Kollektiv Clay Studio - Oakland, California

Henriette Chu

This is an AMAZING ceramics studio. Truly a sustainable and value-driven place, where you not only can learn how to master ceramics but also find community, that holds a place for everyone. The owners Gina and Robert create a wonderful and warm atmosphere, they organize regular fun member gatherings and activities and just know how to build and serve a community. This very quickly became my second home and I am incredibly thankful that this place exists!

Suechu Taing

This studio is awesome! Prior to taking classes here, I had no experience working with clay and was excited to see a studio open up in my neighborhood. So far I have taken two intro to wheel classes.

The teachers are really good. I took my first intro to wheel class with Ryan and repeated the same class with Kelsey—they are both really awesome! They have very different teaching styles and personalities, but I enjoyed working with both of them. Ryan is very experienced and I feel like he teaches you with a lot of detail, which initially is overwhelming to a newbie, but as you gain more experience, you look back at those experiences and appreciate how helpful and insightful all those little tips were! Kelsey is super funny and positive all the time. She is so incredibly funny and her laughter is contagious. She is a really fun teacher and made our class so enjoyable and full of laughter every week. I learned a lot from both of them even though I was technically retaking the same course!

The owner Gina is super nice and helpful. She’s also super good at teaching (I had her for one day when my Ryan wasn’t available). She seems like a very sweet person and is always available for questions. She is very patient and nice!

I also like the actual studio itself! It’s very cozy and comfortable, and pretty clean majority of the time. The sustainability aspect is new to me and I’ve grown to appreciate it. I noticed that one of the old reviews mentioned the “strict rules,” but honestly, I don’t think they are very “strict”? I understand losing your piece can be super disappointing though. But I still think rules just keep the studio organized and clean which is important since we all share the space.

Overall, it’s a great place to be. It has a very positive and welcoming environment and I would highly recommend checking it out.

Ruitao Li (FlowingCloud)

An absolutely wonderful experience! We booked a private class with wheel-throwing and hand-building for a date. ^_^ Beautiful airy studio—clean, spacious, and with a white and wood-toned aesthetic. Perfect instructor—clear instructions, excellent demos, and helpful live guidance. (Also just exudes such warm and welcoming vibes~) We looked at over 40 places to decide, and Kollectiv Clay Studio won by a landslide and did not disappoint. Much thanks to Gina for the experience. 10/10 would highly recommend.

Sherry Chen

Awesome community-focused pottery studio! I took a 6 week course when it first opened and then started a membership, and have been really pleased with the progress I’ve made since starting.
The owners, Gina and Robert, have put so much work into making this a welcoming space for its members and students. Great instructors that are excited to share their knowledge and love of clay with students as well. Definitely recommend taking a class here 🙂

Lizzy Miller

I took the 6 week intro to wheel class at Kollektiv and now have been a member for a few months. My instructor made me so much more comfortable with clay and the wheel than I had after previous pottery classes. The class process, including deadlines and where to store work and clay, was thoroughly explained. Now as a member, I always get so many tips and inspiration from other members and instructors when I go in, so the learning hasn’t stopped. I joined Kollektiv when I was new to Oakland looking for community, and it has exceeded my expectations. The owner, Gina, is lovely and the community at Kollektiv reflects that!

Virginia Cebe

I had the *best* experience at Kollektiv Clay Studio. I loved it so much I've already signed up for one of their 6 week courses! I hadn't practiced ceramics since I was a young girl and was intimidated to get back into it. As soon as I walked into the space at Kollektiv and was greeted by my warm teacher and the owner, Gina, my fears immediately melted away. The one-off wheel throwing class that I did was super beginner-friendly, fun, welcoming, educational, all the things and more you would hope for a pottery class to be. Not to mention how impressed I was by the extensive efforts the studio puts into recycling their water system, clay, and tools to stay environmentally conscious. If you're looking for community, a date night, or to make something you can be proud of, I highly recommend checking out Kollektiv! <3

Berenice Villela

I attended a grief centered handbuilding workshop. It was my first time EVER touching clay. Members were super supportive, and the instructor/owner, gina, was kind, intentional, supportive AND hands off. She set the stage and showed us a few techniques, but then she let us play with the clay and ask questions as they came up. I appreciated this space more than I could have ever imagined, and she committed and delivered to firing the pieces in time for the Holidays. I'm so glad this space exists, and I hope to return! <3 <3 <3

Ashley O

Absolutely love this studio!!! Such a warm and welcoming environment with talented teachers. The studio is also shockingly clean! A very supportive and knowledgeable community of artists including the incredible owner, Gina, who is always available for advice and questions. I love it here. 10/10!!!