Pottery making is one of the oldest practices in the world. Evidence of shaping clay and ceramic materials into various objects and shapes is reported at archaeological sites all over the world. Pottery products may function as a houseware to hold food or water, or may be displayed as a decorative piece that may hold historical or cultural significance.
In modern Singapore, pottery products in our households serve an aesthetic purpose. Pretty pots or vases littered with intricate designs add a classy touch to our living space. Some may even help contain indoor plants, with colours that complement the plants that they hold. Increasingly, Singaporeans look to pottery products to artfully beautify their home.
From buying to making pottery
It is not uncommon to see your friends or relatives posting about their recent virgin experience at a pottery studio. For some, what may have started out as a weekend workshop may have blossomed into a therapeutic pastime. The pursuit of perfection and the endless possibilities of pottery products to create may be addictive.
The best part is that you can bring your own pottery pieces home with you! Pieces that serve more than just a keepsake, pottery pieces like a small pot to hold succulents, a small plate to hold your keys or even a jar to contain aromatic scents. Decorative items with a touch of you can make your house more homely.
Check out these pottery studios in Singapore to bring out your inner artist!
Studio | The Clay People Ceramics Studio |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | |
| Address | 1003 Toa Payoh Industrial Park #07-1527 Singapore 319075 |
Contact | Tel: +65 9692 8030 Email: [email protected] |
| Operating Hours | By appointment only |
Studio | The Potter’s Guilt |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | |
| Address | 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace, #01-03, Singapore 168976 |
Contact | Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | By appointment only |
Studio | Arudio ceramic |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | https://www.arudioceramic.com/ |
| Address | 11 Woodlands Close #09-30 Singapore 737853 |
Contact | Tel: +65 96568591 Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | By appointment only |
Studio | Ceramic House |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | https://www.ceramichousesg.com/ |
| Address | Blk 9004 Tampines St.93 #02-102 Singapore 528838 |
Contact | Tel: +65 6784 0024 Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | Tuesday (9.30am – 12.30pm and 6.30pm – 9.00pm) |
Studio | Studio Sobi |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | |
| Address | Hougang Ave 2, Block 705, Singapore 530705 |
Contact | Tel: 92488882 Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | By appointment only |
Studio | Mud Rock Ceramics |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | https://www.mudrockceramics.com/ |
| Address | 85 Maude Road, Singapore 208357 |
Contact | Tel: +65 6291 1186 Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | By appointment only |
Studio | Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | |
| Address | 85 Lorong Tawas Singapore 639823 |
Contact | Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | Monday – Sunday: 9am – 5pm |
Studio | Urth & Phire Pottery Studio |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | https://www.uppottery.com.sg/ |
| Address | 2 Pereira Road, #05-02A [email protected], Singapore 368024 |
Contact | Tel: +65 9770 4862 Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | Mon and Thu: Closed Tues – Wed and Fri: 10am to 4pm – 7pm to 9pm Sat and Sun: 10am to 6pm |
Studio | The8thflr |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | |
| Address | 37 Lor 23 Geylang, #08-03 Yu Li Industrial Building, Singapore 388371 |
Contact | Tel: +65 6904 4403 Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | Tuesday – Saturday: 1.30pm – 10.30pm |
Studio | School of Clay Arts |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | https://www.schoolofclayarts.com/ |
| Address | School of clay arts Ubi Techpark #07-33 (Lobby B) Singapore 408564 |
Contact | Tel; +65 9177 5764 Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | Tuesday: 1030 – 1330 |
Studio | Goodman Ceramic Studio |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | https://www.goodmanceramicstudio.com/ |
| Address | 90 Goodman Road, #01-37 Block G Goodman Arts Centre Singapore 439053 |
Contact | Tel: +65 6346 6351 / +65 9726 5210 Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | Tuesdays – Sunday: 10.00am – 5:00pm |
Studio | Euphoramics |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | https://www.euphoramics.com/ |
| Address | 120 Hillview Ave, #06-05 Kewalram Hillview, Singapore 669594 |
Contact | Tel: +65 9697 0728 Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | By appointment only |
Studio | Common Touch Craft |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | https://www.commontouchcraft.com/ |
| Address | 44 Kallang Place Singapore 339172 |
Contact | Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | By appointment only |
Studio | Usually Usual |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | https://shopusuallyusual.com/ |
| Address | 426 Clemenceau Ave N, Singapore 229516 |
Contact | Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | By appointment only |
Studio | Ves |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | https://www.ves.sg/ |
| Address | 75 Jalan Kelabu Asap, Singapore, 278268 |
Contact | Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | By appointment only |
Studio | Padme Hum Studio |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | http://www.padmehumstudio.com/ |
| Address | 1090 Lower Delta Rd, Singapore 169201 |
Contact | Tel: +65 8611 4613 Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | By appointment only |
Studio | Boon’s Pottery |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | https://www.boonspottery.com/ |
| Address | Boon’s Pottery @ Tanglin Place 91 Tanglin Rd, #B1-01/02, Singapore 247918 |
Contact | Tel: +65 6836 3978 / +65 9247 9609 Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | By appointment only |
Studio | Center Pottery Singapore |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | http://www.pottery.sg/ |
| Address | Multiple locations
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Contact | Tel: +65 9159 7119 Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | Varies by location |
Studio | Sam Mui Kuang Pottery |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | http://www.smkpottery.com/ |
| Address | 22, Jalan Kelulut Off Yio Chu Kang Road, Singapore 809039 |
Contact | Tel: 64822424 / 64822525 Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | Monday to Friday: 9.30am to 1.30pm |
Studio | Taoz Ceramics |
Specialty / Pricing |
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Website | https://www.taozceramics.com/ |
| Address | Multiple locations:
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Contact | Tel: +65 8342 2381 Email: [email protected] |
Operating Hours | Daily: 11am – 8pm |
What is the process of pottery making?
The entire process of pottery making starts from the preparation of the clay. Kneading the clay helps remove air pockets trapped within and ensures that moisture content of the clay is consistent throughout.
Once the clay is prepared, potters can begin shaping the clay material into various shapes. The shaped clay products are then left to dry, removing a huge proportion of moisture, allowing the clay to better hold its shape. Firing of the clay product in a kiln permanently hardens and sets it in its final shape. Decorating the pottery product may be done before or after the firing of the clay body.
Types of pottery shaping
There are two main types of pottery shaping techniques: hand building and wheel throwing.
Hand building
Hand building in pottery making constitutes using your hands to form, knead and combine pieces of clay to form an end product. It is regarded as the easier of the two pottery shaping methods as there is a flexibility of time to achieve precision in shapes.
There are a few techniques in hand building: pinch, slab or coil.
In pinching, the potter shapes the pot by pressing, pinching and kneading the clay to form the shape of they wish to achieve.
In slab pottery making, the potter cuts slabs of clay of different shapes to be joined together to form the eventual shape of the pottery product.
Coiling involves rolling the clay into a long roll, the potter then coils the long roll of clay to eventually form the shape of choice.
Wheel throwing
Wheel throwing is a pottery making technique where the potter shapes a ball of clay as it rotates in the centre of a turntable. The turntable is typically spun by an electric motor, with the speed of rotation controlled by the foot or hand of the potter.
The potter begins by placing the ball in the middle of the turntable and centres the clay to ensure that the clay ball spins symmetrically. The potter then moulds the soft ball of clay by carefully squeezing, pulling and shaping the clay as it rotates on the turntable. By using a turntable, the potter is able to shape the clay into perfectly symmetrically circular shapes.
Decorating pottery
Decorating pottery pieces can be considered to be an art form on its own. Intricate patterns or abstract shapes embellished on pottery products can elevate the outcome of the final product. Besides aesthetics, pottery pieces have also been used as a canvas on which stories of cultural and historical significance are charted.
Factual recounts of significant events and stories describing popular folklore have been found to be inscribed on archaeological pottery pieces. Even simple recurring patterns painted on clay pieces may reflect the cultural background, providing insights into the origin and background of the people who once lived there. Modern art pieces and home decorations celebrate some of these designs. Even though the meaning behind some of these designs may be lost, the beauty of some of these remain.
Some common methods of decorating pottery pieces include painting, carving and glazing the pottery pieces. These techniques may be performed either before or after the firing process.
Painting
Painting is one of the oldest methods of decorating pottery pieces. Paint can be applied before or after the firing process. However, paint pigments tend to change in colour as it matures and fuses to the clay after the firing process. Therefore, pottery paint would state its suitability to be used before or after the firing process and the final colour it is meant to be applied before the firing process. Glazing over a painted pottery product helps to lock in the paint.
Glazing
Glazing a pottery piece seals it in an impermeable vitreous layer that fuses with the clay body when it is fired. This makes the pottery piece suitable to be used to contain liquid or food. Glazing can also add to the overall aesthetic of the finished pottery piece. Besides choosing between glossy or matte finish glazes, glazing is surprisingly technical and a skilled potter can control the glazing pattern, resulting in vastly different outcomes.
Carving
Carving pottery involves scoring or incising designs onto the soft clay before the firing process. Carved designs enhances the pottery piece not only visually, but adds a tactile component as well.
A skilled potter would be able to manipulate the carving tool to draw shapes and designs of varying depths in the clay, creating recesses in the product. This expands the possibilities of function and aesthetics that the pottery piece can serve. For example, creating multiple holes in a pot shaped piece can be used as a candle holder, with the holes allowing for the light to come through.
How much does it cost?
Pottery studios typically offer varying combination of workshops. There are workshops specifically for hand building only, wheel throwing only or a mixture of both.
Most studios offer a single introductory workshop that is planned to take one through the entire process of pottery making. They also tend to offer short term and long term courses ranging from five to ten sessions. The price range for a pottery workshop ranges as follows:
- Introductory workshop (approx. 3 hours): $70 – 90 per pax
- Short term course (approx. 5 X 3 hour sessions): $300 – 400 per pax
- Long term course (approx.. 10 X 3 hour sessions): $500 – 600 per pax
Editor’s Note:
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Author Bio
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