Stone Studio, Currumbin Waters and Kingscliff
One of the pioneers leading the Gold Coast’s resurgence with the art form is undoubtedly Stone Studio, which has grown from humble beginnings in a beachfront cafe/clay studio in Kingscliff to a beautiful space in Currumbin Waters. The great thing about this particular studio/cafe space is that here, creativity is fuelled by caffeine (Therefore Coffee, to be specific). Whether you’re a total newbie or a seasoned pro, this supportive space is about igniting your creative process, whatever that looks like, with a range of classes to suit different skill levels. The Make A Brekky Set is a popular option, and if you’re keen to swap the coffee for a wine, the Clay & Sip Stone Social is definitely your vibe. Hot tip, you don’t need to be booked in for a class to enjoy the cafe.
POT Studios, Tugun
Aiming to spread the passion for handmade wares far and wide, POT is a Tugun-based family business offering a range of workshops, courses and private classes alongside a carefully curated selection of homewares. At POT, they believe pottery is for everyone (yes, even the artistically challenged among us) and offer a series of classes and workshops ranging from steamy date nights (we’ve all seen Ghost, right?) to four-week Intro to Pottery courses. The current dates may have sold out, but keep your peepers peeled for the next release!
Firebird Studios, Burleigh Heads
You’ll find Firebird Studios in nestled in Burleigh’s industrial estate on Hutchinson Street. Here you can get acquainted with the basics in a variety of workshops, or get deep (and dirty) on your clay journey with a five or ten week course. Check out Firebird Studios’ workshops here. The cool thing about this studio is that after a course, you are welcome to use the studio as your own with its unique offering of Community Clay. This allows you to book open studio time, granting you the freedom to unleash your creativity within the well-equipped studio space. If you’re partial to a spot of day drinking, the Dirty Day Drinking with Clay is right up your alley.
Gold Coast Potters, Benowa and Mudgeeraba
The Gold Coast Potters organisation has been operating on the Gold Coast since it was formed by like-minded craftspeople in 1977. The Gold Coast City Council provided the original Benowa Primary School building for use, and before long, the enthusiastic volunteers soon had a created a dedicated class-ready workshop space complete with wheels, kilns and all of the tools needed. The teachers are independent contractors who run their own businesses, with classes ranging from beginners to advanced. You can browse all of the upcoming classes here. There’s also an Art Gallery & Gift Shop for those who are looking to procure some handcrafted pottery pieces.
Stoka Clay Studio, Tweed Hinterland
Okay, so this one isn’t technically Gold Coast, but it would be remiss not to include Stoka’s leafy new studio which is perched on a 15 acre farm in the beautiful Tweed Hinterland (just 10 minutes from Husk Distillery). Formerly located at Currumbin, Stoka’s owner Vrinda Hansen made the move to Upper Duroby, which is nestled into the hillside of North Tumbulgum, and hasn’t looked back. Although the drive is a little further, Vrinda’s handbuilding workshops regularly attract folks as far away as Brisbane who are seeking a country escape for the day. Did we mention it was only 10 minutes from Husk?
Bonus entry, Crockd Pottery Kit
If you’re more of a DIY/figure-it-out-as-you-go kind of person, Crockd offers a range of at-home pottery kits for you to get out of your head and into your hands. The kit includes instructions, or you can go rogue and just see where the moment takes you. The extra-cool thing is that it includes what they call ‘Claybreakers’ which are conversation starters for those who might be keen to go deep while they get messy.
Image credits:
1. Stone Studio, Currumbin, supplied
2. POT Studios, Cindy Hamrey
3. Firebird Studios, website
4. Gold Coast Potters, Facebook
5. Stoka Clay Studio, supplied
