Kaytea was awesome! Yesterday I took my team to a private pottery wheel throwing class and everyone told me how much fun they had. Kaytea is very knowledgeable, funny, and helpful. Me and most of the team have personally never done this before and we appreciated her patience, humor, and story telling. I've always been interested in wheel pottery as a personal hobby and I'm leaning towards coming back here on my own time :) plus the studio is super cute! read more

SMAart Gallery & Studio - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

How cool is it that the artists' pieces of work is displayed in front for sale! I love walking in to see what people made. Love the creative minds. The paint colors, the craftsmanship, the ideas. read more

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We just did the two hour class today. It was Friday afternoon at 2:30 and only a few of us in class. Our teacher Jason made it super fun and easy to learn. He was good at giving clear instructions, but also making jokes with the kids and the adults. My friend and my kid are both 13 years old and had a blast. Highly recommend. I cannot wait to pick up the finished pieces in six weeks. read more

SMAart Gallery & Studio - Output from our two hour class - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

Pottery / ceramics / wheel throwing for this price in SF?! Yeah, you definitely can't find that price anywhere else! I booked a 2 person session for my daughter's sweet 16th along with her sister. Unfortunately, minutes right before attending the class one of my daughters (NOT the BDAY girl) got extremely ill. Thankfully, the owner Steven was able to accommodate me, and I was told we're able to utilize the second ticket for another upcoming class (which my daughter is looking forward to attending). The instructor of the night was Erin and she was beyond flawless and patient with my daughter as well as the other attendees. Overall, the class was really fun, I just watched, took pics & recorded. I think my daughter just found her new hobby / stress reliever! We'll be back soon! read more

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Our teacher, Erin, was FANTASTIC! She was enthusiastic, hands-on, and intent on teaching us the right technique! She was happy to answer all of our questions and then some more. Hands-down, the best teacher we could have for a beginner pottery class! We learnt the technique for the first 45 minutes or so and then repeated the process to make 3-4 pieces. This was an enjoyable class in a great space! read more

Emily was very clear, patient, and encouraging! She explained the concepts of pottery well and showed it twice!

My work team had a social activity here and it was fun! It was cool to learn something new together and come away with a tangible reminder of our experience (in 4-ish weeks...more on that below). Our instructor was Itai. He was very detailed with his instructions, and I appreciated that he gave context and examples for each action along with his demonstration. I like to know ALL the reasons that I should (or shouldn't) do something a certain way, so the level of information he shared was perfect in my book. Itai kept close watch on individual progress and called out to us as needed with any necessary adjustments, like adding more water, when to use our tools and sponges, whether our wheels were going too fast or too slow, and when we were in danger of ruining our pieces by doing too much. He was on top of each person's comfort level and knew who was okay with the daunting stuff like taking their piece off the wheel (not me), and who needed extra help (me). Our pieces were placed together on a board to be put in line for kiln firing/glazing in the coming weeks. There's an iPad near the door to enter your information so that you can be contacted for pick-up. If you've never been to a clay studio before, you should know that you'll be expected to clean up after. There'll be a lot of sponge-wringing and wiping, then more sponge-wringing and more wiping. It'll be the messiest part of your time here. Depending on the vibe you're going for and your budget, you might consider paying extra to skip that part. Also on the topic of messiness, most of our group walked out with zero clay on their clothes (aprons are provided). Only two of us got clay on our pants and I got the most by far because I'm generally clumsy. So if you're a neat and tidy person by nature, you might come out unscathed. Important note: They are sticklers for time here (which is fair). If you are late, they will not let you run over and it will come out of your creation time. Clean-up starts on the dot. Don't be late! Parking note: We came on a weekday afternoon and it was relatively painless. read more

Took a 2 hour intro class here. Couple of things that really made the experience enjoyable: - This experience was for my girlfriend's birthday. The week of the original booking, I came down with a sickness. I asked for a rescheduled date which was approved which I really appreciated. - I won't lie, just getting to the point of trying to center the clay is very tough for a first timer. Mason walked us through everything and walked around and gave everyone personalized tips for the whole two hours. The items I was able to make in the 2 hours: - The flat piece that doesn't really look like anything - A small pot that is right behind it - A really nice bowl all the way out to the left read more

SMAart Gallery & Studio - Pottery the 4 people at these stations made. Best result for me was the bowl all the way out to the far left - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

SMAart Gallery might not be immediately noticeable from 24th Street, but once inside, it's a warm, creative, and welcoming space. I felt completely at ease in the studio and had an amazing experience during my six-week course. Jason, my instructor, was friendly, knowledgeable, and great at teaching new techniques that significantly improved my throwing skills. I highly recommend taking a class here! read more

Took one class here: Intro to the wheel / pottery and it was awesome! loved it. Erin was a great teacher and we will be signing up for more classes! read more

Great idea for a date, team building or just an evening with a friend. Jason is an awesome coach, who helped us in every step of the experience! read more

SMAart Gallery & Studio - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

We booked a small team event for 10 team members here at the last min. When I say last min, I'm talking 530 pm on Friday for a Monday event - so it was crazy last min but we were able to reach the venue and they said they could accommodate our crew and sent over confirmation right away. When our crew arrived at the studio on Monday afternoon, we were greeted, given clear instruction with our stations all ready to go. Our instructor was pleasant, knowledgeable and led the class with enthusiasm and we were all surprised at what we were able to accomplish by the end of the class. There was lots of laughter, joking and fun all around. The team enjoyed the event, and we'd happily do it again. I highly recommend you book this studio for your event. read more

Such a great experience, especially for a couples. you won't leave an expert but you'll definitely leave with the feeling of accomplishment. read more

SMAart Gallery & Studio - Aprons Provided - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

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SMArt Gallery is one of my faves in SF. I had been walking by this great storefront/ art gift gallery and pottery, ceramics studio for months, and when whoa! wah! out of the blue sky on a whim, I stepped in that was IT for me! I enrolled in a 6-week course for beginners. HINT - I have 2 packs of hobby store-purchased clay hidden at the back of a closet somewheres.. Classes My six week class took place on Thursday nights at 6:30 PM and that was the perfect time for me. As part of the course, you are encouraged to spend time in the studio during the week to practice and create. That is the best combination to learn and grow your skills and build up Confidence! Artistic Treasures! I am always excited to see the original pieces that are created by others who are frequently there and offer many of their creations for sale!! The prices are reasonable. You can find the very best gifts for your favorite someone or why not buy a great memento of your visit to SF for yourself? You deserve it! I love the creativity and talent that goes into every piece, and they tend to move quickly so I recommend stopping by and spending some time in the store gallery. Many of the artists are onsite to chat with. We are so lucky to have such a great place in the heart of San Francisco's vibrant Mission District! I took a bunch of pictures of the beautiful pieces to post here, and I will be posting here again soon with updates. Steve the owner is always helpful and pleasant to speak with, the other students, teachers and artists are all very friendly. Come on in! Ten Stars & Ten Hearts for SMArt Gallery!! SMArt Gallery!! read more

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I took the 6 week intro to wheelthrowing with Emily. She was a great teacher. The studio is also available for drop-in, so i was able to work on skills outside of class too. The members are generally friendly and helpful to us noobs, but you can also just listen to music and get in your own zone. read more

SMAart Gallery & Studio - Pieces I made during the course - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was celebrating my wife's birthday and we chose to make it a family activity. Along with two of my kids we had an amazing experience and it will live as a beautiful memory for many many years to come. Victor is an amazing instructor and so courteous and caring. He made sure that all of us were following along and having fun. My little ones were amazed on what they could achieve with their bare hands, and this was all made possible with the easy instructions that Victor provided . read more

Our instructor was Itai and he led the class with clear instructions, one step at a time. As we started to try to spin our clay he took that time to assist us one by one. Pretty nice guy! I just wished we had a bit more time because near the end we only had about 20 mins to make the second piece and we had to rush the whole process that we just learned. Fun challenge tho haha They did provide wooden tools, aprons, sponges and what not which was great since we didn't have the hassle to bring all those for our first time. Itai also taught us how to clean up after as well. Great first time experience in my opinion. I would love to come back to this studio or just try beginner classes for pottery in general. read more

SMAart Gallery & Studio - Close up photo of all the clay pieces made by the class, mostly shaped as small bowls, cups, and pots - Art Classes Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Love this studio. Lots of great teachers and the space is well managed. Everyone is friendly and helpful. I have taken a 6 week course with Emily. Emily was terrific. Ceramics, especially for beginners, can be difficult. Emily was always there to show me how to be successful at both hand building and throwing. Highly recommend. Fun! read more

Excellent!enjoyed the class. Dev is very capable and relaxed. Loved it and will come back!

I joined SMAart studio a month ago and I have been a very happy and satisfied with my experience thus far. Steven, the owner, and all the members and teachers that I've met so far have been very approachable and pleasant to talk to. Steven is always available: all calls and emails are answered promptly. The studio is very clean and has a wide range of clay and glazes to select from. Studio hours are flexible which works perfectly for someone with a busy schedule. There is a very cute store front where members can sell their handmade pottery that gives this studio a great sense of community. In the heart of the Mission, the studio is surrounded by lots of shops and restaurants, with plenty of parking spots around. I highly highly recommend this place. read more

Victor was an amazing teacher. My granddaughter and I took a private class with victor and we both found him patient, kind, helpful and super talented read more

Great studio. I was a total beginner and took the 6-week intro class with Emily. She's a good teacher, patient, and explains everything well. Along with the class, I also took advantage of the open studio that is available to students so I could practice during the week. Everyone there is nice, friendly, and helpful. read more

I went to their mission location with my girlfriend as a date. Our instructor Anne Marie was an amazing and I'm excited to see the finished product. read more

I had a class here and really enjoyed it. Everyone I've met - the teacher, other students and members have been very friendly. It was a very encouraging, fun, and supportive environment. It was a small class with 4 students, the teacher was able to attend to each of our questions and everyone in that class had a great time. It was some of my fellow classmates' first time doing pottery and we all had some good pieces after the class. The owner is also very approachable and flexible. I find that the staff here really want try to make things work with scheduling/ making flexible arrangements. This studio is such a gem! The pottery class/ pottery in general is definitely a fun and creative outlet especially in the pandemic. read more

If you are curious about ceramics then this is a good place to start. The staff, students, and studio are all very nice, and the class is set up to help you learn to make what you'd like to make. I'm currently a student and have been using studio time to practice. I really appreciate the trust and autonomy the studio provides their students and members with the access they provide. Would recommend. read more

I booked a class through Airbnb experiences and absolutely loved it. Sasi, the instructor gave each of us individual time and attention whenever we needed. I loved the class so much that I highly recommended it to my friends. 10/10 would recommend it! read more

The class was fun. Good way to try out pottery for beginner. However, when I went to pick up my pottery a month later, one of the staff there was pretty rude to me. Maybe because I spent too much time trying to find my pieces in their unorganized pile of items. Will not go back... read more

We had a wonderful Intro to Clay workshop with Jason! Jason was attentive, patient, and encouraging. It was our first time using a pottery wheel, and this workshop was so much fun. Highly recommend! read more

Took a beginners pottery class for my partner's birthday at this studio (via class pop). we were not told we needed to bring masks or prepare adequately. We had to dip into our class time to go next door and purchase masks. There was no real structure to the class, and we spent the first hour practicing, so we were only left with 1.15 hours to make our projects. We received little to no help, as the (one) teacher was helping many advanced and experienced students with their personal projects. Then we were told 10 minutes before we had to cleanup and we had so much dough left to use. We had no chairs and materials were sparse, we were borrowing other student's personal materials. As for pickup, we didn't even receive all of our products, I had used leftover clay to create a few small pots and those were not given to us. Also we were explicitly told in class that the pottery would be painted grey or blue. Our materials were white, not sure if there is even paint on them. I asked the staff and they didn't know anything about this. Overall wouldn't recommend booking a class here. read more

This place is a real neighborhood gem! Mia has been really wonderful. She taught my kids and me how to do some ceramic handiwork, and later helped us glaze it, outside in their parklet. (We got to see her make some of the chess pieces for her art that has been on display for the month of March at City Art on Valencia, which made it a real treat when we got to see her work exhibited there!) Mia has a real flare with kids (and all people), and her love of pottery is contagious. A lot of really incredible talent is housed here. The store in front is like a museum, and has become my new go-to place for birthday presents. Looking forward to booking more classes here! read more

this was literally the worst studio i've ever been to... i was in the 6 week class where there was no instruction and they grouped us with the people who were doing one day classes so every week we didn't learn anything and our instructor (ann marie) was terrible- didn't even know what she had taught us ..we asked her to teach us how to make a handle and she said we should have learned that 4 weeks ago when she didn't even teach us how to make anything. in addition, we were supposed to have one class to learn how to glaze but no one taught us anything in regards to glazing and the student next to me used her knowledge from a high school to teach me. when i had to pick my glazed items up from the kiln 3 weeks later, only 3 out of the 10 things were found and no one in the studio cared to help. overall, it was a waste of money, terrible instruction and a terrible studio to be a part of. very disappointed and frustrated in the lack of support or teaching experience as i gained almost nothing out of this $300+ class read more