10 Inspiring Pottery Classes to Mold and Shape Your Team’s Artistic Talents

Creative workshops are always a great way to bring your team together, learn something new, and, above all, have fun. And what could be more fun (satisfying, too) than playing with clay in a pottery making class? Teams can use their mindfulness and creative spirit to transform a lump of clay into a beautiful mug or vase. These functional keepsakes will forever remind them of a day well spent together. 

We have compiled a list of clay pottery making class options that will inspire, challenge, and spark creativity among your team. From hand-building to wheel throwing mastery, these classes will break the mold of the same ol’ team building activities. 

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Why Are Pottery Classes an Effective Team Building Exercise?

Engaging in a hands-on activity like pottery making allows teams to express themselves creatively. Team members have to collaborate and exchange ideas to choose the type of clay, center it on the wheel, shape the walls, and select the final glaze. These interactions can build stronger connections and employee engagement in the workplace. 

The activity also requires attendees to have a certain level of focus and mindfulness to mold the clay into desired shapes. This provides a soothing and meditative experience and helps teams de-stress and relax from the daily grind. And not to mention the satisfaction of seeing your creativity and hard work in the finished bowls, vases, or sculptures.

10 Best Pottery Making Classes for Teams to Get Crafty

Explore these best pottery classes that cover a variety of techniques, tools, and themes to elevate your team’s artistic skills. Whether you are a beginner or an aspiring potter, each class is tailored to fit various skill levels, team sizes, and schedules. 

1. Hooray Teams ‘Pottery at Home’ Class

Number of participants: 10-50
Price: $75 per person 
Time: 60 minutes

Treat your remote team to an awesome ‘Pottery at Home’ session with Hooray Teams. During this hands-on workshop, an experienced potter will explain the basics of ceramics and tips for using pottery tools, materials, and equipment. The instructor will also demonstrate coning, centering, and pulling techniques to create your own mug, bowl, plate, or candle holder.  

Before the event, you and your team will receive a DIY pottery making kit delivered straight to your doorstep. Inside each kit, you will find stoneware clay, a wooden pottery toolset, glaze, and instructional materials. After the class, you can fire up your creations in a kiln for a more finished look or leave them unfired for a rustic touch. 

👉Helpful hint: You can request a customized pottery making class with personalized themes and designs to suit your team’s style. 

2. ClassBento Pottery Classes

Number of participants: Customizable 
Price: $75-$85 per person 
Time: 120 minutes

ClassBento offers beginner-friendly pottery making classes for both in-office and remote teams. A professional artist will show you and your team the step-by-step process of sculpting handmade pottery from scratch. Teams can then choose to make a vase, mug, or mini pinch pots or even collaborate to create a giant pottery piece. Your workstation will be set up in advance with pre-measured clay, sculpting tools, and a cup of water for shaping the clay. 

Remote teams will receive a DIY pottery kit delivered directly to their doorsteps. Each kit includes two bags of eco-friendly clay, wooden pottery tools, clay breakers, and an instruction card. Once the virtual class is over, you can either let your pottery air-dry or take it to a local pottery studio for firing, depending on the finish you desire. 

👉Helpful hint: If molding pottery seems overwhelming, you can select painting pre-made pottery pieces as a simpler alternative.

Recommended Read – 8 Inspiring Bonsai Classes to Treat the Nature Buffs

3. Peacefulpots Pottery Workshops

Number of participants: Customizable 
Price: Available upon request 
Time: 1.5 to 2 hours

Is your team looking for a bit of creative therapy to unwind? A pottery workshop with ‘The Pot Heads’ is worth considering. The platform encourages teams of all ages and skill levels to explore pottery and discover their artistic flair. Their experienced instructor, Tasha, will begin the workshop with some ice-breaker warm-up activities to get the creativity flowing. 

Participants can engage in molding one or two plant pots that will make a great addition to desk decor. Each member of your team will receive a pottery package with terracotta air-dry clay, a seed kit, pottery tools, paint brushes, and an aftercare guide. No prior experience is necessary. Also, they can tailor the whole session to your team’s preferences and interests. 

👉Helpful hint: You can also follow the session with a pre-recorded video tutorial for a more flexible experience.

4. Coursehorse Creative Pottery Class

Number of participants: Customizable 
Price: Available upon request 
Time: 60-90 mins

Coursehorse’s pottery-making class is a fantastic way to spark creativity and enjoy a fun team building experience, whether in-office or virtually. A seasoned instructor will help participants learn the techniques of wheel throwing, hand-building, and glazing. Then, they will get hands-on experience in molding clay to create beautiful ceramic pieces. The instructor will also provide personalized feedback, tips, and tricks to make the session worthwhile.

Virtual teams can opt for Virtual Kintsugi, Painting on Clay, A Thousand Years of Decorative Tiles, or Air Dry Clay Trinket. They will receive a craft kit with all of the supplies they need to get started on the pottery art. These online pottery classes also offer flexibility and convenience to learn pottery at your own pace. 

👉Helpful hint: The platform offers the option for teams to choose clay pottery classes based on beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. 

5. Sculpd Online Pottery Masterclass

Number of participants: Customizable 
Price: $65
Time: 1-1.5 hour 

If you are looking for crafty ways to reward your team, a Sculpd virtual pottery class team building is a perfect choice. A Sculpd potter will guide your team in transforming a block of clay into handcrafted pottery masterpieces. Choose to create a filament lamp, handled vase, candle pot, matchstick holder, bulb vase, or plant pot.

They will send a pottery starter kit to each participant’s address. Each kit contains 2 kg of dry clay, a beginner pottery guide, pottery carving, shaping, and cutting tools. You can also request them to add paints like floral, earth, or pastel tones to the kit to decorate your own pottery. 

👉Helpful hint: Explore Sculpd’s YouTube channel for holiday pottery classes, like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Halloween, to create unique decorations and gifts.

Recommended Read – 8 Virtual Resin Art Classes For Your Team

6. Pottery with a Purpose

Number of participants: Customizable 
Price: Available upon request 
Time: 60-90 mins

Bring your team together for ‘Pottery With a Purpose’—a fun, lively, and stress-free team building experience. This class is specifically designed to help in-person and virtual teams spark creativity and bonding while learning something new. The Purpose founder, Sam, will run basic lessons on ceramics, share pottery-making techniques, and safety measures to consider.  

Participants will receive curated organic kits with everything needed for the DIY session. Each kit contains eco-friendly clay, instructions, tools, a brush, non-toxic white paint, and a plantable wildflower seed. Teams can even request a customized box tailored to your team’s interests or preferences. 

👉Helpful hint: Don’t forget to check out the recycle guide from their website for tips on how to properly dispose of or reuse materials from your pottery kit.

7. Clayshare Pottery Making Class

Number of participants: Customizable 
Price: Available upon request 
Time: 40-60 mins

Clayshare is much like the Netflix for pottery enthusiasts for your in-person or remote teams. The website features thousands of tutorial videos and full-length classes that are instantly accessible. Their experienced instructors guide you through the intricacies of pottery in a fun and supportive environment. 

Team members can let loose their imaginations as they sculpt, carve, and design their creations. They can also ask questions about selecting the right tools, firing and glazing process, and perfecting techniques. Whether you’re just starting your pottery journey or an aspiring ceramicist, there is something for everyone’s interest. 

👉Helpful hint: You can access Clayshare’s exclusive workshops like ‘Carved Lidded Jars’ and ‘Manipulating Clay’ to master advanced techniques in pottery.

8. Pottery-on-the-wheel

Number of participants: Customizable 
Price: Available upon request 
Time: Customizable 

Pottery-on-the-wheel website offers an array of free online pottery classes tailored for absolute beginners and experienced people alike. You can explore videos on how to prep center, and shape clay correctly. The site also provides tips on selecting clay, setting up a studio, and painting clay pots with glaze. 

Though it lacks troubleshooting tips, the clear written instructions with the videos make it easy to follow along. You can also check out their gallery of ceramic images and clay pot patterns to take inspiration and personalize your creations. 

👉Helpful hint: Keep your pottery passion alive with their recommended books, full of tips and inspiration.

9. Learn Throwing Clay with Hsin-Chuen Lin

Number of participants: Customizable 
Price: Available upon request 
Time: 1 day 4 hours

Taiwanese-American potter Hsin-Chuen Lin offers a comprehensive pottery tutorial series on his YouTube channel. The videos offer advanced tips for intermediate potters seeking to refine their skills and advanced potters looking to re-learn techniques. Teams can follow detailed instructions on centering and pulling to create mugs, bowls, vases, plates, teapots, and lidded jars.

His videos also include lessons on best practices for water usage, drying processes, and safe handling of pottery tools. Lin’s series is not geared toward absolute beginners, but with regular additions to his video library, the playlist for beginners is steadily expanding. 

👉Helpful hint: Advanced potters can explore lessons on handle attachment, texturing, and decorative techniques like sgraffito and roller textures. 

10. FEELartistic Studio Pottery Classes

Number of participants: Customizable 
Price: $90
Time: 90 minutes

FEELartistic premier art studio provides a supportive and inclusive setting for in-office teams to take up pottery classes. They offer pottery lessons, ceramic hand-building classes, and sculpting workshops for attendees of all ages and skill levels. An expert instructor will give you personalized attention to try wheel throwing, glazing, and firing. That being said, the studio encourages attendees to have creative freedom to experiment and express their unique ideas. 

At the end of your pottery wheel class, you can take your creation home or choose to have the studio bisque-fire or glaze it for an additional fee. They will also ship your pottery pieces, such as plates and bowls, anywhere in the USA for an extra charge to cover packaging and shipping costs.

👉Helpful hint: Take up FEELartistic free art lessons to enhance your imagination and creative confidence.

Recommended Read – 8 Virtual Candle Making Classes to Unleash Your Team’s Creativity

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are some of the best online pottery classes for teams?

Teams can attend the best pottery making classes from Hooray Teams, ClassBento, Coursehorse, Peacefulpots, or Clayshare.  

Can I take virtual pottery making classes for free?

Most virtual pottery classes require payment to cover materials, instruction, and access to the course. However, you might find some basic pottery lessons or tutorial videos on various pottery studio websites or YouTube channels. 

How to host an online pottery making class for teams?

Choose a platform like Zoom or Teams that supports your team size and offers good audio and video quality for the online pottery class. Find a professional potter for guidance tailored to your team’s skill level. Set a date and time that fits everyone’s schedules, send out detailed invitations, and ensure participants have the necessary materials. On the event day, create an engaging and supportive atmosphere to involve everyone in the activity. 

How long does a pottery beginners class last?

The Pottery activity typically lasts between 1 to 3 hours. The duration can vary depending on the studio or online platform, as well as the specific format of the class.