I started here 3 years ago as a beginner when they opened and have taken probably ~10 classes from different staff members. I also brought my team from work here a couple times + other neighboring teams for team events and folks loved it and enjoyed that it was a departure from the normal things my company does - everyone also walked away with nice pieces for that. After 3 years I wanted to give back and I'm about to start being an occasional instructor here for the next session, so I wanted to be transparent about that, but I'm not being compensated or nudged to write this review and I should've written it long ago. Things this studio is great for: * Community/third-space - I expected to take a class or two and then buy a wheel at home. I never expected that Clayroom would fill a hole in my life satiating a desire for community and connection I didn't know I had. Folks are really friendly here, and if you start showing up on a regular basis and occasionally say hi then you'll get to know people and build connections. * Seeing if the hobby is a good fit - do one of the 1 day try-days * Beginners - you get unlimited studio access during your classes to come in and practice, and having taken intro with multiple instructors I can safely say the instructors are really great. I can also say that experiencing classes from different instructors in different sessions can be very helpful. * Intermediate+ - the classes for things like intro 2.0, next steps, gardenware fusion, surface design, etc are all really useful for leveling-up your game. Some of them like intro 2.0 are probably worth revisiting to get more practice, since classes are jam packed with useful content. * Team events - mentioned above, but many teams from my company have done events here and loved it/walked away with great pieces. * Members - the studio does a great job of taking care of its members; when there are needs in the studio I've seen them acquire tools or otherwise empower members. There's still lots of initiative to improve systems and make life better. * Staff - the staff is incredibly friendly and helpful - they're a huge part of why I'm at Clayroom to stay :). read more

It's hard to put into words my appreciation for the Clayroom and the community at large. It has opened up a whole new creative world for me that didn't exist before my first class. Yes I always wanted to try ceramics and yes, I thought I might have an affinity for it, but I never would have expected it to change so much in my life in a positive way. The instructors here are something special. They have a rare ability to meet you exactly where you are -- whether you're a complete beginner fumbling through your first attempt at centering clay or someone who's been coming for months and is ready to push their skills further. They're generous with their time, patient without being condescending, and genuinely excited about what they do. That enthusiasm is contagious. What made me decide to become a member is the community. There's a warmth here that's hard to manufacture -- people cheering each other on and lifting one another up. It's a space where you can step away from screens and noise and just make something with your hands, surrounded by people who get it. I didn't expect to find that when I signed up for a ceramics class, but I'm so glad I did. read more

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Love love love!! I took a 6 week intro session here and I am totally hooked!! My instructor and TA (Lillian and Vivian) were both excellent - very patient in explaining and always welcomed questions and gave advice. Also shout out to the co-heads of studios as well, super well run. Clean, respectful and equipment is nearly new. I love the location as well as there is plenty of free parking. I plan to continue to additional sessions. 6 week intro class was $395 or you can book a try day session but strongly recommend the full six week session to learn good foundation and have studio time to learn at your own pace. Since starting, my feed and dreams are full of pottery ideas! Makes me so happy!! read more

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Took an intro class back in fall and am currently taking an intro 2.0 class. Really enjoy the cleanliness of the studio and how nice the teachers are. I feel like I've been making a lot of progress since my first class. Classes are 6 weeks long and include a bag of clay (with different options to choose from). I do feel like my Intro 2.0 class added a lot more depth to my knowledge and the teacher is very knowledgeable. I like that classes include open studio hours. I do not have class experiences elsewhere, so it's hard for me to compare classes/studios. read more

I have been a member at clay room for a little over a year now and the facilities and staff are EXCELLENT. I have taken 3 classes thus far. All of which were taught by patient and knowledgeable instructors. I learned a lot of techniques in each class. The instructor tried their best to answer all my questions and help/challenge me to improve my skills. Since starting my membership, the staff have been incredibly professional, mindful, kind and most importantly happy to share their knowledge. They try their best to address any concerns I bring up and answer even the dumbest questions that I have. They are also very mindful and careful with the pieces we all create - doing their best to make sure pieces come out of the kiln in their intended splendor. This is a community space. The staff and members have created a very inclusive artist community. Because this is a community space, we are expected to respect each other and the space - which includes cleaning up after ourselves. It's like going to the gym: you clean up your equipment for the next person. The staff do the best they can to keep the studio tidy. And if you've been to other studios, this space is SO CLEAN. But it definitely needs to be a community effort read more

I've been a student at both Clayroom SoMa and Clayroom Potrero for a while now and recently joined Clayroom San Mateo as a member! If you get a membership at Clayroom, you can bring your bisque fired pieces to the other studios to glaze as well which I think is a great benefit. The studio is beautiful and I've never had a hard time finding a parking spot. I've really enjoyed being a member here so far. Compared to being a student, I don't feel as rushed because I have a quarterly membership vs. a 6-week class. The shelves at the studio are wide and have a lot of vertical space which is great. I got a shoe rack for my shelf so I'm able to store more pieces. I'm still exploring the glazes here but a few of my favorites so far have been: - Paula's Pink under Caramel Steam - Caramel Steam - Licorice - Robin's Egg read more

My wife and I have taken numerous classes here and have now become members. A great environment and a really nice space. The teachers are caring people who really want you to get the most out of your experience. The two studio leads are fantastic and try to foster a community feeling. The waitlist for membership can be long, but if you're new to the studio, it would benefit you to take a few classes to see if you like the vibe (you will!). With each class you get very generous access to the studio so you can work on your project outside of class. If you're BRAND new to ceramics, they have "Try Days" on Fridays and Saturdays where you can come in and take a short intro class. read more

I took a pottery class at Clayroom in San Mateo and found it an excellent program to help beginners and even people with advanced experience. The classes are well structured and the teachers are excellent in helping, in particular people who are new to wheel throwing and all aspects associated with beginning pottery and beyond. The studio is well designed with numerous wheels and every tool you might need to make ones masterpiece. I hope to join additional classes or become a member in the near future. Emile Hons read more

I have had such an amazing time with my Clayroom membership, I completed two in introduction to throwing classes earlier this week and really enjoyed learning about the technique and methods for creating beautiful pottery so I joined the studio. Playroom has everything you could possibly need to create beautiful and lovely Clay pieces of art from the tools to the glaciers and everything in between, the staff is also really lovely and super helpful highly recommend for anybody wanting to get into pottery or wanting to pick it up again after a period of time away read more

Clayroom - Pottery - Art Classes Near Me - San Mateo, California

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My now 11 year old daughter started at The Clayroom when she was 10. Has taken the kids intro class several times now and has loved it each time. The teachers have been great. As a parent, I have had a terrific experience working with the co-head of the San Mateo studio who has been responsive to getting my child enrolled in the classes and making it easy to foster my daughter's love for art and clay! read more

Just finished taking the intro class series and I loved it! Studio is a great working space and instructors are very knowledgeable. I signed up for more classes read more

website is a JOKE - can't register for any class but you're told you must book online only--