The Pottery Studio opens its doors in Hastings Street Napier on Friday night, offering a fresh and fun concept in pottery and clay making.
This venture is all about social potting — experience is not required and it’s perfect for birthday parties, hen’s parties, social functions, fundraisers, work outings, team building or Xmas party outings.
The Pottery Studio has tested out their concept over the year in their Tauranga studio and it works. Based on the ‘paint and wine’ idea they have moved into clay. This is a relaxed and creative experience and everything is provided for the $40 fee and the finished work is available for collection three weeks later.
Pottery and clay forming is on a roll in recent times as people look for satisfying and useful hobbies now they are more homebased due to Covid. The pottery club courses around the country are fully subscribed so this is a way of playing with clay as a one-off, or as a taster as to whether it’s something you wish to pursue with a pottery club membership.
Expanding from successful outlets in Tauranga and Hamilton, Friday night is the official opening here and from next week they will be conducting workshops. They are open from Tuesday to Saturday and anyone can drop in and be shown the ropes. But the main focus is on the clay and wine social combination in workshops for groups – these will generally be run in the evenings and run by local potters.
Tauranga-based Penny Cass is the founder of The Pottery Studio. She says, “In the space of two hours, participants receive instructions on how to make their clay stand up, make any item of their choosing, tidy it up and put underglaze colour on it. We then take over and dry, fire and clear glaze the creations. Domestic ware such as cups, bowls, vases and jugs are all able to be used in the home, they can go into the dishwasher and are foodsafe.
“We have wine and clay evenings, sessions for parents and toddlers, kids sessions and family sessions. We have theme nights — such as Plant Pot night, Garden Night, Mugs and Jugs, the 4Bs (Boobs, Bums and Body Bits), Xmas Gift and Decoration making, and lots more, however attendees do not have to make items of the theme, they can make anything they like on any night.”
The pottery wheel is not used. “We use the slab and former method so everyone
is able to produce something they would like to either keep, give away or claim that their 5 year old made for them,” says Penny.
Opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 10 till 3 with evening workshops on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights from 6 till 8pm. As demand grows, workshops will run Tuesday and Saturday evenings with a minimum of 10 people and can take up to 35 people in their Napier venue. Bookings are necessary. Fees are $40 for adults and $35 for children and the price incudes all the requirements including the firing, glazing, clay and colourants.
“We are all about having a fun time,” says Cass. “We are about one off, hand pottery sessions and if anyone from the team would like to come along at any
time to have a “potting experience’, we would love to host you. We have our official opening with drinks and nibbles on Friday night (12th November) from 6pm and it is an open invitation to anyone who wants to check us out.”
The Pottery Studio, 18 Hastings Street, Napier.
Penny’s contact number is 021 616900