Paint -your-own-pottery studios, also known as contemporary ceramic studios first emerged in 1995 when the very first studio opened in New York City. The ceramic industry has been around since the beginning of time, but this new concept took the ceramic industry by storm. The new studios were retail environments located in upscale neighborhoods with lots of disposable of income. In the past your typical traditional ceramic studio could easily have been located in somebody’s basement or warehouse. The new setting of the contemporary studio attracted a different kind of customer than the industry has seen in the past.
The innovative studios were beautifully decorated, clean, non-smoking, 
spaces that people of both sexes from 2 to 92 gravitated to for a new found form of entertainment. Never before has the ceramic industry seen such explosive growth in the art for entertainment field.
Traditional studios focused on techniques and classes. It was more of a hobby craft then it was a form of entertainment that the whole family could enjoy. Another difference is that the traditional studios worked from green ware, which is basically wet clay. The piece had to dry before it could be prepped for painting. The seams from the mold had to be cleaned and the piece had to be sanded to a smooth finish before paint could be applied. This process created a lot of dust and it was very unhealthy to inhale. The green ware was very fragile and if not handled gently could easily break right in your hands. After painting, the piece had to be fired to bisque which is much harder than green ware. Then the piece had to be hand glazed and fired again. This process was very time consuming and messy, not to mention unhealthy. Back in the day, glazes were heavily leaded and could not be used for surfaces coming in contact with food. The lead would leach onto the food making it toxic to eat.
The paint-your-own pottery studios fixed all of that. First of all, contemporary studios didn’t work with green ware. They stocked a large selection of bisque shapes for their customers to paint. No need to clean or sand any more. All they had to do was select a piece to paint. All of the paints were non-toxic making them suitable for dinnerware. Studios stocked a large selection of dinnerware pieces including plates, bowls, mugs, and serving pieces of all kinds. People were now able to paint items that were truly functional, not just decorative. Another attraction was that they no longer had to glaze the pieces by themselves. All the customer would do is decorate their piece, and then the studio would glaze the piece using a food safe glaze and fire it for them. The pieces would be ready for pick up in just a few days. Most of the items available for painting are “plain canvas bisque”. At first glance people were intimidated by looking at a piece with absolutely no design to follow at all. They panicked at the thought that they weren’t an artist and had no creativity. Most studios have a large library of books chock full of ideas and inspiration. They also have many tools that even the most artistically challenged can use to create a beautiful work of art. Sponges, stencils, & rubber stamps, made the argument of “I’m not talented” go away.
A large part of the business of paint-your-own pottery studios is doing parties for all occasions. Birthday, anniversary, retirement, bridal and baby showers are just some of the events that the studios cater to. Customers come to create personalized gifts, school auction projects , children’s hand prints, and much, much more. Many corporations have discovered that pottery painting makes a great team building get together or holiday office party.
The newest idea to hit the paint your own pottery industry is the advent of mobile studios where they bring the party to you. People today have very busy lifestyles and their time is limited. They want a creative outlet yet might not have the time to actually go to a studio and spend several hours painting. Studios can deliver pieces to their homes and they can paint at their leisure. When the pieces are complete they will pick them up to be glazed and fired. What can be more convenient than that! Pottery painting parties can be done poolside, in schools, hospitals, hotels, temples, churches, or any venue of your choice. The possibilities are endless and it is catching on fast.
Paint-your-own pottery fever has spread throughout the country. Today, hundreds if not thousands of these type of studios can be found across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. It is not a trend that will be here today and gone tomorrow. It has become a part of our culture and will be here for a long time to come.
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