Such a cute place! Came here on a whim when plans fell through for a friend's birthday weekend. Maddie was incredibly kind and great at explaining the whole process of picking out a pottery and all the colors of paint. There are so many pieces of pottery to choose from. Everything from kitchenware to holiday items, to potted plants. The choices of colors are endless. Its BYOB, so we enjoyed a few sips of wine and painted, and it was very relaxing! Once you are done painting your piece, you will get it back within 2-3 weeks after it has been cured. Will definitely come back here! read more

Thrown Elements Pottery - Painted ramen bowls and a planter - Art Schools Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

I love their selection of bisque ready to paint but I almost fainted from the prices. Too expensive for me.

Visited for the first time with my baby to make holiday hand print crafts. I did not have a great plan ahead of time but the staff was so friendly and helpful. They really exceeded my expectations! Our plates turned out beautifully and will be great gifts/keepsakes. read more

Super fun place to paint, very comfortable environment. However, it takes 2-4 weeks to get your art back... kind of ridiculous . I would understand a week or less, but not 2-4 weeks. read more

Prices have been going up lately but my kids were so happy with the hedgehog and cow they painted for a few hours. Staff is friendly and helpful even when things are getting busy with kids parties and events. Love this local pottery store! read more

I had the most amazing time here with my nephew! The people were kind and informative and gave us some great painting tips!

Awesome place to come and relax while making your own pottery or just painting one. They have tons of pre made pottery to choose from if your the type that just enjoys painting. It's a great place to bring your kids they have so many fun pottery idea for the kiddos to enjoy and the staff is great. You will be greeted with a smile and they explain everything step by step. The staff is also great a wrangling a group of little ones. I came here with my daughter and four other children. They first picked out the piece they wanted to paint then were taken to a wall with all the colored paints they have and each picked out the colors they wanted on their palettes. For a group of five children the girl that helped us had all of their attention and was very good at making sure they had whatever they needed. When the painting was done she had each of them take their pottery over to a shelf so that they could seal them which takes a couple of days so you can not leave with the item that day you have to return to pick them up at a later date. Not all the children were done at the same time so the staff made sure the ones that were done had crayons and paper to keep them busy. Such a fun bonding experience with the kids. They also offer camps and workshops at this location which is awesome. Some of the items can be a little bit pricy but they do have some affordable ones. It's also a great place for a Mom's night out to just relax with your friends. The shop is conveniently located across the street from a parking garage that has free 4 hour parking or if you can find street parking that is 2 hours. Go and check it out you won't be disappointed!! read more

Thrown Elements Pottery - My daughters art piece - Art Schools Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

Fun place. Son got invited to a birthday party. Nice private room with activities planned out, gifts and of course cake.

I went here for the first time over the holidays with my mom and brother and we enjoyed it so much! My brother purchased a giftcard as a present to my mom and they were really helpful deciding how much money to load on it. When we arrived they were finishing up with a big party but were still super attentive and helpful explaining how everything works. They also checked on us throughout our painting projects and gave really helpful tips! There also was a kid's birthday party and a pottery wheel class while we were there and they handled staffing very well while still checking in on us frequently. Great environment and really cool place! read more

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Came here with my girlfriend who had been in pottery for a while. It was an amazing place with a friendly atmosphere. It was clean and overall an amazing place to work and socialize read more

i refuse to go anywhere else. Love that they let me do my thing. Great quality products to paint & the paint is great quality too! Everyone there is so helpful! read more

We had a double birthday party there, and wow Ed is amazing!! The children ranged from 4 to 7, so you can imagine the ability to focus was limited. Ed kept them engaged, laughing, and participating for the whole clay party! Even in the planning, Andi was so patient with me and answered all my questions as a first timer. Wonderful experience with the planning and even more amazing experience for the party!! They're such a talented team, and they care about their customers! We will totally be back!! read more

This review seems uber appropriate heading into holiday break as many a parent may, just may, be a bit stir crazy and happy to take their kiddo for an artistic creation. First thing's first, Thrown Elements seems a bit thrown together. There are *so* many breakables all throughout the space, so be aware if you or your little one is on the clumsy side. There are pottery wheels set up near the back, various tables for painting, figurines along the walls for selecting, a small party room off to the right and much more. There's one bathroom as well as one open sink for hand washing. So, while it's a bit of a cluster, there's likely something for everyone. Staff ranged from quite friendly and helpful to a bit quiet. Mind you, I was there for a 4 year old's birthday party, so a handful of 4 year olds can be a little, to a lot, overwhelming. The kids were able to select and paint their selection in the small-ish party room and then enjoy their pizza and cake a bit later. The kids had a decent amount of direction and were able to use their creative painting to complete their piece (I saw kids pick everything from a shark to a princess). Thrown Elements had a bunch of classes and drop ins for kids and adults alike, so I'd definitely be up for stopping in on my own or with a group of friends! read more

Decided to try pottery however, this didn't work for me. Called to request a prorated refund to include the amount of clay used, which wasn't much. They refused to do so giving me bogus excuses, this makes me feel forced to continue with something that doesn't work for me. I consider this THEFT and would not recommend this place to anyone. read more

This place is so fun! I came here for a team outing. We made our pieces on the wheel and then once they dried we were able to paint them. Ed is very knowledgeable and a GREAT teacher. We were able to bring in dinner and drinks too! I would highly recommend this place for a team outing or even just a fun activity. read more

Went for the first time today with family from out of town and was extremely impressed by this place. The staff was so kind and accommodating. Our 2 year old loved painting, but when she started getting restless and other members of our party were still working, the staff printed her some coloring pages to keep her occupied until everyone was done. So sweet. We will definitely return! read more

My bestie and I were looking for something different. A chance at painting like Picasso sounded fun. I'm thinking it's just as easy to plagiarize a painting as it is a speech... It's BYOB. We didn't bring any, but we know for next time. It was a great experience, The staff was excellent. The choices of pottery was decent. It could have been a bit better, but once you pick a piece, you just start painting. They explained everything and how the paint ends up looking on the final product. I had no problems and really enjoyed my time there. We will be back. read more

Honestly super annoying how they are handling things here. My friends and I went to throw for our friends birthday, and first off, it was way overpriced. $55 a person to make two pieces?! Not only that but it took them over 2 weeks to fire our pieces, before the glaze.... two weeks later we get a call to glaze which we have to make the trek to get our TWO pieces, drive it all the way back home to paint because we weren't allowed to paint it in store, and then take it all the way back to the store to get fired again. This process would've been a lot easier if they fired it in a shorter amount of time and let us paint it in store instead of making us drive back and fourth. On another note, the paint costs extra as well the brushes, For $55 a person this should be free. Also we were not informed on any of this process. This studio is meant for local use only. And by local, I mean less than a 10 minute drive. read more

Today was my first experience at Thrown Elements. I went with a friend of mine that enjoys painting as much as I do. I love that not only do they have pre-fired items to paint (they have a nice selection), but you can throw on the pottery wheel or hand make items with wet clay. I would definitely like to go back and build something from scratch. The staff was extremely friendly and attentive. They had two birthday parties going on during the time I was there (the kids had tons of fun) and the staff were still coming around and checking to see if we need paint refills or had any questions. I give this place two thumbs way up, I'm looking forward to going back very soon! read more

Everyone here is so helpful! Love coming in with my friends to paint, relax, and have fun. They have all different types of pieces (sometimes I spend 20 minutes trying to figure out just what to paint!), in all different price ranges, which is nice. The staff is so friendly and will spend time with you teaching you some fun techniques to paint your piece, I've impressed myself with how well the pieces turn out! Signing up for their e-mail newsletter was a good move, because they have a bunch of specific "girls nights" but there are a lot of family-oriented events as well (I think they do some "dad-n-me" things, holiday themes, things like that), as well as more extended classes to center on more difficult techniques or actually MAKING your own pottery if you are interested in that. Overall, great place to go and hang out for an afternoon, or to go and learn some new skills. Either way, you'll come away more relaxed and feeling more artistic. I really enjoy going to Thrown Elements. read more

I've been looking for a pottery studio where you can hand build and was so thrilled to find Thrown Elements. They also offer pre-fired pieces that you can paint if you don't want to build your own. The staff are super friendly, helpful, and welcoming. Great place for kids -- I would recommend for ages 4+ (even for hand building). (I noticed another reviewer comments who wasn't happy with their experience at TE with young children. If you do drop in with little ones under the age of 8, I would say that you will need to guide and assist your child through his/her work. Plus, it gives you the chance to have fun with clay, too. At TE, I appreciated that they gave us a few kids pottery books to look at the pictures for possible designs, set us up with tools and clay, then let us be free and creative with our work. I've been to other kids art studios where the staff are very micromanaging with the young ones, so bravo to TE for giving us just enough guidance as we got our pottery on! :)) read more

I went in with a four-year old and experienced what some of the other reviewers with children wrote about. Maybe this place is better equipped for adults. The store didn't really help us, I had to go up to the desk twice to get help, and we had to keep asking for paint. I have not yet gone back to pick up our plates (I live 40 miles away), but will do so based on what other reviewers have said -- that the store donates your plates if you don't pick them up in 90 days. It's funny -- I asked for a receipt upon having to leave the plates behind to be fired, and they said "Oh, you don't need a receipt. We always can find the pieces based on your description." Now I wish that I'd insisted on a receipt. No one said anything about the 90-day pickup rule. Will have to make the drive back to see if our plates are there -- hope so, because it was expensive place read more

This is one of my favorite past times to get my creative juices flowing--especially for ladies night (typically twice a month). I've been here several times and find the employees to be super helpful and patient--even when there are 30 wined-up ladies asking for paint and assistance with their pieces. I have taken my daughter here for Mudpies Storytime on Fridays as well which is such a great value for $15 (includes story time and project starting from wet clay). The prices seem a little high ($9 for paint/supplies + piece) but I don't have much to compare it to. I typically do 2 pieces at a time (small + medium) which runs me about $30-40 when taking into account all costs. It's a great, productive way to kill a few hours and go home with some keepsakes. I have not looked into the party pricing but will be inquiring soon! read more

Just had my daughter's birthday party here and would highly recommend it to others! The owner ran the party, was super patient and fun with the kids, and all of the kids had a blast! I've also been for girl's night out in the past. Fun for all ages! read more

This place has finished items for sale as well as pottery to finish. There is also a room specifically set up for parties. I took my two sisters with me and we had a large selection to choose from. I was torn but choose two great pieces to give as presents. We were charged a nominal fee for paint and brushes, as well as the piece itself and could stay as long as we wanted. The employees came around to check on us and a couple gave us a few pointers. I have to say, it was a beautiful time to spend with sisters. They told me that they'd have my pottery finished (glazed and fired) in a week. I went back to pick it up and was pleasantly surprised. I was curious what they had available to finish and noticed that they were nearly out of items. I'd recommend calling in and seeing when they've received their last shipment and even ask when their next was coming. Their products change. read more

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As a follow up to this... the owner called back the person that was trying to manage this party and offered to come in and run the party herself. Unfortunately the party had to begin MUCH earlier than we had planned but people shuffled their schedules (quite drastically) and were able to do it. The party, itself, was very fun. We had a good time learning how to use the pottery wheel and the staff was helpful. Obviously it was quite crowded due to their over-booking, but it was handled well. They actually took the food we brought and served it in their own pottery. They were patient with our questions and our learning and we each had a chance to create a bowl or some other type of pottery wheel piece as well as paint it. The lessons they offer here are quite expensive, but - per person - the party is reasonable. Also, a fun evening of creating a piece is, again, very reasonable. Would be careful about scheduling a party and I would recommend you follow up, def reserve with a credit card even if they claim you don't need to. I would confirm several times prior to the date of the party as well. read more

First time at Thrown Elements Pottery. What a great time we had. Entire Staff is so friendly and helpful. We worked with clay and laughed the whole time. The staff came around to our table often just to see if we had any questions or were stuck on ideas. They offered helpful tips that kept us going. Great for all ages, I was there with my son and my grandson. If you don't want to work with clay to make your own item, you can pick an item off the shelf and paint it. We will be back! read more

Here's the story: I was looking for a place to host an interactive teaching opportunity for 30 college students. The staff at Thrown Elements made it happen! I worked with Christa to coordinate our event and host our students. She talked through how clay is a metaphor for life, while effectively teaching the mechanics. Over two hours together, we had an absolute blast! The staff is incredible. They'll work with you to make your event memorable. Solid! read more

Came here today with my boyfriend. We had a really fun time glazing our art pieces! The staff was super nice and helpful. They have great choices when it comes to paint and pottery. Would like to come here again with friends and family! read more

I love this place!!! To say that Thrown Elements saved me while I was unemployed is not an understatement! I had signed up for a Sunday AM beginner wheel throwing class in September of 2011 and the following Friday I lost my job and had to cancel. The studio was understanding and even offered to let me come back at a later time to glaze the bowl I had made in my first class. In October, I decided I needed something to get my creative juices flowing again so I stepped back into Thrown Elements and signed up for a Monday evening class with Kelsey. Our class was mostly beginners, and Kelsey was willing to show us tips and tricks to get our Christmas gifts off the wheel and cooking in the kiln! During the daytime hours when there was not another class going, I would attend open studio time (where the wheels are open for all to use). Even though open studio is without instruction, if one of the members of the staff saw you doing something incorrectly they would offer suggestions for how to fix your piece. Aside from learning a really fun, new skill, I say this studio saved me because of the kindness of the staff. Andi, Ed, Trudy, Jemma, Ben... No matter who was working I was always greeted with a smile. They asked how my job search was going and answered any and all questions I had about pottery and glazing. I never, EVER left the studio with a frown on my face! I look forward to continuing my pottery education with Thrown Elements Pottery! read more

I love this studio. I've been taking classes here since July & I am hooked. We work on different projects & skills each week & my instructor Ed is awesome. All the other teachers & owner are also helpful for advice & suggestions. A great place to be creative, :) read more

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I've now been taking wheel throwing classes here for 2 1/2 years. I am completely addicted. I've had 3 different teachers, and they have all been great. My current teacher, Ben, is outstanding. He has a great ability to figure out what you are doing wrong, and teach you how to correct it. I have had many teachers in other media who could not do that. It's one thing to say, "Your pieces are off center," and another to be able to say, "And here's how you fix that." It's a very supportive atmosphere in general. The owner seems to have that rare ability to choose talented staff that also have great people skills. On the day when I'm there (Sunday) , there are often birthday parties being held. Unlike that negative party review above, I see most of the parents and kids as being very happy with the experience. True, you don't get your piece to take home the same day. But it's real pottery: not some hunk of painted plaster. It can be used and cherished for years. If you can't deal with delivery, don't sign up for this. In 2 1/2 years I've seen lots of happy faces leaving the party room. My kids are grown, so I enjoy vicariously the festive atmosphere the staff creates. There was another pottery place I did take my kids to when they were young, this far exceed it in atmosphere and what it offers both kids and adults. read more

If you want to paint, and I mean you have a serious hankering to paint...THIS is the place for you and you should ignore my 2-star review. They have the pottery(both functional and decorative) for both adults and kids. The product and help are good. However, and this is a big one, it is expensive. Not pricey, EXPENSIVE. My two kids (3 & 5 years old) gravitated to the Disney figurines, of course. With the painting fee, the cost would have been nearly $70 total for the two of them. There were other items that were more affordable, but we didn't see any below $20, although there may have been some. That was out of the "rainy day activity" price range. We regrettably scooted out. read more

Another review I'm overdue to write. We've been here a handful of times for a kids day camp, classmate birthday parties or just to hang and paint on a rainy afternoon. This time, I engaged the Thrown Elements team to get creative and help me with an off-site bday party for my 9 year old daughter and her 18 friends. The owner went out of her way to help me find something affordable (emoji ornaments - big hit!), packed up every single thing we would need the day before, took in our entire stack of painted pieces with kids names on the back, fired them and delivered a week later with each kids' masterpiece individually wrapped and labeled with their name. What an awesome value for what I paid, and the kids loved it. Service and environment here are always above expectations - highly recommend! read more

was invited to join my wife's "girls night out" on a friday and decided to throw caution to the wind and was consumed by FUN!!!!!! so many selections (pottery, colors, ideas etc.) would highly recommend this place to anyone as a change of pace good time evening out idea or a place to take the kids and have a family outing sure to please.... heck you can even b.y.o. 3 thumbs up!!!!! read more

My college daughter and I had been wanting to re-experience throwing pottery. With her living outside Chicago for nine months a year and her busy schedule when she is back in town, it's been tough to find a class that works. Then, we found Thrown Elements Pottery. Yesterday, we enjoyed a semi-private class with Ed. He totally rocked the experience with his talent for teaching, patience and fun energy. He taught the step-by-step skills verbally and through demonstration. Then, he gave us personalized attention that was the right balance of allowing us to do our thing while insuring the pieces turned out beautifully. Would highly recommend to anyone! read more

Our son wanted to go there for his 27th birthday with the family. Not being very artistic, I didn't think I would like it too much but would be fun for our son who took pottery classes in HS. I had a great time. Ed, our instructor, was energetic and fun and was passionate in working with us. He made sure that everyone had a good time and turned out a quality project we would all be proud of. There is no way my mug is going to the basement with the rest of my art work. read more

I'm really glad to see a nice little pottery place in the burbs. I have been to a few places like this before, and really enjoyed myself. Thrown Elements is a quaint place to come paint pottery (you don't make your own). It was $4.50 to paint - that includes unlimited paint and tools to paint with, as well as putting it in the kiln. Then you choose a piece of pottery to paint - this can range from $15 to $50. It really depends on how big your piece is, They have more whimsical things you can paint like animals, or more practical like plates and mugs. Then you pick your colors and tools and paint away! After you are done painting, they put it in the kiln for you, and it will be done in about a week. The staff is very friendly and helpful. They get the paint for you, check up on you, and help out any way they can. They had snacks to munch on as well (it was included). It's a nice activity to do with a small group of friends or even with kids. I just wish they had more of a variety of paint colors, tools, and items to paint. Space is limited here, so I'm guessing that's why they don't have the variety I have seen at other places. It would also be nice if they gave you a bowl of water at your table to wash your brushes off. Otherwise, I have no complaints! read more

This is a cute little artsy place. Basically, you can make your own pottery piece or paint one that that has already been pre-fired. I have been here a few items and each time I decided to paint my own piece because I don't particularly enjoy working with wet clay. The painting is lot of fun. It can get a little pricey because you are charged for the piece (prices range on size) as well as a studio fee. However, there is no time limit on the studio fee - you can paint as long as you'd like and pick as many colors as you'd like. Everyone is helpful and nice. Good atmosphere. A lot of people bring their kids here but this is fun for adults too! read more

I have not signed up my children for any classes, but did have a birthday party here for my 3 year old. I did inquire about the number of participants and the age. I think they just wanted my business. I would not recommend this for that age, or even a year older. The party room is too small to accommodate children and parents. The kids painted plates. California Pizza kitchen catered and they were great. The pros: Kids are engaged. The products they create are based on their age, and some are very interesting, creative; while others are well, age appropriate. The cons: It takes a week or so for the plates to be done, which means you have to deliver the finished product back to the participants; it can be avery expensive party, the party room is too small; we only had one party host; the eating area is the same place where you paint - kind of gross. Oh well. Live and learn. I did talk to the the owner prior to planning my child's event and I was definitely oversold. I was unimpressed with how the party was hosted. Not the most young-child friendly. I have gone back a few (yes, I'm a masochist) times for some other activities when my children were a little older (painting mugs, tiles, et cetera - for presents). Again, it was an okay experience. I found it difficult to get the paint. Your child has to look at the color templates, and pick them based on the specific names of the colors and I often have to keep asking and waiting, asking and waiting......Since the opening year of this place, there have been a handful of other staff hired and they seem to be more approachable, friendly, catering..... I really wanted to give this local business a chance. It's just an okay place. Also, if you leave your products there for more than 90 days, they donate it. How about a phone call warning or a reminder? I've also heard other parents coming back to pick up items and the items not being found. Maybe it's just me, but I'm all about the customer service and if you market to kids, you better darn will cater to them. I say 3 stars, just because it's better than that hell hole pottery painting place in Golf Mill. read more