Clay hand-building is one of the most relaxing team building activities a group can book in San Francisco and the Bay Area. In this two-hour class at a community clay studio, your group hand-builds vessels and wares with simple tools and techniques, then leaves the glazing and firing to the studio.
The class welcomes groups of 4 to 40 guests and is designed for beginners who have never touched clay before. Guests with some experience can be guided toward more intricate techniques, so mixed groups work well.
What's Included
- A two-hour private hand-building class for your group
- Instruction from the studio's ceramic artists using simple tools and techniques
- Clay, tools and aprons
- About one to three pieces made by each
Clay hand-building is one of the most relaxing team building activities a group can book in San Francisco and the Bay Area. In this two-hour class at a community clay studio, your group hand-builds vessels and wares with simple tools and techniques, then leaves the glazing and firing to the studio.
The class welcomes groups of 4 to 40 guests and is designed for beginners who have never touched clay before. Guests with some experience can be guided toward more intricate techniques, so mixed groups work well.
What's Included
- A two-hour private hand-building class for your group
- Instruction from the studio's ceramic artists using simple tools and techniques
- Clay, tools and aprons
- About one to three pieces made by each guest
- A choice of five glazes for every piece
- Glazing and firing by the studio, with an email when pieces are ready for pickup
What You Will Make
Guests shape vessels and wares by hand, building forms with simple tools rather than a spinning wheel. That makes hand-building approachable for everyone, including people who are not able to get on a wheel. One-time classes also start with a short tour of the studio, a talk about its principles and a quick walk through how clay turns into ceramics.
Why It Works for Groups
Hand-building is more relaxed and intimate than wheel throwing, and it is much easier to socialize because nobody has to stay super focused on a spinning lump of clay. Conversation flows across the table while hands stay busy, which is exactly what makes it one of the more creative team bonding activities for teams that rarely get time to just talk.
With room for up to 40 guests, it is also one of the more practical large group team building activities in the city, and a good fit for team building art projects for adults who want a calm, creative afternoon rather than a high-energy competition. Planners looking for crafty team building activities that still produce real, usable ceramics will find it an easy choice for company team building events, celebrations and gatherings with friends.
After the Class
Guests make about one to three pieces during the class. Everyone chooses from five different glazes for each piece, and the studio then glazes the creations and fires them. Finishing takes four to six weeks, and the studio sends an email with pickup information when the pieces are ready to take home.
How to Prepare
- Arrive at least 5 minutes before class starts
- Aprons are provided, but wear comfortable clothing and footwear you do not mind getting clay on; clay washes right off in the washing machine
- Short nails make the techniques easier
- If you have long hair, bring a hair tie
- Remove rings, bracelets and watches before you start and keep them in your bag, not in an apron pocket
- Come with low expectations and for the fun experience first; pottery takes a lot of practice
About the Studio
The host is an artist-owned, women-owned community clay studio in the Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, with a 4.7-star rating from 54 reviews. It is run by a collective of artists bound by their knowledge and passion for ceramics, with years of practice and higher education in the craft, who want to share those skills and foster creativity in a safe space through clay, art and dialogue. Beyond group events, the studio offers six-week wheel and hand-building classes, memberships and specialty workshops, and it treats clay as a valuable, finite resource from the earth.
Good to Know
- Group events need a minimum of 4 participants
- One-time classes suit ages 15 and up; ages 12 to 14 join with a supervising adult
- Classes are designed for beginners who have never touched clay, and instructors can guide experienced guests toward more intricate techniques
- To request a date, share your company or occasion, headcount, class option and a few possible dates with start times
Plan Your Hand-Building Class
Send your preferred dates, start times and headcount to check availability, and get ready for two easygoing hours of making, chatting and getting a little clay on your sleeves.
