Belen is a fabulous teacher - she's knowledgeable, patient & kind. Our first time throwing and we are already to book again. Such a fun activity for families with teens. The kids enjoyed using the skills learned in HS Ceramics class. Can't wait to see our finished pieces! read more

My husband and I had our anniversary in Chicago. This was a very sweet experience. We loved our teacher. Very patient and it was both our first time doing pottery! Just waiting for our items to get shipped to us! We will definitely doing this again!!! read more

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Great birthday present. Went with family to a class and was lovely. Great teacher and great fun!

I saw this deal on Groupon awhile back. I like different and new things to do so I decide to buy the deal and go for it. I was glad that I did step out the box with this class. It was a bit messy but lots of fun. I was in a class with a few other people who were fun. This 90 minute pottery class is worth every minute of fun. The atmosphere was welcoming and had some awesome sculptures around the gallery for you to see. Our instructor Drew was very patient and attentive to each one of his students. He was nice and friendly to stop his lecture to help us out to center the clay in the middle of the wheel. This place is highly recommend to go and try something new, fun and different read more

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Cool pottery place! Came here with some friends to make some plates, bowls, and cups. The classes are by appointment only as I understood. Anyways, the class itself is about an hour and a half or so. And then you paint your project afterward. Luckily I was with friends that made the night go very well. As for the teacher, I would give him a 1 star rating. By far the WORST art teacher I've ever come across. He was so brutally rude and mean. If you made something unique, he would make sure to discourage you and say that's not art. And the fact that if you try to joke around with him, he's comeback would sure be something offensive. Seemed like he really hated working there. And obviously doesn't enjoy working with people. I made a beautiful vase and told him I was done. He came and said it was too thick. Okay fine. I could fix that. But then, he didn't even ask me if he could fix it, immediately starts touching my art and completely ruining it. I almost cried!! WTF?! Let's just say, I won't be coming back. read more

Terra Incognito - Drew. The art teacher - Art Galleries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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What a gem of a place, a full outfitted pottery studio hiding out in Oak Park. We purchased a Groupon for their lace pottery class. Information was easy to find and easy to understand on their website, a simple phone call confirmed our class seats. The class was so much fun! Our seasoned instructor was full of personality and easy to talk to. She did a thorough demonstration before putting us off to work. The whole process is really easy to follow and there's no pressure to do things exactly a certain way. You have the freedom to make any pattern and paint any colors. If you are worried, the instructor is there the entire time to give you a helping hand. The only thing to keep in mind is that your plate will not be ready for pick up until two weeks afterward. Overall, an awesome Groupon find, I definitely recommend it! read more

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Bought a groupon here for the wheel spinning class, around $40 for two people which was a great deal! The classes are situated in the back of Terra but the front is a shop/ small museum with super inspiring pieces made by some of the nation's brightest. Our instructor was hilarious, but in a good way. He was a resident there and made jokes about how he was underpaid (only slightly awkward). We are allowed to make three different pieces and he walks us step by step on how to make a cup or a bowl. Honestly, if this is your first time, you will probably only make 1 or 2 pieces given the time allowance (30 minutes was him demonstrating and 30 were for us to actually work on the wheel). After we shape our dishware, we have primary colors which we can glaze with (green, black, red, blue). Then we hand our pieces and they are available for pick-up in 2 weeks! They will throw out your piece if you don't pick it up in a month. Super fun and cute date idea. Btw we went on a Sunday morning. Also, I was able to reschedule my Groupon class once. read more

My boyfriend bought us a groupon for this class. We arrived early and we had an hour to kill so we admired the artwork in the room. There are some really good sculptures there. I was amazed. When class started, we had four couples attend. Ben was our teacher and he told us exactly how to mold the clay. He was very articulate, enthusiastic, and helpful. I made this really awesome tall cup, but then I got too ambitious. I wanted a vase. I went to pinch the clay and then ruined it. The wheel part was almost over and I had nothing now. So Ben made me a quick cup. It was pretty and I appreciated it because now I had something to paint. We had four color choices and then we left our art there to be fired up. We had one month to pick up our art before it would be tossed. It was a really fun and calming time. I really want to go back. read more

So much fun! I attended a Lace Plate glass (check out Groupon...they offer a variety of classes and options). Our instructor (I think her name was Ilene) was awesome. I loved her because she is my type of person. Snarky, sarcastic, sense of humor and knows what she is doing and has a passion for it. I'm not super artistic. I can play the piano, with sheet music. It is fun to try to be artistic, but let's be real. I am superstar type A (crooked pictures on the wall give me a nervous tic). But this gave me the opportunity to do just so something different. My plate turned out interesting. I will put it somewhere in my house and tell the story of how I went to this great studio and attempted to be creative one evening. I would try it. Also, option to purchase the pottery they have in the shop. The pieces are stunning and unique. Great place to go if you are looking for that special gift. read more

My husband and I came here for a pottery class. We bought ours from Groupon. The class was great. Our instructor was patient and explained the process. She also helped us when things weren't going so well. Our class had about 10 people. You were able to take 1 of your finished products, if you wanted to buy another one, you were given 3 balls of clay and you choose 2 of your 3 creations. My only complaint would be to help us with the painting portion. My final product had patchy areas and areas were it seemed that someone else's product rubbed against mine and their paint smeared on mine. read more

We also had a Groupon for the lace plate making class, which I bought with my kids in mind. Little did I know they'd be the only kids there! My kids are 6 & 8, (so not exactly fully independent...) but the instructor didn't bat an eye, said they'd be absolutely fine, and indeed they were. (I'd assumed I might need to oversee or help out, since it was not actually a kids' art class). Bottom line, Barb was warm, friendly, professional, and put everyone at ease, & the work my kids did is marvelous. They had a great time and would certainly love to go back. Thanks too to the rest of the class for being so friendly! read more

Terra Incognito - The girls after their lace plate making class! So happy and proud of their work (and with good reason). - Art Galleries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

There was a livingsocial.com deal for a wheel throwing class at Terra Incognito and since my sister and I had been discussing trying new things I figured I'd use this as her birthday gift. It doesn't hurt that this place is right around the corner from where we live either. When you walk in they have several artists works displayed. We did take some time to browse and I found quite a few things I wanted to take home, but I resisted the urge as I am now in a much smaller living space. The studio space in the back is quite nicely sized. We did find out they don't keep it air conditioned (I'm sure there's a reason for that) but they did have the fans going so it wasn't too bad. We were greeted by Ben and a very friendly woman but for some reason i cannot recall her name (bad me). We took up our spots in front our wheels and Ben went on to keep us very very entertained. Honestly, he made the night. Not only was he really informative, but he's wonderfully funny and silly. She and I are considering signing up for more classes just because it was so much fun. read more

I found a Groupon for 2. Took my skeptical 12 year old son. Even he said how much fun it was! The groups are small and the setting is really cool. You go to the class workshops in the back and are surrounded by all of this art in the works that you feel like your stepping away from reality into a zone of comfort and quiet. That class was an hour and a half but Barb made the time fly. The class was so much fun we all wanted to stay and make a second plate. Definitely recommend this class to everyone! Will go again. It's worth the full price. And my son and I will both be taking classes in the future. read more

Terra Incognito - These are the plates painted and now they have to dry and be fired in the kiln. More pictures when we pick them up in 2 weeks. - Art Galleries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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Went this past Sunday to fulfill a groupon for a Lace Plate Class. Had a lot of fun! The place is awesome, the instructor was friendly and very clear with her direction. The music created a nice relaxed vibe and the class was filled with a nice group of women. Looking forward to picking up our final product and going back for another class!+ read more

Last weekend I went with two friends for their Group-on Beginner's Pottery Class. I was impressed with how well they explained the process and then gave us excellent support as we got to try our hand at making 3 pottery pieces. I left with a new understanding of pottery plus I had a fun time with my friends and created something that I will be proud to display at home! Note: we got 3 attempts on the pottery wheel and could select our best piece to keep. If multiple pieces came out well, we could keep extra pieces for $10 each - very fair! read more

Had a groupon for a 90 min intro to wheel throwing class. I've never taken a pottery class in my life so when I saw this deal offered, I bought it right away. This particular deal had class offerings on the weekends and we signed up for a Sunday morning session. We arrived a bit early so we looked around at the work that was displayed in the gallery. Once the class started, we were given a quick intro to the techniques used when throwing. There were 2 instructors and both demonstrated how they throw. They both showed slightly different techniques which was a bit confusing for me since I had no idea what I was doing anyways. After the demonstration, we were set loose! We were all given 3 portions of clay so we had the opportunity to try throwing 3 different times eventually picking just one design to take home. Now, I really had a hard time...it looks easier than it is. I am also a slight perfectionist with a touch of OCD so the way that the clay was out of control was a bit much for me. Also, it is impossible to come up with a perfect piece the very first time trying. (looking back, I really should have signed up for those art classes in high school!) I had grandiose ideas that I would walk away with an awesome pot for a plant, or a cool vase....yeah, not really. Luckily, one of the instructors helped me out at the end and we (really it was just her) came up with a bowl. Once you have a product you are happy with, you paint it with the provided paint (blue, yellow, black). They will glaze and fire it for you and you then pick up your finished product 2 weeks later. We are still waiting to pick up our pieces so the verdict isn't out yet but it was still a cool experience overall. You will get messy so wear something you don't really care about. We were told that the clay will come out of clothing though. Aprons are also provided. Oh, and in case you were wondering, street parking only. read more

Sooo... every few years I decide to take a pottery class. The past few times I have done so, I have taken one here. I always take the beginner's class cuz really, who am I fooling? My vases are mostly lopsided and bent -- I just say that I made them that way on purpose. The price for a class, I believe, is $160, but that does include the clay. You get open studio time with your class as well, which is good for the crappy vase makers like me. And hey, I made an ashtray. That's pretty good, right? read more

My friend and I really enjoyed the lace plate class that we bought with a Groupon. It was really, really fun and relaxing. The instructor was nice and helpful, and the finished product is lovely! I highly recommend this place and wish they had more workshop type of activities to sign up for. read more

Took the "Lace Plate Making Class" here off a Groupon (or was it LivingSocial?) deal with my mom. The instructor was really nice and full of energy even though the classroom was overbooked. It was a fun mix of little girls, couples and women and everyone got along very well. The instructor was positive and helpful during the class. I appreciated that she had music playing that kept spirits up as well. Would definitely recommend this place and would consider coming back for a different class. Thanks!! read more

I took a class here with a friend that we purchased on Living Social. The instructor made it all seem very easy and broke down the project into achievable steps. My friend and I had a great time and ended up with a lovely memento of our time together. It was a perfect girls afternoon, but would also be a great parent-child activity. read more

I purchased a living social coupon recently and had the pleasure of making my own plate with a friend. We are still waiting for the final product but overall the experience was great. The host was so nice she kept us entertained through the instructions and assisted with our final product. Although we need to go back in 2 weeks to pick up the final glazed plate I think it was a fun time and wish the studio offered the class regularly. The only problem with going back is that they only have package classes. I can't afford to make that commitment but think it was a great Sunday afternoon. The gallery was nice and the art is actually priced by the artists so nothing seemed affordable but a great gander. I hope they have classes again some day! read more

At the moment I am taking wheel throwing classes, and I have to say I like them a lot .. Mary is a great teacher and love the fact I can "try" to make anything that comes to mind. read more

I'm giving this place a five-star rating for friendliness and quality of instruction. I've taken wheelthrowing classes before, about seven years ago, and was dying to get back into it. I had a bit of money saved up and decided to splurge and take lessons here. I might deduct a half-star for price, but the fact that you get studio time outside of your class (when other classes aren't being held) more than makes up for this. My instructor was John, and he was awesome. John is a great potter, but more importantly also a great instructor. The class I had contained students with a range of skill-levels, but what impressed me was the instant camaraderie and advice given by upper-level students. Some art studios I've been a part of before have contained a very obvious clique and weren't welcoming at all, so the community that surrounds this studio was a really welcome change. I'd recommend it for anyone who wants to learn and feel welcomed while they're starting, as well as for anyone who has past experience but wants to improve. read more

Went to this class with a groupon, not knowing what to expect. The teacher, Illene was very helpful, positive and encouraging. We had a great time, just wish the class could have been a little longer. read more

I bought a groupon for a lace plate class.... I loved it. Well organized, clean studio. Instructor was nice, friendly and explained herself well. I look forward to going back!!! read more

I started taking wheel-throwing classes here about six months ago and really enjoy it. The studio is light and airy and the teachers are excellent. The adult classes are multi-level, and it helped as a beginner to be able to watch more experienced potters. My daughters have also both taken classes here and had fun. read more

Excellent facilities. Knowledgable instructors. Beautiful gallery.

Went on a groupon this evening and had a good time. The instructor was great and very patient with the group. We did the wheel throwing class and the introduction was kind of long and slow and I forgot everything he said by the time I got around to my clay, but once we started, it went well. Be prepared to get dirty! It's not something I would return to do, but very glad I tried it! read more

My friends and I bought a Groupon for a 90 minute intro to wheel class at Terra Incognito and it was so fun. I'm an artsy kind of girl and have done many other kinds of classes but have never done anything with clay. This was a great class for beginners. It was a little harder than I expected but would definitely do it again. I would consider taking classes here but my schedule is too full at the moment. The woman who taught the class was excellent. Her name escapes me at the moment but she was wonderful. Very patient and understanding. I'm not quite sure what the class would cost without the Groupon but if you see a Groupon for it consider it. Lots of fun! read more

My daughter is taking one of their camps, and she just loves it. The teacher was very warm and welcoming as well as very knowledgeable about how to make art approachable for the younger set. My little girl knows so much about Pop Art now thanks to the class; we are looking forward to the other camps that each treat a different art style. read more

This is a great place. It's a hidden treasure in Oak Park! It's out of the way, but worth the trip. Check out the mural on the east wall of the building. It's worth a trip by itself. Inside, they have a gallery full of exceptional pottery from artists from around the country. Prices from $20 up. Great place for wedding gifts, house warming gifts etc. In addition to the gallery their main business is classes. They offer classes in pottery and basket making, for adults and kids. They also do parties for kids and adults. Private and semi-private studios, for local artists, help to energize the environment. The whole place just has nice, friendly, productive vibe. Makes you want to take a class. They have another place in La Grange, IL. read more