Looking for some last-minute Christmas gift ideas? Why not make your own – or gift your loved ones an experience to pick up a new skill? Here are six pottery experiences you can try in Hong Kong.
Useless Studio
Despite what the studio name suggests, Useless Studio offers a wide range of very practical workshops.
There are, of course, the usual wheel-thrown mug and hand-shaped bowl workshops. Useless Studio also has workshops for students to make their own teaware, sake sets and coffee drippers.
But our favourite has to be the adorable hut-like fragrant oil burner.
Most of the one-time experience classes such as the courses for making the coffee dripper or the fragrance oil burner cost HK$750.00. Longer courses like the tea set making course cost HK$3,800.00.
You can easily book one of their courses through Klook.
The course includes two classes—the first for shaping, the second for glazing.
Room 6, 8F, Laurels Industrial Centre, 32 Tai Yau Street, San Po Kong, Kowloon
Shop 105, 1F, 618 Shanghai Street, Mongkok, Kowloon
Lai Chan Kee
For first-timers, you can consider the no-brainer wheel throwing experience classes at Lai Chan Kee.
Apart from making elegant ceramic works, Lai Chan Kee knows how to throw an organised ceramic experience for beginners.
The beginners’ wheel throwing ceramic experience is divided into two classes. Students can choose to make a cup, bowl or vase. In the first lesson (HK$450.00), students will learn the basic techniques for making cylinders. Then, they can take another class (HK$450.00) to colour and glaze their works. They can also opt-out of the second class and ask their instructor to help finish the glaze for HK$130.00.
Check out their Facebook page for more experience classes and to book a class.
Rm1205, 12/F, Trendy Centre, 682 Castle Peak Road, Lai Chi Kok, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Art School
A division of the Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong Art School provides diploma and degree courses in arts education. But little do people know, it also has a wide array of art-related courses under its Art for All programme.
You can choose from making your own artistic blue-and-white ceramic objects (HK$2,500.00) to kneading a ceramic figurine (HK$1,100.00).
Keep an eye on its website as there are new ceramic courses added regularly.
Rm 819, 8/F, Youth Square, 238 Chai Wan Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong
Half Corner Studio
While most studios cater more towards adult students, Half Corner Studio tailors some ceramic courses for children and parents.
The family-friendly studio believes that clay-making helps enhance the little ones’ problem-solving skills and creativity. The regular courses are designed for kids between six and 15. Course fees start from HK$1,500.00 for four classes to HK$4,200.00 for 12 classes.
1/F Fortune Court, 33 Morrison Hill Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Chiu Kee Porcelain Factory & Winus Lee mini ceramic workshop
More of a painter than a potter? Chiu Kee Porcelain Factory, on Peng Chau, is one of the oldest ceramic printing companies in Hong Kong. They’re also one of the few artists in Hong Kong that has kept the art of overglaze decoration alive.
The class allows students to learn the delicate craft for an affordable price. For two hours, students will learn to paint and print on a glazed white porcelain object. The work will go through a second firing in a kiln the following week.
Participants can pay a postal fee for the finished work to be delivered to them. They can also go to Ping Chau again to pick up the finished product—a great excuse to visit Hong Kong’s most chilled-out island again.
It cost HK$250.00 per person. There are two sessions each day, at 12 pm and 3 pm.
7 Wing Hing Street, Peng Chau
The Clay Lab
For beginners who find normal clay a bit too difficult to handle, The Clay Lab offers a fun alternative – Polymer clay.
Polymer clay can be moulded like ceramic clay, but it won’t dry out at room temperature so it’s easier to work with. The most popular workshop at The Clay Lab is its dreamy crescent Moon-shaped polymer clay mirror workshop. Each workshop takes around three hours to complete.
There are also classes on DIY accessories and cartoon mugs.
Contact The Clay Lab directly for more information.
