The fun and inspiration from painting pottery

Painting pottery is a fun and creative activity for all the family. Visitors to The Clay Studio have all sorts of reasons for painting pottery from one-off gifts and celebration plates to learning to be more creative or simply a fun time. We are open every day including late nights so come and relax after work or enjoy yourself with friends. You do not need any artistic skills to paint pottery. Quite the reverse. Our fully-trained staff will guide and encourage and help bring out the artist in you. In addition, we have numerous painted samples as well as books and other sources of ideas and inspiration. All you need to a desire to enjoy yourself, a little bit of patience and you will be surprised just what you can achieve. For those who are looking to learn different painting techniques we also offer Painting Academy workshops where you can learn various ways to achieve paint effects. For children we run Kidz Painting Academy workshops during school holidays.

The Clay Studio is open Tuesday-Sunday as well as Mondays during school holidays. You do not need to book although this is advised for a large group. We can seat around 70 people. We open late on Thursday and so it is a great place to meet up with friends after work and chill-out. Our café menu is available at all times and we have a wide range of hot and cold beverages as well as wines, beers, cider and seasonal alcoholic drinks. Every Thursday is Girls' Night Out and we run Diva Night every three months where you can have fun with friends and help a designated charity. Other special events include Mother & Baby Day on Tuesdays, regular Family Fun Days, and special events like Kidz Halloween parties. These are shown in our on-line Dairy of events.

Choose an item from our extensive and ever-changing range of unpainted (bisque items). We have a range of standard products as well as some items which are seasonal or we stock for a short period. We have around 180 different items and we are always adding new lines. Our Gallery shows the type of items that are available to paint as well as helping to provide inspiration. Decide on the theme for what you are painting. There is plenty of inspiration around and our staff are always on-hand to offer advice and help should you need it. You can paint something decorative or something functional. Is it for you or is it a gift? Let your imagination wander. Our staff will take you through the pottery painting process and guide you at all stages.

Each painter pays a Studio Fee of £4.50 per visit (£3.50 for under 16s). The price of the pieces ranges from £4 to £50. You can spend as long as you like painting and even come back to finish an item. You do not pay a Studio Fee for a repeat visit unless you start a new piece (one return visit allowed to finish an item). Our staff will give you a Clay Points card. Every time you pay a Studio Fee, the card will be stamped so that after the sixth visit your next Studio Fee is free. Regular painters can become a member of Clay Friends which provides many benefits.

When you have finished your painting, our staff will let you know when it is ready for collection. This usually takes a 3-4 days, during which time the pottery will be given a glaze and fired in our kiln. When you collect it, you will see a transformation. If you are unable to collect it, let us know and, for a small fee, we will arrange to post the finished pottery to you in protective packaging.

It is time to Bring out the Artist in You.