I enrolled in Ves’ 4-week Introduction to handbuilding class for beginners and can confidently say that this state-of-the-art pottery studio made me appreciate pottery in more ways than one.

Albeit having one class per week that lasted for two and a half hours, my instructor was very elaborate in teaching us how to use the pottery wheel and mold clay. In fact, all of us were able to wield the wheel without further assistance by the end of my first class.

I personally like that there’s a linear structure to our classes. Our first three weeks were solely dedicated to creating mugs, plates, jugs, and bowls, which we glazed in the final week. 

This arrangement really made me look forward to my weekly classes and gave me a sense of fulfilment every time my bowl (which was so wonky during the second week) looked better than before. 

I have to note though that Ves takes students on a first-come-first-serve basis, so there’s no reservation or waitlist. They also don’t do refunds for people who cancel even if the class is moved to a later date. 

The Potter’s Guilt has a Pottery Do-It-All Class for people who want to learn the basics of pottery in just one day. 

My coworker and his girlfriend spent their anniversary in this class, and he told me that they were able to learn a lot in just three hours. They were taught how to utilise the pottery wheel, which they eventually used to make something on their own. 

Since he and his girlfriend weren’t crafty people by nature, they had a hard time shaping their clay into small plates. The instructors were hands-on though, so both of them were able to finish their personal projects.

However, since glazing (loading a ware into a kiln so it can harden) wasn’t a part of the class, they were told that it would take eight to nine weeks before they could collect it. 

They were also required to pay $10 for each piece of glazed work, which he wouldn’t have minded if the time of collection hadn’t taken too long. 

Founded by Master Potter Chuan Siang Boon in 1998, Boon’s Pottery continues to serve as a haven for passionate ceramic artists, skilled instructors, and other pottery aficionados. 

A friend of mine already finished two beginners courses in this studio and now that she’s taking their Advanced Handbuilding Course, she remarked that she feels herself improving every session. 

Her class has a total of eight three-hour sessions. The first half is focused on learning various key pottery and ceramic-making methods, while the other is spent doing their own projects using the wheel. 

Since she’s already at the intermediate level, she told me that they were expected to make complex wares that go beyond your usual bowls, plates, vases, or mugs.

When I asked her if she could collect all her output by the end of the class, she said that they unfortunately come with an extra cost. And since the class is already pricey, she would have to carefully pick her favourite works that she’s willing to pay for. 

If your friend or family wants to do something together, we suggest you take the classes offered at The Clay People Ceramics Studio into consideration, especially their First Time Trial Workshop, which is suitable for all ages. 

Despite the pricey enrollment fee, my coworker said putting his family in this class was one of the best decisions he made because his two daughters were able to create something on their own. 

He liked how the instructors explained complex concepts in simpler terms to accommodate their younger participants and even let them make small wares using the pottery wheel. 

This part got a bit chaotic though since there were three other children apart from his own who were eager to create their own little mugs or bowls. He also noted that the studio has a relatively small interior, so it got stuffy and smelled strongly of clay. 

That said, it ended up being a very fun experience for his family. And they even got to keep two of their glazed works for free! 

The 8TH Floor Ceramics Studio is the perfect studio for people who see pottery as more than just a hobby. 

I spoke with a former student of the studio who now sells a few of her handmade wares online, and she told me that all their offered courses cover 20 three-hour lessons. 

She recalled being a beginner and how amazed she was at the detailed beginner pottery course, which had two phases: phase 1 for wheel throwing for domestic objects and phase 2 for decorative objects. 

She was overwhelmed at first because not only was she a newbie but she also hadn’t expected her instructors to be so no-nonsense and a tad bit strict. She’s grateful for it though because the instructors really pushed her harder to hone her craft. 

Piqued by this testimony, I took it upon myself to research the courses offered at the studio and was surprised to see that the course fee is relatively affordable.