We offer:

Beginners pottery classes - indoor and outdoor
Private parties for up to 75 guests
Visiting artist workshops
Monthly memberships
Convenient clay, glaze and tools shop within the studio

Booking with us is simple and convenient: visit the Classes & Events page, choose the session you want from the calendar, and click "Book" to select your preferred date, time, and number of participants. Create or sign in to your account to save your details, complete the secure payment to confirm your spot, and you will receive an email confirmation. If you have any questions regarding your reservation, contact our studio directly for assistance.

All sales are final; we do not offer refunds for cancellations or purchases. If you need to cancel a booking, please notify us as soon as possible and we will take note, but no refunds or credit will be issued. Transfers or rescheduling may be handled on a case-by-case basis at Bitter Root Pottery Aqueous’s discretion and are not guaranteed. By booking with us, you acknowledge and accept our refund and cancellation policy.

You can email us at marinadelrey@bitterrootpotteryaqueous.com for the quickest response. You can reach the studio at (310)-342-5217, but please note we may not always be available to answer due to high volume or staffing restrictions.

Wear comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting clay on — think breathable layers, a t‑shirt or long sleeve with jeans or relaxed pants — and closed‑toe shoes to protect your feet from dropped tools or splattered clay. White clay easily washes out of clothing with water. Avoid loose jewelry, long flowing sleeves, or scarves that can catch on wheels or tools; tie back long hair and remove rings, watches and bracelets.

Both options provide expert instruction, quality materials, and a welcoming atmosphere.

Indoor classes at Bitter Root Pottery Aqueous offer calm, beautiful studio space to work in alongside other students. We have multiple spacious areas within our 10,000 square foot studio.

Outdoor classes are ideal for those who enjoy inspiration from nature and enjoy the sunshine with a sea breeze. For outdoor session attendees to ensure comfort while you create, we recommend bringing:

sunglasses
sunscreen
a hat

Note: If the weather does not permit having the class outdoors, we will shift indoors to our beautiful studio space with full views of the marina.

Pottery typically takes 4–6 weeks from the date of your class to be fully completed and ready for pickup.

This timeline reflects the full ceramics process, which includes two or more weeks of drying time, 1.5–2 weeks of multiple kiln firings, and careful handling by our staff at each stage. These steps are essential to ensure your finished pieces are food-safe, microwave-safe, and dishwasher-safe.

We offer memberships for all skill levels, from complete beginners to experienced ceramicists.

To join as a member, we require one class with us as a prerequisite. This ensures everyone has basic hands-on experience working with clay in our studio environment and is familiar with our tools, safety standards, and workflows.

Our membership program is designed to support artistic growth through ongoing access, skill-building opportunities, and a supportive, inclusive community of fellow ceramicists.

For full details, please visit the Memberships tab in the navigation bar.

We offer Fedex shipping at a flat rate of $25 per box. Each box can hold anywhere from 1-3 pottery pieces.

For all shipping inquiries, please email shipping.aqueous@gmail.com.

We have a couple of options for guests with children.

Open Wheel Classes: these classes are the same format as our adult beginner classes, except they are open to kids 6 years old and older. Please note: Open Wheel classes are not always available, and what you see on the schedule is what is currently available.
Private Parties: You may book a private party and include children 6 years and older.

When you finish forming your pot on the wheel, several important steps follow before it becomes a finished, durable piece. Each step takes time to ensure the clay is stable, strong, and finished correctly.

Here’s what happens and why the process typically takes 4–6 weeks:

Drying (7-14 days)
-After throwing, the pot contains a lot of water. It must dry slowly and evenly so it won’t warp or crack.
-We first let it dry to “leather-hard” — firm but still slightly damp — so we can trim the base or add handles and other details.
-Then it dries completely to “bone-dry.” This can take from a day to a week depending on thickness, humidity, and temperature.
-We then “mark” the guests' details on the base of the pot, and clean up the foot to be nice and smooth.
Bisque firing (1 day in kiln + cool down)
-Bone-dry pots go into the kiln for the first firing, called bisque firing. This removes remaining chemical water and turns the clay into ceramic that’s porous but stable.
-The firing itself takes many hours to reach the target temperature safely, plus several more hours (or overnight) for the kiln to cool down fully. Rapid changes in temperature would crack the ware.
-After bisque firing, the piece is strong enough to handle and glaze easily.
Glazing (7+ days depending on schedule)
-Glaze is a glassy coating that seals and colors the pot. We apply glaze by dipping.
-Glaze application needs time to dry before going back into the kiln. Scheduling hundreds of pieces for the glaze kiln also affects timing.
-The glaze firing (1 day in kiln + cool down) melts the glaze into a glassy surface and matures the clay body. Like the bisque firing, this takes many hours to heat and cool at controlled rates to avoid stress on the pottery.
-Different glazes and clays require specific firing temperatures and schedules, which affects how long the kiln cycle takes.
Final inspection and finishing (2-4 days)
-After cooling down, we inspect each piece. We may sand rough spots, remove glaze drips from the foot, or perform minor repairs if needed.
-Pieces are then cleaned and prepared for pickup.

Why the whole process takes 4–6 weeks:

Drying and firing cannot be rushed. Clay must dry evenly, and kilns must heat and cool slowly to prevent cracking.
Kiln space and scheduling: We batch pieces together for each firing to use kiln space efficiently. That means you might wait for enough pieces to be marked and ready for the next kiln cycle.
Weather and humidity affect drying time. In humid weather, drying can be slower.
Quality control: Allowing time between steps and for proper firing ensures durable results and reduces the chance your piece will crack, craze, or have glaze defects.

What you can expect:

Typical turnaround: 4–6 weeks from throwing to pickup, though some simple pieces or off-peak times may be faster.
We’ll notify you when your piece is ready for pickup.

This timeline ensures your pot leaves the wheel as a finished, durable, and beautiful ceramic object rather than a fragile lump of wet clay.

To keep the pottery studio a relaxing getaway from reality, we ask that you leave you only bring others that will be able to participate in pottery. Please leave your babies and pets at home

Your Questions, Answered