Customer Reviews
What You'll Get
Besides using a pottery wheel, the easiest way to manipulate clay is to threaten to rebury it in the dark, sandy hole where you found it. Turn clay to putty in your hands with this Groupon.
$25 for a Pottery Package (Up to $59.67 Value)
- Two-hour raku pottery workshop (a $40 value)
- A handmade piece of your choice to glaze and take home (up to a $15 value)
- One coffee or tea beverage from the café menu or the specialty drink menu (up to a $4.67 value)<p>
Instructors teach students the method and history of raku pottery, from its ancient Japanese origins to its relatively recent invasion of America. After a brief survey of techniques, participants select a small piece such as a miniature vase, bowl, or bottle to ensconce in glaze with expert guidance. Unlike other firing techniques, which favor a slow and steady warm-up and cool-down, a raku potter rapidly blasts ceramics in 1,800-degree heat and just as rapidly removes it, sealing in an otherworldly, unpredictable pattern that may be glossy and metallic, black and smoky, or vividly colored and layered with instructions for making a crop circle. See the class page for available times.<p>
The Fine Print
Promotional value expires Oct 31, 2012. Amount paid never expires. Limit 1 per person, may buy multiple as gifts. 48hr cancellation notice or $10 fee may apply. Subject to availability. Must be 18 or older or accompanied by guardian. Must wear closed toe shoes and long pants. Must use promotional value in 1 visit. Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.
About Craftsman House
Built in 1918, the Craftsman House's expansive, adobe-toned bungalow collapses time as visitors step onto a breezy veranda, walk past a lush carpet of flowers and fronds, and witness more American craftwork than they can shake an intricately whittled stick at. Blown glass, turned wood, and fine pottery and jewelry provided by a 300-strong network of local and national artists are just a few of the pieces that settle in at this homey abode. The building is so homey, in fact, that one artist hardly ever leaves. Surrounded by the courtyard, what was once an old-time carriage house is now the clay-caked studio of professional potter Stephanie Schorr. There, visitors can find her partway through many projects at once, crafting functional wares and feeding the carnival fire breathers that keep her kiln hot.
The historic hub of creative know-how hosts a multiplicity of events, including live music, gallery tours, and artistic workshops. In honor of the gallery's tireless community efforts, Craftsman House was named the 2011 Top Retailer for a Charitable or Philanthropic Event by Niche magazine.