Among hands on team building activities in the San Francisco Bay Area, few match a first turn at the potter's wheel. Get centered, throw some clay and leave with up to three pieces of your own in this beginner wheel throwing class. In a relaxed, friendly ceramics studio with all materials ready, an instructor demonstrates the basics and then helps your group shape bowls, cups and more.
The class runs two hours and is priced at $89 per guest for private groups of 2 to 6 guests. It is great for beginners who want to throw clay. Each guest gets their own wheel, all the tools for the session and up to three one-pound balls of clay, and the studio trims, glazes and fires the favorites so they are durable and
Among hands on team building activities in the San Francisco Bay Area, few match a first turn at the potter's wheel. Get centered, throw some clay and leave with up to three pieces of your own in this beginner wheel throwing class. In a relaxed, friendly ceramics studio with all materials ready, an instructor demonstrates the basics and then helps your group shape bowls, cups and more.
The class runs two hours and is priced at $89 per guest for private groups of 2 to 6 guests. It is great for beginners who want to throw clay. Each guest gets their own wheel, all the tools for the session and up to three one-pound balls of clay, and the studio trims, glazes and fires the favorites so they are durable and food-safe.
What's Included
- A demonstration and hands-on guidance from an instructor
- Your own wheel and all tools for the session
- Up to three one-pound balls of clay to make up to three pieces
- Trimming, bisque firing, glazing and glaze firing by the studio
- An email when your finished ceramics are ready to collect, in four to six weeks
How the Session Runs
The class begins with introductions and a wheel demonstration covering centering, pulling and shaping clay. You learn the basic steps of throwing a cylinder, then feel the wheel spin beneath your fingers as you shape your own bowls, cups or other forms at your own pace, with your teacher's support. It is a great chance to switch off, focus and enjoy the calming flow of the wheel.
At the end, everyone picks up to three favorites to leave behind. Your teacher trims, glazes and fires them, and you get an email when they are ready to pick up. Restoring the space is part of the process, so the last fifteen minutes are for cleaning up; if you would rather keep creating, the instructor can handle clean-up for a small add-on fee.
Why It Works for Groups
With 2 to 6 guests, everyone has a wheel and the instructor's attention, which makes this one of the more satisfying team building activities for small groups. The rhythm of the wheel makes it one of the more relaxing team building activities, and the first wobbly bowls give everyone something to laugh about, so it doubles as one of the fun team building activities for adults.
It also works as one of the more memorable creative team bonding activities for a small team, a date or a birthday, and for christmas team building each guest ends up with handmade ceramics to keep or give.
About the Studio and Its Founder
The studio was opened in 2012 by a ceramic artist who has been working in clay for over 35 years. After more than twenty years in high-tech manufacturing, he earned a BA and an MFA, taught ceramics at Bay Area colleges, universities and community centers, and managed the ceramic studio at the Richmond Art Center before opening his own space. Throwing on the wheel has always been his first love in clay.
Today the studio runs two San Francisco locations, in Lower Nob Hill and in the Mission, with more than 10,000 square feet of studio space, a team of instructors and cone 5, cone 10 and raku kilns. Its motto is simple: learn, create, share.
What Past Guests Say
One guest whose group included several people who had never touched a pottery wheel called the class a perfect group activity, praising an instructor who explained things clearly, demonstrated techniques from multiple angles and guided anyone who was struggling. Another described a very relaxed, fun and intimate class, and a third booked a class with friends for a birthday and had a blast.
Good to Know
- Great for beginners; wheels are adult sized, so younger children may need extra help
- Suitable for adults and kids aged 10 and up; an adult must accompany kids and pay for a separate ticket
- Wear clothes and shoes you do not mind getting dirty, and consider trimming your fingernails
- You may wish to bring your own apron and hand towel
- The last 15 minutes are for clean-up, or add instructor clean-up for $12 per guest
- Please arrive 10 minutes early; the doors are locked once class begins
Plan Your Wheel Throwing Class
Share your preferred date and group size to check availability. At $89 per guest for two hours on the wheel, with clay, tools, glazing and firing included, this class gives every guest up to three finished pieces.
