Let Them Play With Mud: 7 Pottery Retreats Your Kids Will Love
This summer, say a firm ‘no’ to doom scrolling, and a firm ‘yes’ to pottery. Unplug and reset to the rhythm of the wheel. The craft opens its arms to everyone, both beginners and seasoned pros. Join your kids in discovering the magic of moulding beauty between your hands. And, here are some retreats to do it at.
1. Clayfingers, Thrissur
Beautiful things must have a purpose. This is the belief around which Clayfingers — a pottery studio, started by sculptor Hasseena Hassan and photographer Suresh Subramanian in 2009 — is moulded. Far removed from the urban hustle, the studio sees contemporary potters, artists, technicians, and enthusiasts unite over beautiful creations.
Clayfingers at Thrissur is a pottery studio which sees the coming together of artists and pottery enthusiasts, Pictures source: Clayfingers
Their workshops and residencies cater to everyone regardless of past pottery experience. The studio is set in a traditional 1950s brick and tile factory in Thrissur and offers meal and accommodation options to students.
Book here.
2. Claybotik, Jaipur
Pockets of calm and sunshine highlight this studio in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Traditional art and vibrant colours convene in the handmade ceramic products that line its shelves. While eager to reinvent the design wheel, Claybotik is also committed to preserving India’s heritage stoneware pottery workshop – a dying craft.
At Claybotik, the art of stoneware pottery is preserved, Pictures source: Claybotik
The studio project is the brainchild of artist Deeksha S. Gupta, whose vast experience in art and artefacts enables her to lend a distinct aesthetic to each workshop. You might also want to check out the Claybotik website, where these designs are up for sale.
Book here.
3. Dharamkot Studio, Dharamkot
If you have an affinity for the mountains, head to Dharamkot Studio nestled in the storied town of Dharamkot in Himachal Pradesh. It’s the perfect place to scratch your creative itch, as you experiment with clay accompanied by conversations with like-minded pottery aficionados.
The Dharamkot Studio is a picturesque spot for pottery lovers to learn the nuances of the wheel, Pictures source: (L): Dharamkot Studio, (R): Kathak Mehta
The group pottery sessions target the basics of pottery — wheel throwing, hand building and surface decoration, firing and glazing. Take advantage of the spare time to amble through the pine and cedar forests that envelope the land. We hear summer is the ideal time to visit.
Book here.
4. The Pottery Lab, Mumbai
This summer, let your kids’ creativity find expression in clay at The Pottery Lab in Mumbai’s upbeat Pali Hill, set against the backdrop of the beautiful Bandra neighbourhood. Ceramic artist Rekha Goyal guides groups through the basics of ceramics and pottery, hand-building techniques, working your way through the wheel and surface decoration techniques. She brings an alchemy to the process.
At The Pottery Lab in Mumbai, you’ll learn how to make tea cups, plates and other items, Pictures source: The Pottery Lab
Under her guidance, learn to ‘hand build a teacup’, perfect your abstract shapes, and customise your handmade plate. Many describe their pottery session as “a grounding experience”. See for yourself. At The Pottery Lab, you’ll learn how to give your work of art depth and dimension. It’s time to build your masterpiece.
Book here.
5. Clay Station, Bengaluru
What do kids really want?
The leeway to get their hands dirty.
Learn figurative sculptures and speckled glazes at Claystation, Pictures source: Claystation
At Claystation, supervised by experts, leisure time meets productivity. Kids can participate in the workshops and courses held here, and dive into handbuilding, creating figurative sculptures, creating speckled glazes, and more.
Not just training in pottery, the studio also offers artists guidance with setting up their own studios and workshopping their skills and techniques.
Book here.
6. Rishikesh Pottery Studio, Rishikesh
The cool outside the Rishikesh Pottery Studio in Tapovan is contrasted by the warm conversations inside. Their pottery classes for kids are highly acclaimed. Let your child test their hold on this artistic medium as they perfect their learnings of wheel throwing, centring — bringing the ball of clay into a stable, symmetrical shape, pulling — raising the walls of the pot on the wheel, and giving form to the clay.
There are numerous pottery courses for children at Rishikesh Pottery Studio in Tapovan, Picture source: Rishikesh Pottery Studio
In the clay sculpting class, they will learn coiling — stacking cylindrical pieces of clay onto each other, pinching — using the fingers to press clay into a form, slab building — creating a three-dimensional form, carving and modelling.
Book here.
7. The Shilaroo Project, Himachal Pradesh
The initiative sees the coming together of many brilliant minds. The list includes artist Virangna Kainthla, who studied pottery under the tutelage of legendary Indian potters including Mini Singh; writer Anita Kainthla; army veterans Col. S S Sharma and Col. S C Sharma. Their experiences have culminated in the programmes at this artistic retreat in the mountains.
A trip here is a rare indulgence for nature lovers. When you aren’t at the pottery wheel, take a walk through the manicured orchards. For years now, the Shilaroo Project has been attempting to revive the land, bringing a positive shift to the farming practices in the region.
Book here.
Edited by Saumya Singh
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