Step away from screens and into the clay studio with one of the most memorable hands on team building activities in the Bay Area. In this two-hour private workshop your team is introduced to throwing on the wheel or to hand-building and sculpture, learns how clay behaves in motion, and creates multiple simple ceramic forms that are glazed and ready to pick up in 4 to 6 weeks.
The workshop is priced at $125 per guest for groups of 8 to 30 guests. It is designed for beginners, with an emphasis on experimentation and enjoying the process rather than getting it perfect, so nobody on the team needs any art background to take part.
What's Included
- A two-hour private workshop for your team with a beginner-focused
Step away from screens and into the clay studio with one of the most memorable hands on team building activities in the Bay Area. In this two-hour private workshop your team is introduced to throwing on the wheel or to hand-building and sculpture, learns how clay behaves in motion, and creates multiple simple ceramic forms that are glazed and ready to pick up in 4 to 6 weeks.
The workshop is priced at $125 per guest for groups of 8 to 30 guests. It is designed for beginners, with an emphasis on experimentation and enjoying the process rather than getting it perfect, so nobody on the team needs any art background to take part.
What's Included
- A two-hour private workshop for your team with a beginner-focused instructor
- An introduction to throwing on the wheel or to hand-building and sculpture
- Clay, tools and studio equipment for every guest
- Multiple simple ceramic forms per guest, such as bowls, cups and plates
- Glazing and firing of the work, ready for pickup in 4 to 6 weeks
What Your Team Will Do
- Enjoy a hands-on introduction to a creative practice
- Learn a little about the history of the materials you are working with
- Play, make mistakes, try again and explore
- Create simple ceramic pieces to bring home and remember the day by
- Cheer each other on, laugh, reflect and share encouragement
Why Clay Works for Teams
Team building happens naturally in the art studio. Working with clay encourages playfulness, patience and persistence, and it offers a chance to see colleagues in a fresh light. Pottery is a practice in presence, determination, acceptance and playfulness: it asks people to let go of expectations, try again and celebrate each person's unique approach. Teams who have taken these team building workshops describe them as fun, engaging, bonding, relaxing and rewarding, and say they felt more connected to the group and more comfortable being themselves.
For planners comparing corporate team building activities, the appeal is that it is quiet and social at the same time. The classroom is introvert-approved and playfully social, validating of the frustration, excitement and happy surprise that come with learning something new, and curious about different learning styles. It is one of the more creative team building activities for groups that spend their days solving problems, because the clay asks them to stop solving and simply make something.
The workshop also fits a year-end calendar. A session in November makes an easy addition to christmas team building plans or a holiday gathering, and the finished, glazed pieces arrive in time to become small gifts.
About the Studio and Your Instructor
The host is a women-owned art classroom and pottery studio in the East Bay that specializes in beginners, with a focus on body awareness, mindfulness and having fun. It started in 2022 as a clay classroom in the owner's garage, grew into a sunny loft in North Oakland, and in July 2026 expanded into an art space in West Berkeley with a pottery studio, a craft area and a wood shop, a short walk from the Aquatic Park.
The owner-operator is a lifelong art educator and audio storyteller who has been captivated by clay in motion since age 13 and has worked with thousands of students since opening the studio. Their teaching style balances support with encouragement to experiment, and it draws on trauma-aware facilitation, neuroscience and open communication. The classroom is introvert-approved and playfully social, curious about different learning styles, and set to a playlist that is both calming and energizing.
Good to Know
- Beginner-friendly; no experience is required
- Suitable for adults, and kids aged 8 and up with an adult who holds their own ticket
- The West Berkeley studio seats 10 for on-site activities; for larger groups the instructor can travel to a venue of your choice within 15 miles, so share your headcount when you inquire
- Wear comfortable clothes you don't mind getting clay on, and trim nails beforehand if you can
- Finished pieces are ready to pick up 4 to 6 weeks after the workshop
- Parking: a free public lot sits right off the exit ramp, the Aquatic Park half a block away has ample parking, and street parking on the block is rare, so please do not use the private lot shared with neighboring tenants
Plan Your Team Workshop
Share your preferred date, headcount and whether you would like to come to the studio or host at your own space. At $125 per guest for 8 to 30 guests, with materials, glazing and firing included, it gives your team two unhurried hours to play, laugh and make something real together.
