ClayArt Pottery West - Monrovia, California

Rita W.

Emilie is not only a master potter/owner but an excellent teacher at heart. She knows all the nuances and complexities of how to transform clay into beautiful and functional pieces. The wheel-throwing teacher Jordan is amazing and knows how to break down this complicated artistic process into digestable steps. The studio environment exudes a welcoming vibe that invites creativity that doesn't intimidate. The Wed evening open studio is such a great time/space to practice. ClayArt is the place to be if you want to explore or expand your inner creativity.

Janinne G.

Great studio! The owner, Emilie, is so kind and helpful. The courses for students are at all levels and she lets you bring your own pictures and ideas of what you’d like to learn how to make. There is a quick turn around time for bisque and glaze - kilns run twice a week. I would definitely recommend this studio.

Nicole B.

The Wednesday class is the highlight of my week! I get to learn so much while enjoying my creative side! Emilie is sweet, patient and most importantly, a very accomplished artist. She helps the novice realize her dreams and helps the student put this dream into clay! Highly recommend!

Ralph I.

I signed up for a month of Wednesday morning pottery. Overall, this class was a lot of material crammed into two hours per session. For example, the first session was an introduction to the studio, wedging clay, and then making a pinch pot. The next session was working on the wheel with no class time reserved to finish what we started last week. Then at the end of the wheel session we did an introduction to slab building. On the first day it we were informed could come in for open studio on Wednesday night from 5-9 PM, but that this was optional. It would have been better to state that you had to come in on Wednesday night if you wanted to finish anything. As was noted in another review, you do have a lot of choice in what you can do, but this can be intimidating to the novice. An older woman that I took the class with seemed overwhelmed by it all. I’ve been a chemistry teacher my whole life and my experience informs me that dumping a lot of information on a new learner in a short amount of time is not a good way to teach a challenging new subject.
The owner is just as kind as another review noted, it would have been nice to have a experienced potter with decades of experience such as her as a teacher. Instead, those in my class had a high school age instructor while the owner was teaching another class. It would have been nice to have been informed who would be teaching my class before I paid. Don’t get me wrong though, our instructor knew how to do the techniques, but she wasn’t the best teacher. I don’t blame her, it is challenging and intimidating for someone so young, no matter how skilled, to teach those who are decades older than her.
A good thing about my experience is that the price is inclusive of the materials you need. The owner provides clays, glazes, and kilns, which makes my review two stars instead of one.
My advice to the owner would be to have classes structured around one technique, for example, “Pinch Pots”. Other classes could be “Introduction to the Wheel” and “Introductory Slab Building Techniques”. Having something finished to take home after the classes ended would have imparted a sense of accomplishment and pride that I really didn’t get from my first pottery experience at ClayArt Pottery West.
My advice to you, Dear Reader, would be to really think about what type of guidance you need when you are learning something new. If you need a structured learning community with experienced teachers, look elsewhere for your first pottery experience.

Janet A.

We loved working with Emilie! I have learned a lot from her about hand building clay techniques, using the wheel and practicing glazing! My kids have also really loved her lessons! I would highly recommend her to anyone!

bernadette E.

Great little ceramics studio. Lowkey. Great instruction All you need to bring is you for a fun learning experience

kinal P.