Make two handmade ceramic mugs in a fun, fast-paced pottery class in downtown Vallejo, one of the most relaxed hands on team building activities in the Wine Country corner of the Bay Area. This two-hour hand building workshop is made for beginners, and a skilled instructor supports your group every step of the way.
Imagine sipping your morning coffee from a mug you made yourself. In this class each guest learns basic slab building, the technique that opens the door to many other pottery projects, and leaves the studio having formed two mugs from scratch. All pottery tools and clay are supplied, so the only thing to bring is a willingness to get your hands into the clay.
What's Included
- Two hours of hands-on hand
Make two handmade ceramic mugs in a fun, fast-paced pottery class in downtown Vallejo, one of the most relaxed hands on team building activities in the Wine Country corner of the Bay Area. This two-hour hand building workshop is made for beginners, and a skilled instructor supports your group every step of the way.
Imagine sipping your morning coffee from a mug you made yourself. In this class each guest learns basic slab building, the technique that opens the door to many other pottery projects, and leaves the studio having formed two mugs from scratch. All pottery tools and clay are supplied, so the only thing to bring is a willingness to get your hands into the clay.
What's Included
- Two hours of hands-on hand building instruction from a skilled instructor
- All clay and pottery tools, including pre-rolled clay slabs and a mug template
- Texture mats and stamps to decorate your mugs
- Two handmade mugs per guest, glazed and fired by the studio staff
- Finished mugs ready for pickup at the studio in two to three weeks
How the Class Works
Your instructor starts with a short demonstration and then walks the group through each step. You will build your mugs from pre-rolled clay slabs and a template, which keeps the pace quick and the results reliable even if you have never touched clay before. Along the way you will learn the basic slab building techniques that potters use for cups, boxes, planters and many other forms.
Once your base is formed, you are welcome to make the mug your own with texture mats and stamps. Get creative with the shape of the body and the handle to make pieces that fit your mug collection. When the class ends, you leave your mugs at the studio, and the studio staff glaze and fire them for you so they come back food safe and ready to use.
- Learn slab building with pre-rolled clay and a template
- Form the body of each mug and attach a handle
- Add texture and stamped designs to make each mug your own
- Leave your pieces for glazing and firing by the studio staff
- Pick up two finished mugs in two to three weeks
Why It Works for Small Groups
The workshop is booked for groups of 2 to 6 guests, which makes it one of the easiest team building activities for small groups: everyone works at the same table, compares designs and helps each other with handles and textures. There is no pressure to be artistic, and the template means every guest walks away with two usable mugs. It is a natural fit for creative team bonding activities, a birthday with close friends, a small holiday outing or a date with family members who want to try something new together.
For managers looking for art team building activities that do not need a long planning cycle, a two-hour mug class is simple: book the time, show up, and the studio provides the clay, tools and instruction. Your group also goes home with a useful keepsake that will show up at the next coffee break.
About the Studio
This women-owned pottery studio grew out of the home studio of its founder, a working potter, and now has its own 3,500 square foot space in downtown Vallejo. The studio is equipped with 12 throwing wheels, three large work tables, a slab roller, an extruder, a glaze room and kilns, plus the tools needed for functional or sculptural work. Classes and workshops are kept small so that each student gets attention and support from the instructor.
Beyond this workshop, the studio runs one-time classes, six and eight week session classes, specialty workshops with visiting artists, kids and teen pottery classes, memberships and private events, and welcomes everyone from total clay newbies to experienced potters.
Good to Know
- Beginner friendly; no pottery experience is needed
- Suitable for adults and kids 14 and older; guests under 14 may enroll with an adult, and the class may not suit children under 10
- Bring an apron if you want to protect your clothes from clay dust
- Mugs are glazed and fired by the studio staff and ready for pickup in two to three weeks
- Groups of 2 to 6 guests
Plan Your Mug Workshop
Share your preferred date and group size to check availability. With clay, tools, instruction and firing included, this is a simple way to give your group two hours of making, laughing and learning together, and two mugs each to remember it by.
