Not only is Natasha an extraordinary artist, but her teaching strikes the delicate balance of guidance and oversight while also inspiring whimsy and allowing the student to fully express their creativity. I felt fully supported in learning a new technique and free to take it where my imagination led me. Just a wonderful experience--highly recommended! read more

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Redemption! When I was in high school, I wanted to make a rat in a suit in my art class. I remember I had made a really great rat head. And I made a really great suit. But when I went to attach the rat head to the body, both had dried out. I only had a couple of days until the project was due, so instead I made a rabbit in a dress. But I was really upset. I was 16 years old, and I was in a phase in my life when I hated convention. So, I wanted to make a rat in a suit to signify the fact that I felt like everyone around me was just a rat in a suit. Instead, I just became super depressed and thought that I sucked and everything sucks. And why me. And I hate the world. And god, I'm such a loser. And... UGH. To be a teenager. Anyhow, fast forward very very many years (I won't tell you how many :P) ...Now that I am a rat in a suit (kinda...)... I wanted redemption for my perceived failure all of those years ago. I saw the class on Groupon and just had to take it. Natasha is awesome. She's a no nonsense Russian artist with a cheeky sense of humor. Clay is her life. She bleeds clay. It comes out of her body and it's almost seemingly like she waves her hands a little and something beautiful magically comes out of her hands and into the world. She helps you take your ideas and shows you you how you can put it together and gives you ideas on how to make it better. Natasha is incredibly attentive and listens to each student to make sure your project turns out beautiful. If only my high school art teacher was just as attentive maybe my rat head and suit body wouldn't had dried out.... She gave me a B- for my rabbit in a dress because it ended up being a week late. Perhaps that's my next redemption project! read more

Adventures in Clay - Entitled "A Rat in a suit" - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I am a pottery student and for several months now Natasha has been my teacher. She is extremely generous with her time and advice and as an artist she can translate her knowledge so passionately. Natasha has the ability to help her student's creativity process expands. She helps you think outside the box and explore your potential. I'm grateful to have the privilege of being tough by such an accomplished artist/wome. read more

I'm a complete beginner at ceramics. I've never created anything, and I'm not even a particularly artistic person to begin with. With that in mind, Natasha was very understanding of my skill set and she really brought out the best in me. Her studio itself is what you'd expect of an artist -- big, airy, with a skylight and exquisite art pieces everywhere. What's best about this workshop is that I learned so much about the fundamentals of working with clay, glazing, and the whole process from start to finish. The class reservation process was easy, over email. I walked into my first class just knowing that I wanted to make a mug, and by the end I had a beautiful and creative piece -- which would not be even close to looking good without Natasha's help! By my second class (scheduled for two weeks later), she had my mug ready and hardened from a session in the oven. I worked on sanding away the rough edges and then glazing it. I never felt like I didn't know what I was doing -- Natasha was great and patient at instructing us how to do each step... And she helped us all a great deal individually, since we were an intimate class of only 4 people. We were able to pick up the finished product from her the following week after the second class. Loved this class so much, I might take it again. Natasha is a fantastic instructor. If you're feeling friendly, ask her about her work! She's obviously incredibly talented and it's wonderful to hear her talk. TIP: If you take this class, make sure to buy from Groupon/LivingSocial. Buying the class full-value is quite a lot of money (although would still be worth it!). read more

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I recently completed the two-day workshop with Natasha at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts in Ojai, CA. Being experienced in ceramics and drawn to Natasha's work, I was looking forward to exploring her techniques & methods. It was immediately obvious that Natasha loves what she does and takes equal pleasure in sharing her expansive knowledge. All of our questions were answered with genuine enthusiasm. She has a light touch with students and, while working on our pieces, she would quietly remind us that the Present is where we are and where everything is happening. Working outdoors in the natural beauty of Ojai's Happy Valley with birdsong, the lush mountainsides and soft breezes made being Present very easy. This is an original and imaginative artist with a delightful personality and a warm, generous presence. If you have any interest in sculpting in clay take advantage of any opportunity to spend time with Natasha--preferably in Ojai's Happy Valley! No doubt the south of France is lovely too, but I have yet to experience that pleasure ... read more

I took my first sculpting class ever with Natasha and it was so much fun! I love the autonomy she gives you and gives you great advice on how to turn your ideas into real life sculptures. The class format comes in 2 sessions: 2 hours for the actual clay sculpting and then 2 hours for painting the dried sculpture I've tried other art classes such as glass blowing but I wasn't able to get as in depth with those as I did here in just the first class. I highly recommend adventures in clay. Make sure to make reservations with Natasha in advance as space is limited! Also, her studio can be quite hot so bring plenty of water. read more

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I have been taking classes with Natasha for several months now, I was a complete novice to modelling but have completed several interesting projects and now have confidence to build larger and let my imagination run free. I like that she guides us to explore our own ideas, and inspires freedom and whimsy with the clay! read more

I had a lot of fun making my art piece at Natasha's workshop. The class I took was from a LivingSocial deal and consisted of two days. Each class was two hours each. DAY 1: The first class was learning some basic techniques and sculpting your art piece. There were two other classmates in my first day (so there was plenty of one-on-one assistance). Two hours seemed like a lot of time when I purchased the deal, but in practice it goes by very quickly--regardless, Natasha was very patient and did not rush us at all. DAY 2: The second class was focused on sanding your piece and glazing it. This class was the simplest and required the least amount of time. I left a bit early because I got done pretty quickly. TIP: Make something that isn't too intricate--make sure you are watching the clock on Day 1. I highly recommend Natasha's class for anyone at any skill level. read more

Adventures in Clay - My art piece (ocean waves small pot) - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

Natasha was awesome!! I had so much fun, I could have spent all day. I'm so excited to go back for part 2. Her art is incredible and super inspiring, and the space is super open and airy feeling. Highly recommend her class! read more

Adventures in Clay - Part 1: seashell - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

Natasha was fantastic! The class exceeded expectations. The environment was fun and congenial. We learned a lot about how to sculpt and mold clay and the use of different colors and textures. The time flew by! Highly recommended as a date or with friends. read more

Adventures in Clay - Baby Yoda! - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

Other people have gone through the format of the classes so I won't rehash it it - they're all accurate. Note: her address has changed! It's now out of her home/studio at 483 Bright St, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA. The class is awesome! Natasha is awesome! We came completely ill prepared and she helped us pick a project, a design, and execute it quickly! Just have to pick it up still and I'm so excited to! read more

I got this workshop as a birthday gift and it was one the best gifts I've gotten. I really enjoyed the two afternoons I spent in the workshop, learned a lot, and ended up with clay work to take home :) Natasha is friendly and a very good teacher. She helps and supports you with what you want to create and experiment with. I very much recommend this workshop. read more

I've only been working with Natasha for about 6 weeks but she deserves all 5 stars. I don't work anymore and am interested in working with clay on a kind of serious level and was looking for real hands on instruction. In addition to being a gifted and successful sculptor, Natasha is extremely knowledgable about art history and design. That makes her an excellent teacher. Likeable and easy to work with, too. read more

I love working with Natasha! She is great personally and working with my colleagues in team building events. Very helpful and creative.

Went to one class (two days on different weekends). I had a blast both times, but I enjoyed the first class more. There were less students so the instructor could help us sooner. The second class had 8 students (instead of 3), and we were all at different stages and it made it hard to ask for help or get attention. Otherwise, I learned a lot and had so much fun! Students were friendly and instructor is lovely. read more

I just finished my first of two 2-hr sessions with Natasha, and it's amazing how much everyone accomplished without prior sculpting experience. She goes over the basics quickly so you can start working right away, and spends the rest of the time going around to help with everyone's individual projects. The group size was perfect, Natasha was super friendly, and I was relieved this wasn't a "let's all make the same ashtray" sorta class. You get plenty of space to perfect your vision, but she's always nearby if you need help (and listen to her advice! She knows better than you). I can't wait to go back and finish my planter! read more

Adventures in Clay - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I took ceramics in high school where I made a lot of giant, ugly mugs and teddy bears. I think we only had 2 glazing options so everything was blue or green. Natasha's classes were much more interesting. It took 2 sessions to make and then sand and glaze my owl. It was ready for pickup a couple of weeks later, and I was pleased with my final product. The space was bright and clean, and Natasha was fun to learn from. It seemed like she gave as much instruction/guidance as requested. Some people asked a lot of questions, others did not, but no one had to wait for anyone to complete their projects. I'd definitely take more classes and am planning to schedule one with my mom and sister. read more

Natasha is amazing. She is so sweet and really know what she is doing. I didn't know too much about ceramics or sculpting until I took Natasha's class read more

Adventures in Clay - Lady Rainicorn inspired - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

This was really a lot of fun. Natasha is talented and skilled and it's amazing what can be accomplished in a morning workshop under her guidance. I learned some valuable techniques and am looking forward to glazing my piece in the follow up class in two weeks. Had a really nice lunch at the cafe two doors down afterwards; overall, a fantastic time in the city. read more

Adventures in Clay - Monk in Meditation - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I took this class with my girlfriend and her roommate. We signed up for a Groupon, and to be honest, I didn't really know what to expect as I hadn't worked with clay since my middle school art class. This was definitely something outside of my typical comfort zone, and I am really glad to have done it! Natasha is phenomenal artist and a very involved and caring teacher. She explained the basics right away and had us get started on our design. The class was just a small group of us, so Natasha frequently checked in and helped us when necessary, occasionally imparting us with some tidbits of life wisdom :) We had such a great time chatting with her and seeing our creations slowly come to life. It was a very rewarding experience, and Natasha did a great job making us feel confident and guiding us to realize our creations. She is super passionate about what she does, and she channels that passion to really make this an enjoyable experience for her students. I would highly recommend the class - you won't regret it! read more

I just finished the 2-day class/workshop with Natasha Dikareva and have nothing but great things to say about the experience. Classes are small, allowing for lots of individual attention. Natasha is a friendly and very helpful guide. The bright and sunny studio is filled with Natasha's inspiring art, making it a perfect place to design and play with your own clay creations. If you are considering the place to exercise your creative side, or just looking to try something new, I highly recommend Natasha's Adventures in Clay class. read more

Having not done anything crafty since middle school, I was very intimidated to go to the two class series workshop. I was afraid of judgement of my ideas or moreso on my actual lack of skill in creating art, but Natasha made me (and everyone else in the class) feel extremely comfortable and provided a safe environment to potentially suck at sculpting clay. The class was an eclectic group of 6 with varying degrees of skill level and Natasha was very versatile to engage and help those extreme beginners and give great tips to those that had a clear idea of what they were doing. It was relaxing and meditative and there were some great music selections being played while we worked on our prospective pieces. Day two of the workshop consisted of glazing and choosing colors. While the person next to me painted beautiful landscapes of blues and greens on her serving bowl, I had a silly looking primary colored face staring back at me. I felt slightly self conscious about my color choices but Natasha once again reassured it would turn out great. I have yet to see the final product, but regardless if it turns out a masterpiece or a ceramic monkey face staring at me (it's supposed to be a hanging wall pocket for flowers to be put in), I still enjoyed the whole process and experience with Natasha so much. I definitely plan to come back soon. read more

My girlfriend and I had a private session with Natasha and enjoyed it so much we came back for another one! A wonderful teacher and an inspiring studio. Thank you Natashab read more

I haven't worked with ceramics since I was a teenager but this was really fun. It should be noted that for the session I signed up for, you have to arrive with an idea of what you want to make. If you do that, you'll have a great time. And I think it's safe to say that Natasha would help you come up with an idea or have something in her studio that you could use for guidance or inspiration. Speaking of Natasha, she is wonderful. A great teacher and a joy to be around. Thank you for having us in your studio! Money well spent. read more

I bought a Groupon and the class consisted of 2 sessions of 2 hours. I loved it so much that I signed up for another 2 sessions. Natasha is very patient and talented and funny. She makes the class totally enjoyable! The classes are very small and so you have plenty of time to have some advices from Natasha. I highly recommend her! read more

Natasha is very friendly and has a positive, can-do attitude. She is very helpful in the process, making sure you create a piece of your own vision, while guiding you to something interesting that can be accomplished within the time frame of the sessions. I learned a lot and thought it was a good value, especially at the discounted rate I had from LivingSocial. Thanks, Natasha! read more

Absolutely awesome! Like many reviewers, I found my way here through a Living Social deal. Natasha set me up with class times over email, and I spent two Saturday afternoons in her studio. The classes are super small (4-6 people), so you get a lot of personal attention. Natasha is a fantastic teacher, and provides a really welcoming environment for creating art (clean, classical music playing). Beyond being really talented, she has a great sense of humor and makes the class very enjoyable. I came away with two small pieces, both of which I intend to use. Hope to be back! read more

I loved my time here! Got a groupon which harve me 2 sessions to create whatever piece of artwork I desired. Having never sculpted clay, I didn't know what I could accomplish in 2 hours, but I'm pretty proud of my finished product: Bocca della Verita. Natasha is patient and encouraging and creates a great calming atmosphere to work in. read more

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This is an amazing workshop. The class size is small (I was the only one!) and Natasha is a truly talented sculptor who can help you discover the techniques needed to achieve your next sculpture idea. And her energy is contagious! She also brings the best pastries in SF sometimes. 8) The space is within a warehouse where many artists reside, so it's easy to catch glimpses of other people's work while walking through. Natasha's area is well organized and spacious. I must say, it's a rare pleasure to have such a great (and friendly) artist who is so accessible. I would definately recommend this class to anyone of any skill level. Whether you've never touched clay or you're looking for another sculptor's eye to add insight to your next piece, this class is a must. read more

We had a wonderful experience at Adventures in Clay, very much enjoying both the process and product of our 2-part workshop. By the end of our session, my wife and I came home with a handmade fruit bowl and a ceramic cat, both well-suited as gifts for the impending holidays (back in November). As all of the other reviews attest, we found Natasha both warm and welcoming, with a fun and colorful presence. She offered us helpful guidance while we created our little clay monsters, though just enough for us to succeed- in other words, we did the work. No prior experience is necessary in order to enjoy your time at Adventures in Clay, which makes it perfect for beginners, though I suspect skill-levels of all types would still enjoy themselves. What's not to enjoy about molding lumps of soft clay into neat, little objects? We would (and may still) definitely go back. read more

I really enjoyed the class. She did a wonderful job of helping her students come prepared for the class. Natasha suggested that we bring in sketches so we were ready to work after her demo was done. She was encouraging, nurturing, understanding, and supportive. I loved her sense of humor which really shinnied in her taste in music. Next time I attend her class, I will have a better artistic plan and vision. read more

Natasha is a wonderful calm teacher. I have never done sculpture before, but I run an artistic brand. She is kindly supporting me realize all of my designs into beautiful sculptures. My art fans love those latest 3D creations of mine. It is all possible because of Natasha's ability to teach sculpture with ease and care. Prices are reasonable. Thumbs up! read more

For the technical details: I bought my voucher on ZOZI for two classes of two hours each. First class, you create your object in clay, second class you add the glaze (paint). Now for the experience: Natasha is amazing! She's super friendly and knowledgeable! You can do whatever you want, she will help you. You get enough clay to make a pot, a vase, a sculpture... Classes are usually pretty small (5 people max) so everyone gets a or of attention. The studio is also really nice with a lot of light. I already signed up for another class! read more

Have not yet explored but plan to soon. Love the freestyle creative experience. If you've never worked with clay...dig in. Do it. Therapeutic transformational. Love read more

Natasha made me look like a better potter than I am. Not even sure how she did it, the teaching and guiding so subtle I hardly noticed, that is, until I had a beautiful finished product staring back at me. The others in my class seemed equally...untrained, but ended up creating beautiful, unique pieces. If you're looking for something to do that will shake things up a bit, bring you a comfortable distance outside of your comfort zone, and leave you feeling fulfilled and like a kid again...take one of Natasha's classes. I took the 2 day beginning class and will most likely go back for more. It's also a fun way to meet new people. I took the class with a friend, and together we befriended another pair of pals, and together us 2 pairs of pals added in post-class drinking at a nearby pub to the mix. If you do take a beginners course with Natasha, I highly encourage you to come prepped with an idea of what you would like to create...drawings and/or physical samples included. It really helps Natasha help you create the masterpiece you have in your head. read more

Natasha Dikareva is master ceramic sculptor who teaches her craft in a class called "Adventures In Clay" to small groups of 1-5 students in her studio. The class is over two days a week apart, and costs $200. What makes this class one of the best kept secrets in the Bay Area? After two weekend afternoons you will walk away with an amazing sculpture you will keep the rest of your life. It will be amazing because you'll have plenty of help from Natasha, who, by the way, is extremely nice and a lot of fun. I met her at last year's Open Studios, and was lucky enough to take her class last month. My sculpture was a tree with masks and other decorations at the end of the branches, but you could make a mask, teapot, human figure, or anything else. If I ever write one of those "100 Things To Do Before You Die" type books, this class is sure to be in it. read more

LOOK NO FURTHER, this is it!! Instructor Natasha was extremely skilled in both her craft and getting the best out of us -- my wife and I had fairly humble ideas for projects and with Natasha's counsel we were quickly shown FUN techniques that made our ideas come out so much better than envisioned! NO regrets, doing pottery with friends/partners is an awesome time, and this is a super-enjoyable venue to get the best out of it! read more

Natasha is an excellent instructor who really appreciates her students and guides them to make the creation they want. I found her classes through LivingSocial and after the first session I was hooked! Great tips for new or experienced students. Highly accommodating for even the kookiest of my sculpture ideas. Will take again A+++++ read more

What a great class! Natasha is a true artist and a great instructor. Though I am not gifted in art, she still encourages me to do what I feel. It felt good to let my creative juices flow and just let go. Such a relaxing class that time just flew. Though my clay isn't as nice as the other students, I am still proud that it is unique and is in the eye of the beholder. read more

Ahhh! I attended Natasha's class today. Amazing! She is a very talented artist and an awesome teacher! I had a wonderful time creating exactly what I had in mind and will look forward to the next visit when I glaze my masterpieces! Brava Natasha! Hilary read more