Enjoyed a lovely two hour one time wheel class led by Hana (think that's how you spell it lol)! My sisters and I (two of us with a bit of experience, two totally without) had a fun time getting our hands a lil dirty and trying out a new activity together. Included in the $85/person fee are two ceramic pieces you get glazed and fired for you + $10 donation per each additional piece. My only issue with the course was that it felt like it flew by too quickly! Three of us were only able to make a single piece ): For our beginner statuses, a little over an hour of actual time to practice and create felt a tad too short (subtracted some time from the studio tour, intro to wheel tutorial, and clean up). Our instructor was friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, and just really great overall. I really loved the vibe of the place--the plants, natural lighting, and unique pieces scattered all around truly make the space inviting and so pleasant. Definitely somewhere I would consider being a member of if I lived closer! read more

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I've been wanting to take a wheel throwing class for ages!! The opportunity came when my friend invited me to a group class for her birthday. A private 2 hour class was $95 a person since she had 10+ people. We could bring our own snacks and drinks but we didn't have much time to snack or drink lol. I'm so sorry I forgot our instructor's name, but she was so lovely and patient with our rowdy group! She gave us a tour of the studio and there were members working on some amazing creations. As a first timer, I realize it's harder than it looks (how do people do it??) because the clay is simultaneously hard to manage and very sensitive. You need to anchor yourself to resist the clay as it turns to make your dome shape, and then it will very easily turn south when you start building the edges with your fingers. I have a new wave of admiration for pottery artists! Even managing the speed with my brake was hard :P There is no limit to how many pieces you can make, but within reason. I made 3: a small bowl with a hole at the bottom (I overestimated the thickness), a bigger bowl and a tumbler. They glaze and bake it for you to be pick up ready in 3-6 weeks. We had such a great time chatting and encouraging each other, not caring how messy we got haha. My friend started a train of cleaning our own stations; please do so if you plan on coming! Saves the staff some time after their hard work teaching and helping each of us :) I would come back again to hone my skills and work on making it more of a therapeutic vs frustrating practice! read more

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My first time doing pottery / wheel couldn't have been better - Gina, the owner, was super patient, kind, and helpful in a way that guided me to apply and grow my learning in just one session. Excited to go back! I'm a pottery girlie now! read more

Kollektiv Clay Studio - Art Classes Near Me - Oakland, California

KCS is a true gem of a space. It is a supportive, warm, bright, and clean place to learn and create, with the bonus of the owners' focus on sustainability. The classes themselves are great, with engaged and engaging instructors. The instructors, owners, and members all foster an environment of support for your creative journey and of celebration of accomplishments and attempts. As a student, I felt encouraged my the members, and as a member, I can see the enthusiasm and comfort in the new students. It's a great place to be a beginner, and it's a great place to be an experienced potter. 10/10. read more

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Had arranged a private 2-hour wheel-throwing class, and we kicked off the class with a tour of the studio, and getting to know more about the space and a general overview of what our time together would look like. Our instructor, Ryan, is excellent, creative, patient, and wonderful. His instruction style was detailed without being overwhelming, and his demonstrations before you tackle things was perfect in terms of speed, and process. The class is really just a teaser, and before you know it, you're trying to figure out when their 6-week classes start and if you can fit it into your schedule. Clay is beautiful. Highly recommend Kollektiv Clay! read more

I can not say enough good things about both Kollectiv Clay and our clay teacher Ryan McCullen. First- Kollectiv Clay. My wife bought us a private 2-hour ceramics lesson for our anniversary, and it was absolute BLISS. The sun-filled studio is the most peaceful place to be in and it is well run, well organized, and spacious enough for all your creative ideas. The owner and members seem to run it in a sustainable way and the pricing is more than fair for what you get in exchange. Next- Ryan. He is the kindest, most thoughtful person and has developed methods and ways of showing/explaining things that make throwing pots on the wheel accessible. His art is also lovely, he is a special soul, do not hesitate to sign up. read more

Gina is an amazing business owner. I've worked in many ceramics studios and this one is special. It's super clean, community oriented, and ethical. They recycle all of the water and all of the clay here! This takes extra effort and is also such a conscious decision that benefits everyone. I took a one-time class with my sweetie who is new to clay. We had Gina as our teacher. She was so positive and it was so worth it. In three hours, we created two pieces and she bisque-fired and glazed them for us. I highly recommend trying out a one-time class or group gathering here. Though I've worked a few kilns before, it is so nice to have a studio that will fire pieces for you. We followed up our one-time class with a six-week wheel throwing class and Sophia was a clear and helpful teacher. This is a great studio and I might even become a member! read more

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This studio is awesome! Prior to taking classes here, I had no experience working with clay and was excited to see a studio open up in my neighborhood. So far I have taken two intro to wheel classes. The teachers are really good. I took my first intro to wheel class with Ryan and repeated the same class with Kelsey--they are both really awesome! They have very different teaching styles and personalities, but I enjoyed working with both of them. Ryan is very experienced and I feel like he teaches you with a lot of detail, which initially is overwhelming to a newbie, but as you gain more experience, you look back at those experiences and appreciate how helpful and insightful all those little tips were! Kelsey is super funny and positive all the time. She is so incredibly funny and her laughter is contagious. She is a really fun teacher and made our class so enjoyable and full of laughter every week. I learned a lot from both of them even though I was technically retaking the same course! The owner Gina is super nice and helpful. She's also super good at teaching (I had her for one day when my Ryan wasn't available). She seems like a very sweet person and is always available for questions. She is very patient and nice! I also like the actual studio itself! It's very cozy and comfortable, and pretty clean majority of the time. The sustainability aspect is new to me and I've grown to appreciate it. Overall, it's a great place to be. It has a very positive and welcoming environment and I would highly recommend checking it out. read more

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We had the best time at Kollectiv Clay Studio! I took my 7-year-old for a mommy/son date night to make clay gingerbread houses, and it was absolutely wonderful. The activity was fun, creative, and perfect for kids, and we both loved getting our hands messy and building something together. The staff were incredibly kind, patient, and helpful--always right there if we needed guidance but also great about letting us explore and enjoy the process. You can tell they truly love what they do. Such a warm, welcoming atmosphere and a memorable experience for both of us. We will definitely be back! read more

What an amazing experience! Thank you Kollektiv Clay! We had a staff outing on Sunday here for a private 2 hour intro-to-clay class that included both hand building and wheel throwing. There were four of us and we all made a few items (most of us were new to ceramics) and learned so much. Gina was such a sweet, fun, and patient teacher. We will be back as now we are all hooked:) The space is really beautiful as well. Highly recommend taking a class here! read more

Best clay studio I've ever been a member at! I started at the huge warehouse clay spot with big business keeping it moving and then went over to the large, long-time non-profit clay house in the area and none of them live up to the community at Kollective! I think if you're a person who is looking for an incredible, intentional community to flex your creative muscles and find a lot of friendship and support, then the Kollective will be the right spot for you. Couldn't love the hand-made, loving thoughtfulness of the entire space that the owners have created this space with. It's an incredible place and a real gift to the east bay clay community. read more

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I had a genuinely great experience at Kollectiv Clay. From the moment I walked in, the space felt warm, welcoming, and thoughtfully put together. It's right on Piedmont Avenue and easy to get to, but what really stood out was the energy of the place. It feels like somewhere people can show up, be creative, and just be themselves. The staff were incredibly friendly and patient, and you could tell they genuinely cared about making sure everyone felt comfortable and supported. This was my first time ever throwing clay and I was surprised by how relaxed and unintimidating the experience was. The instructor was clearly very skilled and knowledgeable and explained everything in a way that felt approachable and easy to follow. I never felt rushed, stressed, or out of place, even as a total beginner. Kollectiv Clay strikes that rare balance of being both professional and genuinely warm. It's more than just a studio. It really feels like a community. I can't recommend it enough and I will absolutely be back. read more

I attended the Clay for Grievers Workshop which was a lovely experience during a sad time. Sitting around the work table, mucking around with clay while sharing stories about loved ones with others, was very healing. Gina led the workshop with kindness and openness. Beautiful space and welcoming environment. Sign up for a class & support Kollektiv! read more

This place is an absolute joy to be a part of, and I'm sincere in that. The owners (Gina+Robert) are committed and kind people who are ready to supper and teach while not being overbearing and letting you grow instead. Gina and the other teachers show their space to Clay while also citing other methods to match different learning styles and very encouraging for everyone to find what works from them. If you've been in an art class and told that you didn't have raw talent, this place can be a wonderful space to let go of that without compromising skill building. clay used for students, comes with the class and members have a variety of clay purchase options including the lower cost "house clay". In both cases, firing and glazing fees are incorporated into the class price or clay purchase price. Not every studio does it this way, often firing fees are not included! The open studio hours and class times for students fit a variety of schedules, and i am personally really happy being a member. A couple other things! The studio works very hard to be green and clean. This means the clay water and scraps are recycled- not wasted and reconstituted into a lower cost clay for member purchase. It also means the kiln is fired only when full, which may take time if you're an eager member i do truly think it's a benefit for students to not start firing right away, these pieces are functionally immortal and the making skills take time and trial and error. You might feel attached to a certain piece the first week that you are thankful you recycled in the third, or end up keeping that piece that you can now really appreciate for all your hard work. Lastly, clean! I can't be more grateful with how clean all of in the space work to maintain. Clay dust isn't good for your long term health, so community and self care is very important for preventative care. This means cleaning everywhere you left an imprint of clay that will visibly dry into dust, wheels, table, tools. You might think "oh it's just a little on my ware board ", which I understand. And, the person most likely to have to clean that will be a teacher who's spent years around clay and wants to keep doing so safely. It took some getting used to, but it's really worth it. I didn't expect that it would make me feel more apart of this community and connect+trust everyone in it. I personally have unrelated disabilities that include environmental sensitivities and ended up having to step away from art spaces all together. i hadnt been able to find a space that i didn't react in for a few years. Even with all the clay i have never reacted there. I thought it might be a fluke, but i was at another studio last week that i did react to. So know the cleaning absolutely pays off. And all the shelves, the recycle water sink, the wedding able, counters, member cubbies, art gallery and library even work tables were all HANDMADE BY THE OWNERS!! I'm not kidding. They have put so much personal work into this place unlike anywhere else I've ever been. I really didn't plan to write this much, I guess i just had a lot more to say than i thought! I'm really happy Kollektiv exists and really proud to be a member read more

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The One-Time clay throwing class was very fun, and all the laborious parts of ceramics are taken care of for you. The instructor, Tova, was very patient and explained everything in-depth. Would definitely recommend! read more

Great, really really fun experience. The instructor was extremely kind and the directions were fairly easy to follow. My class had all beginners so it was really fun! We didn't make many cups but many other beautiful shapes were created. read more

Kollektiv Clay is the space Oakland needed! It embodies the spirit of art and creativeness of the Bay Area, and the staff are very knowledgeable about their craft. The owners, Gina and Robert, share the utmost passion for their studio with their community and it truly shows. They have done a wonderful job building the place, and I love how their core values include environmental awareness and appreciation. A must stop for anyone interested in getting their hands a little dirty! read more

I took the 6 week intro to wheel class at Kollektiv and now have been a member for a few months. My instructor made me so much more comfortable with clay and the wheel than I had after previous pottery classes. The class process, including deadlines and where to store work and clay, was thoroughly explained. Now as a member, I always get so many tips and inspiration from other members and instructors when I go in, so the learning hasn't stopped. I joined Kollektiv when I was new to Oakland looking for community, and it has exceeded my expectations. The owner, Gina, is lovely and the community at Kollektiv reflects that! read more