Art Talk
7 Pottery Painting Workshops in London
Pottery Painting Near Me – London
In our fast-paced, technology-driven world, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and disconnected from the simple pleasures in life. If you are anything like me, binge watching Netflix on the couch is a great escape! However, there’s one timeless activity that has the power to remove the clutter from our minds. . . . . . .
Why not get creative, switch off the telly, step away from the remote and try your hand at pottery painting. This ancient craft, which has been practiced for centuries, offers a unique opportunity to unleash our creativity, find relaxation, and improve your focus.
If you’re looking for things to do in London, you’re in luck. The city is home to a thriving community of pottery studios and workshops, each offering a unique experience for aspiring artists and seasoned potters alike. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll uncover some of the best pottery painting classes and workshops in the London area, providing you with the inspiration and information you need to try something new.
Pottery Making Workshops & Classes London
Islington Arts Factory – Meet Kayley Holderness
Kayley creates sculptural ceramics at Islington Arts Factory and exhibits across the UK. She has been running Islington Pottery Workshops for over nine years, offering group and private lessons.
She studied Ceramic Design at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, earning commendations and the Silvie Nisbet Scholarship for a trip to New York and Philadelphia studios.
In 2012, she won on BBC2’s Paul Martin’s Handmade Revolution, leading to an exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Kayley is a Fellow and Trustee of the Society of Designer Craftsmen, promoting British craftsmanship since 2009.
Workshops cost between £55 and £275
Islington Arts Factory Beginners Workshops
Catch up with Kayley Holderness on Instagram, which is full to the brim of her fabulous creations.
Crown Works Pottery
Crown Works Pottery, nestled in a charming old Victorian mews near Bethnal Green in East London, is run by the talented Giulietta Hextall. Students love it so much they call it their “happy place” and “home from home.” Honestly, I think it’s the most calming studio space I’ve ever seen!
Crown works pottery focuses more on the making of an artistic ceramic piece, using either the throwing technique on the pottery wheel or hand building. What stands out to me is the incredible artists and teachers you can learn from. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned potter, there is a course available for you.
Crown Pottery offers a wide variety of courses, taster days and workshops for all skill levels. Prices range from between £55 for a 2 hour taster to £325 for 3 day workshops.
Check out the Crown Works Pottery Instagram page to discover a variety of student artworks.
Pottery Painting Cafés
A pottery café is a place where you can create your own pottery pieces while enjoying coffee or even prosecco with friends. Typically, you can choose a piece of ready made pottery to paint and then the staff will help you with the materials and techniques to create your masterpiece. It’s a great way relax and get creative with friends or family, have a relaxing solo activity, or even host events like birthday parties or team-building activities. After you finish creating your pottery, it is usually fired in a kiln to set the colours and finish the piece.
Social Pottery Kentish Town
Social Pottery run three studios in London, with one that specialises in ceramic painting. Their flagship studio at 136-138 Kentish Town Road is the go-to spot to try your hand with a paint brush and you can even BYOB to your pottery class!
For those of you old like me, and not fluent in text speak, this stands for “Bring Your Own Bottle” which is guaranteed to create an enjoyable, if messy painting session for all! If you are looking for date night ideas or just want to try something different, their late night boozy experience might be just what you are looking for.
Social Pottery offer a wide range of experiences, from 1.5 hour pottery, 2 hour workshops and even late nigh Boozy experiences, which make great Hen Party or Birthday gifts.
Studio fees range from £5 – £45 and Prices of bisques (pottery items) start from £20 – £80
Social Pottery Painting Studio
Studio 136 – 136-138 Kentish Town Rd
London
NW1 9QB
Social Pottery have a huge social media presence, allowing you to have a look at what they are getting up to.
Pottery Café London
In the heart of London, two vibrant Pottery Café studios offer an immersive painting experience that combines creativity with comfort. Located in Fulham and Battersea, these studios strive to provide a welcoming environment where both adults and families can unleash their artistic flair.
The original studio which seats around 50 painters in the main space (with a separate party room downstairs) was set up by Emma Bridgewater in 1998. You will find a collection of her pottery for sale inside. As of April 2024, the Pottery Café is 26 years old!
A Studio Fee of £7.95 is charged per painter, per session. This covers all materials on the day, and the glazing and firing process. You then just add the cost of the individual pottery items you choose. The collection of pottery available at the Pottery Café can be viewed here.
At the end of your session you will be given a date to collect your finished item(s), which is usually around 10 days later.
735 Fulham Road, London, SW6 5UL
Telephone:
020 7736 2157
Email:
fulham@pottery-cafe.com
153 Northcote Road, London, SW11 6QB
Telephone:
020 7223 3388
Email:
battersea@pottery-cafe.com
The Pottery Café Instagram Page gives you an insight into what customers are making and painting at the studio.
For updates on workshops and studio news, follow the Pottery Café on Facebook
Membership to a London Pottery Studio
If you’re passionate about pottery-making and looking to elevate your craft to the next level by potentially selling your creations, London boasts some incredible studios that offer membership plans. These plans provide access to rented studio space equipped with all the necessary tools and materials required for your artistic endeavors. By joining one of these studios, you can further immerse yourself in your creative pursuits, expand your skills, and explore the possibility of turning your passion into a business venture.
Turning Earth
Turning Earth helps their members to make everyday items by hand, share their skills, and support local economies by selling their handmade products within the community.
The Turning Earth ceramic studio stands out by offering unique membership plans. Members enjoy up to 15 hours a week of open studio access, use of tools and materials, glazes, and up to 30 litres per month of standard temperature firing. Additionally, each member gets their own storage shelf (45cm x 45cm x 90cm).
Turning Earth Ceramic Studio Memberships – start at £245 (minimum 2 month commitment)
For enquiries you can communicate with us during our office hours (Tuesday to Friday 10am until 5pm) at info@turning.earth or 02077294819
Turning Earth Ceramics
Railway Arches 361-362
Whiston Road
London E2 8BW
Check out the awesome Turning Earth Instagram account, full of inspiring makes by their members and studio customers.
You can keep up to date with Studio events on the Turning Earth Facebook page
The Kiln Rooms
Taking things to the next level, the Kiln Rooms are helping members open fully stocked pottery studios in their communal space in London. This initiative makes it financially feasible for many artists who might otherwise find such resources out of reach.
Each member receives a personal storage shelf measuring 90cm long x 45cm deep x 42cm high, along with access to communal storage areas. All other studio areas are shared. Members can use the space for a maximum of 18 hours a week and have access to a wide range of resources, including a materials store, work areas, tools, personal storage space, communal firings, potters wheels, plaster facilities, plaster lathe, in-house glazes, glaze booth, compressed air, extruder, slab roller, cleaning and waste systems, reclaim area & service, tea & coffee station, and Wifi.
As well as courses, workshops and taster session, you can become a member of the studio and use the space for up to 18 hours a week.
£225: membership per month, rolling contract. Minimum of 2 months.
£1,260: 6 month membership (equivalent of £210 p/m).
£2,400: 1 year membership (equivalent of £200 p/m).
CONTACT – 077 3203 8052
11 Eagle Court, London. EC1M 5QD
Unit 202, Level 2, Peckham Town Centre Carpark, 95A Rye Lane, London SE15 4ST
Unit 3, Copeland Park, 133 Rye Lane, London. SE15 3SN
Railway Arch 198, Bellenden Road (rear of 85 Bellenden Rd), London. SE15 4QJ
CONTACT
Phone: 077 3203 8052 (11am-4pm, Mon-Fri)
Browse some of the gorgeous work coming out of the studios on the Kiln Rooms Instagram page
Pottery Painting for Kids
Zebra Ceramics
Now something for the Children. Paint the Town, is an exciting pottery painting café located in Southgate, North London. Open six days a week, they offer a creative space where kids of all ages can paint from our amazing selection of unglazed pottery pieces. They glaze and fire it for you when you’ve finished, and your masterpiece is ready for collection within 10 days.
It’s a very popular space so I would recommend booking a table in advance. Their large selection of ceramics, papier-mâché, and wooden items ranges from £9 to £38, catering to every budget. There’s no studio fee; you simply pay for the items you choose, which includes all materials, paint, glazing, and firing.
Each painter visiting the studio incurs a studio fee of £5 to cover processing and material expenses. In addition, painters are charged for each item they paint.
- It is advisable to reserve a table during peak periods like weekends and school holidays.
- A minimum studio time of 1.5 hours is assured during busy times, while guests are welcome to extend their stay during quieter periods.
- External food and drinks are not permitted on the premises, but we offer a variety of beverages, including coffee, tea, and delectable cakes and treats.
- For table reservations or more information, please contact us at 0208 442 1314.
ZEBRA Ceramics, 110 Alexandra Park Rd, Muswell Hill, London N10 2AE
0208 442 1314
Keep an eye on The Kiln Rooms on Facebook, for news and studio events.
You can admire the work of members and students on The Kiln Rooms Instagram
Can you do Pottery Painting at Home?
Yes, you can definitely do pottery painting at home using a magical substance called air dry clay. This special type of clay doesn’t require a kiln for firing, making it convenient for creating handmade clay items that can be painted.
The guys at Social Pottery have created a kit that makes pottery painting at home even easier. Their kit comes with either 1 KG or 2 KGs of air dry clay and includes all the necessary tools and supplies that enable you to enjoy potter painting without a kiln. It’s a convenient way to unleash your creativity and make beautiful clay creations in the comfort of your own home.
- 1Kg or 2Kg of Premium Air Dry Clay: Choose the amount that suits your creative projects.
- High-Quality Tools: Each kit includes carving tools designed for precision and ease.
- Vibrant Acrylic Paints: Six colors to bring your creations to life.
- Versatile Paint Brushes: Three brushes for detailed painting work.
Buy your Social Pottery Kit on their Website
I loved pottery when I was at school, it was one of the things I got a high mark in. Oh and metalwork. It is so good that London has such an array of places to learn and make pottery. The membership plans sound amazing. I daren’t take up another hobby, I have started way too many as it is. Thank you for the write-up and all the information you have provided.
Well this definitely brings back memories- my nan hated t.v years ago and was always sat in the outhouse making things with clay – one thing we as children weren’t allow near was the pottery wheel. I did help paint a few pots though and thoughally enjoyed it
Wow, this is a fantastic roundup of pottery workshops in London! The variety of options, from artistic studios to cozy cafés, really highlights how pottery can be both a creative escape and a relaxing pastime. I love the idea of combining painting with a social experience, like BYOB classes. Thanks for sharing such an inspiring list!
The most difficult part of putting together this blog post was narrowing the list! There is so much going on in London, it’s an insane place to get creative. So thrilled you loved the article, you have made my day!