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The Best Pottery Painting Studios in and near Johannesburg That Will Bring Out Your Inner Artist
My parents used to tell me that you can be whatever you want as long as you put your heart into it. Well, I wanted to be a craftsman but got into a different line of business for practical reasons.
That doesn’t mean I have to give up on my passion though! The good news is that our fair city of Johannesburg has a couple of pottery painting studios that allow me to live my dream of being an artist.
I listed these spots below so you can check them out and nurture that artist in you!
1. Pottery Studio – Roleen Selby-Herz
From roleen_selby_herz
Address: 10 Babington St, Fairwood
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoleenPottery/
Contact number: +27 82 536 0260
Operating Hours:
- Monday and Wednesday, 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM
- Tuesday and Thursday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Friday, 8:00 AM to 12:00 NN
A few months ago, work became too much, so I wanted to reignite my passion for the arts. So I checked out different art studios that will teach and allow me to do some relaxing arts and crafts like pottery painting. Enter, Pottery Studio – Roleen Selby-Herz!
When I went to this art school, I was only hoping to paint some pottery, but they offered me (and the other students) something more. They let us build our own bowls, pots, and other figures like miniature houses and furniture using clay.
I finished my medium-sized bowl using the studio’s pottery wheel and decided to paint it white and yellow. Everyone laughed and commented that my bowl looked like a sunny-side-up egg. Well, that’s what I was going for!
| Pro Tip: Contact the studio through the owner’s email ([email protected]) to learn more about their program. |
2. Inspire Arts and Crafts
From inspire.arts.and.crafts
Address: 184 Derby Rd, Kensington
Website: http://www.inspireartsandcrafts.co.za/
Contact number: +27734895589
Operating Hours:
- Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 NN
- Wednesday, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- Saturday, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Inspire Arts and Crafts is a traditional art studio that I can recommend if you want something light and easy. Personally, I think this art school is designed for beginners or those doing crafts as a hobby.
Compared to the previous entries, this studio provides bowls, plates, and other ceramic pieces that you can paint using different colours and media. I also liked that they gave me and other students supplies (e.g. paint, canvas, and figures).
Most of the other students focused on painting realistic drawings. I tried copying an elephant painting into the ceramic bowl I was working on, but I wasn’t as good as the other attendees (the drawing looked more like a hippo).
| Pro Tip: Check their website to learn more about their art class pricing, schedule, and art classes on offer. |
3. Color Cafe
From colorcafetlv
Website: https://colorcafe.co.za/
Contact number: +27113410734
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Sunday, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Here’s another light and enjoyable ceramic painting venue in Johannesburg—Color Cafe. When I visited, I first picked the ceramic item I wanted to paint and design.
Some of the items on display include mugs, plates, and bowls. I settled for a large mug before choosing which paint or designs I wanted to use to make my chosen ceramic piece super special and personalised.
The studio staff provided me with a tracing tool with different figures such as stars, letters, numbers, and animals. I painted the entire mug with dark blue paint and dotted it with yellow stars a la night sky!
| Pro Tip: Call the number above or visit their website to learn more about their services or to book a slot. |
4. The Creatory
From thecreatoryjhb
Address: 44 1st Ave, Gauteng, Randburg
Website: http://thecreatory.co.za/
Contact number: +27813379705
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
The Creatory offers a 1-day Ceramics and Mimosas session, so I signed up for this course earlier last month. We were taught how to use various colouring materials (acrylic paint and watercolour) to paint our ceramic piece of choice.
I ordered a mimosa before painting my ceramic saucer with some pastel colours. The drink hit the spot, and I think it helped me concentrate on my painting better.
Participants can also draw various figures instead of just painting their chosen items. I saw some attendees draw some butterflies and hearts on theirs, which I think looked amazing.
| Pro Tip: Check out their website to learn more or to enrol in their acrylic painting workshops. |
5. Art Zoo
From artzoo.co.za
Address: Cnr Anne St and, Athlone Ave, Sandringham
Website: http://www.artzoo.co.za/
Contact number: +27837438480
Operating Hours:
- Monday and Wednesday, 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
- Tuesday, 11:30 AM to 4:00 PM
- Thursday, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
- Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Art Zoo offers art classes depending on your skill level—beginner, intermediate and advanced. I opted for the beginner course just to get a better feel of the program, and the studio did not disappoint with its expert instructors and supplies.
The school is focused more on painting and drawing skills, which I was able to apply when painting ceramic pieces. I got a ceramic toy figure (a cartoon dinosaur) and painted it with light green paint and some white stripes.
During our break, I walked around the studio to check out the work of the other students. Some of the paintings I saw were pretty impressive, but there are also a few that I think are at the same level as yours truly—a novice!
| Pro Tip: Classes can get fully booked quickly, so reserve a slot with them via their website. |
