Welcome to the Clay By The Bay Blog: Your Insider Guide to Pottery in San Francisco

Hello, clay lovers—and welcome to our very first post! We’re thrilled you’ve found us here, and we can’t wait to roll up our sleeves (and yours!) to explore everything that makes Clay By The Bay a welcoming, vibrant hub for pottery and all things ceramics. Whether you’ve never touched clay before or you’re rekindling memories from a school art class, this is your space to discover a new hobby, hone your craft, and find a creative outlet. Our classes, workshops, and membership programs are here to guide you as you shape something uniquely yours, and our team building events will foster a space for the entire community.

Over the coming weeks and months, you’ll see content aligned with our five pillars:

1. Technique & Tutorials

   • Wedging, centering, trimming & glazing step-by-steps

   • Clay types, firing ranges & glaze tips

   • Studio equipment 101: kilns, pug mills, shelves & wheels

   • Jargon busters: leather-hard, bone-dry, bisque, glaze, firing, coning

2. Studio Stories & News

   • Behind-the-scenes of kiln firings & production process, class setup and more!

   • Visiting-artist profiles & Q&A’s

   • Facility upgrades, who makes Clay By The Bay run every day, what's next 

3. Events & Workshops

   • Upcoming workshops: atmospheric firings (raku, pitfire), visiting artists

   • Recaps of themed member parties and gallery showings

   • How we design custom corporate events

4. Membership & Student Spotlights

   • Member project showcase, success stories & community bonding

   • Testimonials on skill growth & creative breakthroughs

   • Gallery updates: featured artists, exhibition openings

5. Ceramics in SF & Team-Building

   • Map of Bay Area studios, gallery walks & pop-ups

   • Highlights of local ceramicists & art-scene events

   • Corporate team building events ($135/person): creativity retreats, group outings

• Learn before you sign up. Free tutorials that prep you for any class.

• Stay connected. Early access to new insights at the studio & in the community.

• Master your craft. In-depth guides on glazing, trimming & studio tech work.

• Be inspired. Real stories from members, students, visiting artists & corporate teams.

• Spark new ideas. SF ceramics roundups and fun ways pottery has touched the lives of the Bay Area

• “5 Glazing Mistakes Every Potter Makes”—and how to nail your finish

• Inside our Summer Classes —meet the instructors & see what classes are like

• Member Spotlight: Gallery Debut—from wheel to wall

• SF Studio Crawl: 4 Hidden Ceramic Gems - how the SF ceramics community has flourished

• Designing Your Corporate Clay-Outing—tips for planners

• Subscribe for weekly tutorials and monthly recaps.

• Comment with your clay questions or project pics (#ClayByTheBaySF).

• Register for our next Intro to Wheel class (starting every 6-weeks).

• Book a team-build event—packages starting at $135/person.

Thank you for being here at the start of our blogging journey. We can’t wait to throw clay with you!

— The Clay By The Bay Team