering and architecture, but not long after graduating from university she decided that pursuing and teaching art made her happy. With more than 20 years of experience, Itzhak imparts lessons to her students that some of the other studios with larger classes can’t provide. “I am the only instructor and I teach all of the classes,” she said. “My approach to teaching ceramics is not that it is just a course or experience, but that ceramics is a lifestyle. Many of my students are now ceramists and have been coming here for several years.” Her combo workshops where she provides instruction in throwing and hand-building are very popular. Her clean, serene space gives artists a contemplative setting, and Itzhak is always there to guide them.
Halo Pottery, 632 Fremont Ave., Los Altos; 650-471-2120. Hours vary; check the website for specific class times and open studio hours.
Clayroom San Mateo
In November 2023, Clayroom San Mateo opened its doors at Bay Meadows. The large, light-filled studio space is conveniently located near eateries and public transportation and is one of four Clayroom studios in the Bay Area. Co-owner Kelsey Segasser manages the San Mateo space and said, “Each Clayroom is unique. San Mateo’s studio offers the most open area to create.”
The footprint allows for different classes to run simultaneously while still providing space for members to hone their craft. Member Birgit Eeckman, who recently joined due to the upcoming temporary closure of the Foster City Recreation Center, has worked with clay for the past six years. She expects to build the same sense of community that she had in Foster City since many members also transferred to Clayroom. She practices both hand-building and throwing, and while working the wheel she said, “I let my hands guide me. If I’m stressed I can’t throw. You have to let your body guide you.”
Clayroom San Mateo, 3050 South Delaware St., San Mateo; 650-638-8139, Instagram: @clayroomsf. Open Monday to Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Capybara Clay Studio
This kid-friendly studio where entire families participate is set within a large commercial building space in Cupertino. They offer a variety of classes for kids as young as 3. Young ones can explore hand-sculpting and bisque painting in addition to other art forms. Members can drop in and work on pieces from 10 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily with an access code to the space. Teen camps run during September and are a great option for homeschoolers.
Capybara Clay Studio, 10268 Bandley Drive, #103, Cupertino; 701-367-0187, Instagram: @capybara.clay. Hours vary; check the website.
South Bay Ceramics
Mountain View’s South Bay Ceramics caters to all skill levels and offers workshops from the area’s notable ceramists. The studio, which opened in 2022, fills the need for Midpeninsula pottery spots, especially for non-Palo Alto residents who can’t get into the Palo Alto Art Center classes.
Like the Palo Alto Art Center, South Bay Ceramics is known for its community vibe and fosters socialization with occasional get-togethers. Local ceramist Miki Shim Rutter, an instructor here, took a group of ceramists to Korea in 2023 and is returning on another trip this month.
South Bay Ceramics, 1954 Old Middlefield Way, Suite I, Mountain View; Instagram: @south.bay.ceramics. Open Monday to Friday 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Clay Life Art Studios
It’s been a little over a year since David Paulley opened his San Mateo studio in the Fiesta Shopping Center. Nestled between a bakery and a karate studio, his studio is surprisingly spacious and well thought out. Paulley, a veteran ceramist with over a dozen years of experience teaching the art form, has been well-received by those new to the medium and those looking for a new place to work and build community. He offers a variety of classes and membership opportunities and believes that centering oneself is intrinsically connected to centering clay on the wheel.
Clay Life Art Studios, 715 Bermuda Drive, San Mateo; 650-678-6964, Instagram: @claylifeartsstudio_sanmateo. Open Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 6-9:00 p.m., Saturday to Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
