Hands in Clay L.A. Wheel & Hand-building Pottery Classes - Los Angeles, California

Andria Eden

There are not enough stars for this magical place!!! This is far and away the best pottery studio in all of Los Angeles, probably anywhere. Prior to taking classes at Hands in Clay I tried countless studios in the LA area and was always left feeling deflated, frustrated and like I wasted hundreds of dollars. In contrast, every class I pay for at Hands in Clay feels like I'm getting SO MUCH MORE THAN I PAY FOR. The level of individual attention and instruction is incredible. It's like having personal pottery coaches/trainers that are in my corner and very invested in my success. I have truly never had better teachers for anything in my life. I think the difference is that Richard and Donna 1) actually CARE greatly about their student's success and 2) have great awareness so they know when to help you step-by-step and when to give you space to experiment and practice on your own.

Aside from the stellar teaching here, this is the CLEANEST pottery studio in existence. It helps your workflow, makes for a very comfortable experience, and sets a tone for everyone to be considerate of one another. This is definitely not the closest pottery studio to me, as I live in the West Adams area, but I will continue to come here forever more!!!! You're stuck with me, guys 🙂

Banafsheh Salimi

I recommend this studio to everyone I know who wants to try pottery and I can’t recommend them enough. Donna and Richard are so knowledgable and their tips and teaching are always so spot on. They love teaching and they approach teaching by getting to know you and finding out how you learn. It’s so special in that way and you can’t find their attention and care anywhere else and I’ve been to so many studios in the past few years. West LA Art world is so lucky to have them now in the community. If you are trying to figure out if pottery is your thing or not the best place to find out is Hands in Clay LA.

Layma Khoram

We visited Hands in Clay with some video crew and two other people included myself were given a private course at Hands in Clay LA. Donna was so amazing and so accommodating, especially with our video crew. The class itself was so fun and an amazing bonding experience for my friends and I. Highly recommend!

Allan Santiago

I had never made something with my own hands that was artistic and practical, until I went to Hands in Clay. For those that are not confident in making something like this, this is the place to start. Richard and Donna live the lives of artists, dedicating themselves to their passions, and now they have a space to share them.

Pictured is a bowl that was half finished, as I had to leave class due to an emergency. Decided to keep it that way. The picture is a serving of my favorite dish my mom makes, picadillo. I wanted the first thing I ate from it to be special.

The process is meditative and Richard and Donna are pros and work with all experience levels. A single class can be transformative. This would be a great activity for a group to bond over as well.

Connie Yu

This studio is a labor of love. Richard and Donna have built this warm and welcoming environment with great attentions to details. It’s a place where one can reclaim the center of their soul and unleash their creativities. Richard’s and Donna’s complementary teachings accommodate students’ unique learning styles. If pottery is a process to harness one’s patience, Richard and Donna certainly have mastered that! They are generous in sharing knowledge, experience and information; they are positive in giving feedbacks.
And the handsome friendly dog, Cooper, makes the studio even more special …

Joseph K Chen

Hands in Clay L.A. is a great studio to consider for your first experience with pottery. The co-owners, Donna and Richard, are the instructors so you know you're in good hands, learning from people who really love the craft.

My class was with Donna. She has a calm and relaxing tone to her voice, which translates to a really peaceful pottery session. Watching the clay spin on the wheel while hearing Donna explain how to manipulate and shape the clay is almost like a meditation session. It can be quite hypnotic. She was very patient with the students that were having more trouble and was able to give 1 on 1 attention to bring them back up to speed with the class. By the end of our 2 hour lesson, each student in my party was happy with their creation and couldn't wait for the finished piece.

If you're looking for fun new experience or a way to de-stress from your everyday life, you should consider taking a pottery class at Hands in Clay L.A.

They also have a really cute dog, Cooper. He barks at you when he wants you to pet him.

Halle Jacobs

Hands In Clay L.A. is hands down the best clay studio I’ve ever been a member of. Richard and Donna do an impeccable job of keeping the space clean and organized, which is quite the endeavor for a clay studio! They have an enormous selection of clay bodies, glazes, and tools to choose from while working. This variety provides students with a great opportunity to learn more about different clay bodies, glazes, etc. and how to work with different tools in both the hand-building room and on the wheel. The studio’s classes and membership option are small enough to receive plenty of specialized, 1-1 attention from teachers yet big enough to connect with and learn from other artists/class pass students/studio members. Finally, Richard and Donna are truly passionate, dedicated, articulate clay educators. Their extensive experience with clay and unique gift for teaching is unparalleled. I cannot recommend this studio enough!

Cheow Lan Ong

I went for my 1st pottery lesson under Richard a few months back and came back for a second one yesterday under Donna. Both of them are excellent instructors with a passion for their craft, always patient and encouraging. They gave us lots of room too to explore our ideas and creativity.
I love the wide range of tools and equipments which help us alot as we work on our designs. The studio is very clean and neat too and ....comes with a friendly doggie ?
My family and I truly enjoy our time at the studio!
Will be back there again in my next visit to LA.