Discover your creative side with Gold Coast’s best pottery classes
If there’s one thing folks can take from the hit 1990s movie Ghost, it’s the thought, ‘Man, I wish I could do pottery like that.’ Well, now you can!
Once you’re standing on the Gold Coast’s shores, there are plenty of opportunities to try your hand at it—minus a lover who can shape clay while their arms are around you, sorry!
It’s just you, the clay, and the pottery wheel to bring out its destined beauty. It’s perfect for people looking to have a grounding but still a stress-relieving journey without working so much sweat.
To help you plan the perfect artistic escape, we’ve listed some of the best pottery classes on the Gold Coast for an unforgettable trip in the city by the bay.
We’ve included top pottery schools, along with different types of classes where you can craft your masterpiece—though unfortunately, the romance factor from the movie is sold separately!
Top-rated pottery schools on the Gold Coast
Learn the beauty of pottery making while building relationships with other folks at some of the best community-driven pottery studios in the city.
Crockd Studios Currumbin
– Media credit: crockd.studios
Location: Unit 6/14 Nuban St, Currumbin Waters
Contact: [email protected]
Hours: Everyday: 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Crockd Studios Currumbin, formerly Stone Studios, offers a variety of pottery courses to allow beginners and more experienced visitors to release their creativity through the mold.
Couples will particularly like all the fun date-night ideas in the studio, including a special two-person wheel-throwing workshop. They can also come down and get dirty while enjoying desserts or wine with some of the studio’s adult-oriented vase- and table set-making classes.
Of course, all craftwork made throughout the classes can be brought home. The studio will even add free accessories to the mug or vase, depending on the package chosen.
Children will also enjoy their time at Crock with the kid-friendly craft lessons. They can learn to mold and bring their ideas to life in three weeks under the studio’s experienced teachers.
Parents can enroll kids aged five and up for a fun-filled family-friendly lesson or a mother-and-child bonding in the Mama’s and Mini package.
Pro tip:
Since waiting for other students eats into lesson time, Crocd’s classes are best enjoyed as a group. Booking with people you know helps manage time more effectively and avoid delays.
POT Studios
– Media credit: pot.studios
Location: 475 Golden Four Dr, Tugun
Contact: [email protected], +61 478 061 024
Hours: Saturday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
While POT Studios only offers wheel-throwing pottery lessons, it provides an extensive and varied experience for each customer.
For one, the studio offers wheel-throwing workshops dedicated to mastering each ceramic. People can spend their whole weekend molding intricate vases into life!
If decorative items aren’t your thing, you can enjoy a multitude of pottery courses for functional tools like bowls, table sets, and seafood platters.
Couples can also indulge in the art of pottery together at the studio’s exclusive “date night” package. Don’t worry, the mentor won’t disturb you much throughout the courses.
Of course, singles can still appreciate POT Studio’s services with its “Wheel + Wine” offering where you can build your visions to life while sipping wine on the side like a true maestro.
Pro tip:
As the studio is usually open once per week, it’s best to schedule your courses and visits months in advance to avoid unexpected mishaps on arrival.
Firebird Studios
– Media credit: firebird_studios_pottery
Location: Unit 1/20 Hutchinson St, Burleigh Heads
Contact: [email protected], 0402263227
Hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday to Sunday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Firebird Studios takes pride in its community-based approach to pottery making. This means people learn from their mentors and others around them.
The studio can hold up to 20 enrollees, perfect for group events or even as a way to socialize with other folks.
Focusing on the workshops available, Firebird is no slouch either. The studio offers standard wheel throwing and hand-building courses on top of decoration and alternative firing experiences for people of all skills to enjoy.
Despite the huge capacity, people won’t need to worry about noise, as the studio tries to maintain a relaxing atmosphere for everyone’s peace of mind.
If you completed the beginner’s course, you can master your crafts at Firebird’s Creative Flow workshop for more freedom. The instructors take a more hands-off approach to let students approach their tasks in their distinct creative ways.
Non-creatives can still appreciate Firebird’s service by commissioning them for small quantity products. This service is particularly popular among specialty coffee and tea shops.
Pro tip:
Firebird usually sends the finished products via mail. To ensure the deliverable’s condition, it’s better to notify the carrier to place it in a low-height open area.
Don’t worry too much, though. The product is sealed tight to prevent the ceramic from moving too much and a fragile warning on the packaging.
The Craft Parlour
– Media credit: the_craft_parlour
Location: 27 Lemana Ln, Burleigh Heads
Contact: [email protected], +61 423 846 774
Hours: Everyday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (full schedule here)
The Craft Parlour distinguishes itself for the various activities people can enjoy under its wing.
From canvas painting to sewing, people of all ages can spend their time honing their skills in the company of fellow creatives. Of course, the same applies to pottery.
Kids and adults can spend the whole day learning about wheel throwing, hand-building, pottery painting, and pot decorations.
The most popular pot decoration lesson is the $90 ceramic shell mosaic, which incorporates the seashells into the mold before being put to the fire.
In addition to decorative ceramics, parents and children can bond together to create functional household tools like platters and even a citrus juicer.
And if you want to dive fully into the studio’s laid-back atmosphere, end the day listening to some calming sound therapy with the 2-hour Luna Sound Healing program.
Pro tip:
As much as possible, try to attend the pottery lessons on-site rather than opting for the take-home services.
The take-home kit alternative wouldn’t be as effective as the hands-on lessons, especially for children requiring attentive guidance rather than just pre-recorded instructions.
Stoka Clay Studio
– Media credit: stokaclaystudio
Location: 205 Upper Duroby Creek Rd, Upper Duroby, New South Wales
Contact: [email protected], +61 431 486 386
Hours: Saturday: 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Located near the Duroby Nature Reserve, Stoke Clay Studio portrays a calming nature-inspired atmosphere for people to immerse themselves in the art of pottery.
Visiting the studio, you’ll be immediately greeted by the small plants inside and across the premises. The place’s architecture even exudes the country house feel.
Going into its services, people can enjoy a good wheel-throwing and hand-building pottery experience while cold air from the nearby creek passes through them at the open venue. Inside courses are also available for those who prefer a home’s comfort and warmth.
The studio even offers a weekend club for socialization while building ceramics and eating some sweets.
Most pottery courses are private workshops, ensuring people can indulge in their crafts in peace.
After a long day at the studio, customers can explore the wildlife atop the rentable horses in the nearby stable. It’s certified to give the country life experience without going far into the wilderness.
Pro tip:
If you like your time at Stoka Clay Studio, the venue is also open on Airbnb for a vacation stay while you explore the natural beauty of the Gold Coast and New South Wales.
Gold Coast Potters Association
– Media credit: gcpotters
Location: 173 Ashmore Rd, Benowa
Contact: [email protected], +61 7 5621 2230
Hours: Saturday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (full schedule here)
Community is at the forefront of the Gold Coast Potters Association. It was founded by pottery hobbyists for other pottery hobbyists.
This means that people are guaranteed to learn from instructors who are truly passionate about the craft and have years of experience mastering their skills.
The association offers standard wheel throwing, handbuilding, and pottery design workshops on top of several variations specific to differing skill levels.
Plus, the group also has exclusive 10-week courses to elevate the enrollees’ knowledge from beginner to advanced through continuous training.
Although the group no longer offers children’s lessons, it still holds arts and crafts workshops during school holidays. That said, pottery making remains 18+ only.
Aside from workshops, the Association also holds regular art and craft fairs to sell some of its wares to tourists and fellow enthusiasts. Several items from the fair even made it to national television and local art exhibits as a testament to the Gold Coast’s creative minds.
Pro tip:
To participate in the exhibits and receive special workshop discounts, it’s a good idea to schedule your visits during special holidays like Valentine’s and Mother’s Day.
The Association posts all upcoming events on its website so visitors won’t have to worry about missing out on the fun.
Choosing the right pottery class for you
Pottery making is as varied as the resulting ceramics seen at markets. Some are easy, while others take time to master.
However, one thing’s certain: it’s up to you to pick the pottery class that suits you the best.
Wheel-throwing
Out of all the pottery lessons, wheel throwing is the most difficult, taking days or even weeks to master.
It requires repeatedly building up the mold after a simple mishap. It also requires steady and coordinated hands to form even curved structures.
That said, beginners don’t need to be worried, as pottery studio teachers will always be there to guide their way. Others even provide taster classes to brief beginners on the proper ways before fully committing to the hobby.
Handbuilding
Handbuilding is often considered the easiest and most direct way to express your creative mind to the mold.
Potters are given free rein to model and build their cups, mugs, and utensils however they like. It can be crude ceramic or a complex sculpture made of clay; anything’s possible as long as the creator wills it.
Due to its laid-back approach to pottery, it’s often packaged as a group activity or offered with food and drinks (usually wine).
After completing their masterpiece, the creations are glazed and given out for people to use as a commemorative display or a functional everyday tool.
Pottery painting
Pottery painting can be a separate activity or a part of the whole pottery experience.
Customers can bring their work to a new level with imaginative colors and even create picture stories through their paints. We know many who did.
Like pottery making itself, pottery painting is also varied, with each technique providing an outlet for people to customize further and elevate their creations.
The most popular method is glazing, in which the painter applies a colored liquid to the mold before putting it in the fire to create a distinct glassy coating.
Meanwhile, other methods like oxidation and slipping require some planning for their designs to appear as you envisioned them.
If it’s purely decoration, people can use acrylic paint or even nail polish for embossed designs.
Kiddie lessons
Pottery isn’t a hobby exclusive to adults. In fact, many pottery studios offer family-friendly classes for children to explore their creative sides while enjoying a day out with family and friends.
Kiddie pottery lessons are usually offered to children aged 5 and up, although some classes like wheel throwing require enrollees to be at least 7 or 9.
Parents also won’t have to worry about leaving their kids unattended, as most courses include hands-on supervision from an adult guardian or teacher.
Most of all, these kiddie lessons offer children a way to socialize with their peers over shared interests. It can even be the spark needed to build long-lasting friendships.