Classes: Wheel Throwing • Pottery

5.0 (62)

Women-owned

Bottega Ceramica is a ceramics studio founded by Chiara Dorbolò, an architect and ceramist trained in Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. The studio's mission is to share the transformative experience of working with clay using your hands and the pottery wheel.

Crafting beautiful and functional pieces from clay is a joyful and empowering process. The repetitive, rhythmic motions involved in kneading, centering, and shaping clear the mind and lift the mood by means of mindfulness and sensory grounding. Nestled in a sunny studio space within the Edinburgh Open Workshop, Bottega offers beginners and seasoned potters alike a chance to experience this wonderful process. Whether you are touching clay for the first time or the hundredth, you'll find room to disconnect from the daily hustle and reconnect with your creative self.

The name Bottega is inspired by the traditional Italian workshop where artists and craftsmen trained under a master. Since Renaissance times, 'andare a bottega' has been synonymous with learning through observation and practice—preparing materials, replicating processes, and accumulating practical knowledge. Your instructor, Chiara, is a graduate of the Academy of Architecture in Amsterdam and the Francisco Alcántara School of Ceramics in Madrid. With two years of experience as a pottery teacher and nearly a decade as a design and architecture educator, she brings a rich pedagogical foundation to every class. At Bottega, she provides a thoughtful learning experience rooted in tradition and shaped by contemporary design practices. Through an approach that combines technical skill, material sensitivity, and spatial thinking, she'll help you deepen your understanding of ceramics as a craft and as a design language.

Classes at Bottega follow the atelier model, featuring small group sizes, personalized guidance, attention to technique, and space for experimentation. In particular, we offer:

Taster classes, for those eager to dip their fingers into the tactile world of ceramics.
Introductory courses, for beginners ready to embark on a comprehensive learning journey.
Weekly sessions, ideal to sharpen your skills and explore new creative horizons.
Themed workshops, where you are guided to create pieces inspired by seasons, topics, or celebrations.

Join us for an immersive experience tailored to your level of expertise. Dive into handbuilding and wheel throwing techniques and discover the sense of tranquillity that comes from engaging with this timeless craft. You'll leave with more than just pottery: you'll gain patience, inspiration, and a deeper connection to an ancient art form.

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