Justin C.

I am from Ventura and have been a regular here for the last 6 months. I have absolutely loved my experience here at Firestick. I am new to pottery and have been so happy with all of the guidance I have received at this studio. I started with their introductory class (aka Play with Clay) which is $65. This $65 intro class begins with a tour of the studio followed by a tutorial going over the steps of wheel throwing. It can be surprisingly difficult at times but they have multiple instructors for the small class that help a lot. You are given 5 pounds total of clay and are allowed to make whatever you want with it. Afterwards, it costs $15/piece for the studio to trim and glaze your piece for you (or you can come back and glaze yourself). You can avoid this fee however if you upgrade your experience to the 4 class package for $110 (they subtract the cost of the intro class and count that as 1 class). I did this option and highly recommend it if you are nearby! It comes with 12.5 pounds of clay and 16 hours of individual practice studio time. The practice time is so clutch. You work in the member studio on your own. However, I have found that the community here is so kind and supportive. Members of the studio and staff are quick to help if you have a question and some members have even sat down with me to help me with some difficult pieces. I wanted to give a shoutout to the owner Robin and one of the staff/instructors Aaron. Both Robin and Aaron have been so kind to us and are so willing to help us out, even when it's outside of the classes. They are so talented at what they do and they make the process seem easy. They have so many solutions to fix your pieces if you mess up. I am so grateful for them as well as the other staff that we have had the pleasure of learning from. I highly recommend checking this place out and consider becoming a member here. They have so many different glazed and they fire their ovens twice a week, I believe. Most other studios do this only about once or twice a month... From my time here, I have probably made close to 10-15 pieces total - what a great deal.

Imo O.

Just a wonderful experience as I always wanted to try making pottery! I found the studio through Airbnb experiences where it was $60 for the two hour session and the creation of 5 items. The two instructors started by giving a demo on proper technique and the steps to shape your clay. From there, you really just do your own thing on the wheel and they come around frequently to assist and help out. I absolutely loved the two instructors and the session! It was so fun and relaxing to create something with your hands. For me, it was the perfect mix of wellness and fun as I just had a moment of "outside thoughts off" as I focused on the clay while having so much fun getting my hands dirty, making cool things, and laughing with others in the class. I was able to make two bowls, two mini flower pots/vase, and a coin plate! Another thing I love about Firestick is that if you cannot return to glaze, you can tell them what colors you would like and they can glaze, fire, and ship it all to you! Something to keep in mind. I had the impression that it was $60 and that's all. $60 is only for the session itself. If you want to keep any of the 5 pieces you made it's an extra $15 each per piece. This price includes the glazing and firing so please keep that in mind! Thanks for an amazing time Firestick!

This class was set up through Air BnB. Well, it started out poorly with the owner talking and talking up her business and once she figured out that I was local (my family members were from NYC) she hit me up SEVERAL times (4) to come back and take classes with them. The VERY hard sell, which doesn't work on me. So, the class was alright. Then, I had to go back later (after they had been fired) to glaze all the pots that we made and I had to pay MORE for the glazing. We were not told that there would be an additional charge to do the glazes. What I'd like to know is how do their customers who live out of town (like NYC) get the glazes done.....? I must add that the glazing process was really fun with the staff who were exceptionally nice. One good thing. Then, I picked up MY pottery and they were nice pieces but I went to NYC to visit my family (last week for their wedding) and together we unpacked the box shipped from Firestick and 2 of the pieces were broken (even though they were all wrapped up in bubble wrap). One of the broken plates had all the bits but the other plate was MISSING some of the broken pieces? The broken pieces were NOT in the box? So they had shipped my family one piece AFTER it was broken in Ojai?? I took photos and brought the broken pieces back home to Ojai and called Firestick. The person I spoke to very nicely offered me 2 "free" "student pieces" as a "replacement" which COMPLETELY dodges what the special experience was all about (doing a pottery class together with my family members who I rarely see). OR they will give me $30. What a joke. I asked the person to please tell her people that we had been sent a broken plate with broken pieces missing which indicates that SOMEONE HAD KNOWINGLY sent us a broken piece of our work. I asked her to please advise them that this was not OK. She said she would pass this on. She did apologize but what was offered me was pitiful. I believe that Firestick could have and should have done more to compensate for 1)their actions and 2)for their response and THAT is why I am writing this YELP review. I would not recommend this business.

Jess R.

I came to Firestick in December, during my birthday weekend, for their "Play with Clay" workshop. Currently, it's priced at $65--a great deal. It's a 2-hour session where you're given a short tour of the studio--the showcase room where pieces are for sale, the practice room where students and staff throw on the wheels or trim pieces, the back area where the kilns and glazes are--and then you're set up to do the actual workshop and work with clay. One of the staff leads with a demo, talking you through the steps of centering, opening, pulling, etc. Depending on the size of your group, there may be additional instructors around to help you as you work with your clay. You're given five 1-lb balls of clay to work with. You can make five smaller pieces, or you can combine your balls to make larger pieces. The day I went, a Sunday morning, we had a group of 13 people. People ranged in ages from pretty young kids to middle-aged adults. The owner, Robin, led us through the tour. Joanne--I was told she used to be a manager but now is retired--did the demo. Once we got to working with our clay, Joanne stuck around to help. Another staff member/instructor, Mattia, helped us as well. There was also a third staff member whose name I didn't catch. Make sure you come in clothes you don't mind getting clay spatters on! They give you aprons to borrow, but that didn't stop the clay from getting on my pants. Also, wear close-toed shoes. You may drip clay or water on your feet. Don't worry too much, though, because the clay washes out. It was really fun! Centering is super tough, especially if you're a beginner like me, so they'll offer to center your piece for you. They may open up and pull up the walls of your piece as well, so if you want to do things yourself and don't mind making mistakes/having to start over, communicate that with the staff. Keep in mind you have a time limit, though. Don't stress too much about getting things perfect--it's about the experience! The bonus is that you make pieces you can potentially take with you. I say potentially because you have the option of leaving your pieces behind and not seeing them through to the end of the process. The process is such: 1. Throwing 2. Waiting period until pieces become "leather hard" 3. Trimming 4. Bisque firing 5. Glazing 6. Final firing It takes time! You won't be able to walk out with your piece(s) the same day you do the workshop. So if you just wanted to do the workshop and don't want to keep the pieces you made, then you can let staff know and won't have to do anything else. But if you do want to keep your pieces, the first option is you can come back and do the aforementioned process yourself and take them home at the end. They offer a package of 4 additional lessons plus 16 hours of practice time for $110. I am currently in the middle of this process. I did the workshop on a Sunday and came back the following Friday. I did the first of the four lessons (another 2 hour session) where I was taught how to trim the pieces I made at the workshop and was given more individualized instruction on how to throw. I was also shown how to navigate the studio, where to get supplies and clean up after myself, and I put in around 2 hours of practice time. I was given another bag of clay that's mine--I think around 12 lbs? The second option is you can have the staff do the process for you and you can either pick up your pieces or have them shipped to you. There's a $15 fee per piece (plus shipping?) if you do this option. Don't forget you can also buy pieces that others have made! I mentioned the showroom where there are some pieces made by visiting or local artists as well as a couple by Robin. Outside are pieces made by students, and some are at discounted prices. At the workshop, I made four pieces--3 smaller ones and 1 larger bowl. At my first lesson, I made 3 more pieces. I'll attach a picture of my workshop pieces so you can see what you can make! All in all, a great experience. You can customize your experience to a one-time activity or extend it to something more if you fall in love like I did. Everyone at the studio is super friendly and helpful as well!

Alana K.

My boyfriend and I came here for the Play with Clay class. Neither of us have any pottery experience, so this was the right choice for us! The entire class is two hours. During the first 20ish minutes, Robin, the owner, showed us around her studio. We were able to throw clay during the rest of the class, with each student being able to make up to 5 pieces. The class we took had about 8 students and 2 instructors, so there was lots of opportunities to ask questions (or ask for help). At the end of the class, you can decide how many pieces you'd like to keep. The cost to fire each piece is $15 (as of June 2023). We live in NY and won't be able to come back to glaze our pieces. Thankfully, the studio offered to glaze them and ship them to us. Everyone was so helpful! We had such a nice time and I'd really recommend this experience if you're looking for something to do in Ojai.

Sarah S.

Best birthday activity! I took the 2 hour class with my husband and I was so enthralled the whole time. I learned so much from Riley, our pottery leader, during the tour of the facility. I learned the different pottery firing methods and clays and kilns and so on. There is so much to the world of pottery and this was a great introduction. Then getting to throw 5 pieces on the wheel was so special and fun. My husband and I both totally dove in and learned quickly and made some awesome pieces. Riley was very attentive and great at providing the support and guidance we needed and so pleasant to have as a leader. And before I forget to mention, I think the experience is priceless and Firestick offers this class at such a deal of a price. I think I found my new birthday tradition :) absolutely love this place and can't wait to come back. Might start the monthly membership...I think I caught the clay bug :)

Penelope H.

Fun date night activity whether you're a local (in which case you have a 2-day experience of making your pottery and then returning to glaze them) or visiting from far away (our case!) Call directly to schedule to avoid additional fees. They were very accommodating. Make sure you start on time - another couple was late and missed the tour. On the tour we were able to see some of the amazing and distinct pottery pieces made by members of the collective. Very impressive. There were 2 instructors for our course. Since many of us were new to pottery, everyone in the group could have used more guidance throughout the evening. The addition of another instructor would have been very helpful for completing more pieces. That said, this is an experience. Enjoy the time you have! Get to know your fellow attendees and instructors. Get dirty. Laugh! Maybe have your own Ghost moment on your date! At the end of the session you can barter some of your items for the pottery studio to sell. I parted ways with some pieces and was able to get a discount on our class! Since we were for out of state, at the end of the session we were instructed to select 1 glaze that would be used for all of our pieces. A few weeks later they were shipped to us with no breaks! Everyone was so nice and helpful. If I lived nearby I'd be coming as often as possible. Highly recommend.

Teresa B.

Did the 2 hour workshop with my sister in law today and it was so fun! For $55 you get an instruction on throwing clay on the wheel and are able to make up to 5 pieces (time allowing). For $15 each, you can keep whatever pieces you fancy, come back and finish them or the team will finish them for you. If you're not from the area they will ship them items to you for a flat $20 fee. The instructors were very welcoming and helpful! Not a single person left disappointed by the experience. There are also finished pieces available for purchase. They were VERY fairly priced. I got an adorable planter and a cup for my makeup brushes. If I wasn't flying I'd have bought more! Highly recommend for those visiting or if you're into the art join as a member!

A long-time lover of pottery and a huge fan of the Great Pottery Throw Down, I'd never even touched raw clay before my sister and I came to Firestick Pottery for a 2-hour class for my birthday. WE LOVED IT!! To put it in context, we're 65/66 years old if that matters. The class is 2 hours and limited to 8 people. There were 6 in ours. The others ranged in age from mid 20s to us. You start with a short tour of the studio and an overview of the process. It includes seeing other works in various states and a peek at the kilns and glazes. Our tour was led by the studio owner, Robin, and she was worth the price of admission on her own. Highly entertaining and informative. Then you go straight to the classroom area to your wheel. We had 2 instructors for the 6 of us - a great ratio of support. Erin did a fantastic job showing us what to do and then you go at it. You have about 90 minutes at the wheel and you can make a up to 5 pieces. My sister and I each managed 4. One did 3, another guy only did two. They will center the clay for you if you want, which I strongly recommend because it takes more than 2 hours to get good at that part and why waste your time? The guy that did two, centered his own. You will get clay all over you, despite the apron, but it's washes off skin and out of clothes without any problem. But don't wear silk! When you're done, you can decide if you want to keep any/all of your creations. If you want to keep them, the next step is to glaze them. But you can't do that for about a month, so you have the go back. If you don't live near by, they will glaze for you but it limits your choices of color. Then, they have to fire it. They'll ship it to you from there or you can go back a 3rd time. I have to admit here is where we made our error. Were didn't realize that the cost for glazing is $15 per piece until we'd already said we would keep all 8 pieces. So that was $60 more each. BUT! We don't mind because we had the best time! It was fun, it was new, and Robin is doing a great thing. Her studio supports people who want to be potters. No one's getting rich here. Also, we live about 3 hours away (1way) but had so much fun - and in Ojai- that we decided to come back and glaze ourselves! Do yourself a favor and take a break from the shopping and eating, and go out to Firestick Pottery and make a real souvenir!

Stacey C.

It was my very first time trying pottery making and I'm so glad I came here to do my first lesson! I signed up with my friend to do the two hour workshop for $55 per person. They teach you how to use the spinning wheel and make the clay blob out of something. On my first clay blob, it took me a while to figure out how to center it and build it out and up. Luckily there were two lovely (and very patient) ladies who guided me through the steps and help me fix my clay cup/bowl along the way. I ended up making three cups/bowls during my time there. If you wanted to keep your clay pieces, it was an additional $45 for them to help glaze the items for you and ship them to Los Angeles from Ojai. I thought this experience was very enjoyable and very memorable especially for beginners and first timers.