Entry No. 56 — the New Orleans file — filed under: hands-on
Puddle ClayWorks
Puddle ClayWorks is a 1,200-square-foot ceramics studio with four electric wheels and three kilns, pitched as a relaxed spot for a date night or night out. Instructors who specialize in thrown-and-altered vessels run both wheel-throwing and hand-building classes for all levels, with clay, glaze, instruction, and firing fees included. Pieces you make get fired and glazed for you to pick up later.
The story
If you've ever tried to learn wheel throwing in a sprawling art center with twenty people battling for four sponges, Puddle ClayWorks is the antidote. Tucked into Hollygrove at 7200 Washington Avenue, the 1,200-square-foot studio is stripped down to just four electric wheels and three kilns. Co-owned by a ceramics artist who also teaches the discipline at the University of New Orleans, the space maintains a serious technical backbone without the academic pretension.
The studio's instructors specialize in thrown-and-altered vessels—a technique where you pull a traditional form on the wheel, then slice, press, dart, or warp its geometry while the clay is still leather-hard. Crucially, you won't get hit with surprising add-on costs at the sink: your class fee covers all raw clay, glazes, instruction, and the two separate kiln firings needed to make your piece food-safe and permanent.
What it's like
Expect to get wet slip on your clothes and mud up to your forearms within ten minutes of sitting down. Because class sizes are strictly capped by the four-wheel setup, you get constant direct oversight when your clay starts to wobble off-center. You'll pull your walls, shape your vessel, select your glaze color, and leave the piece behind; you'll swing back by a few weeks later once studio staff have run your handiwork through its bisque and final glaze firings.
The move: Sit at neighboring wheels learning to center and pull clay into your own bowls, then glaze them and come back later to take home what you threw.
📍 Before you go Runs by appointment with rotating intro and multi-week classes; call or text 337-707-5018 to confirm the next available date-friendly session.
- 📍 Hollygrove
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 7200 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70125
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Heartsleeve — Pair wheel-throwing in Hollygrove with custom screen-printing in Mid-City for a double-header hands-on maker day.
- Church Mouse Forge — Trade wet clay slip for hot metal forge work at this nearby Irish Channel blacksmith shop.
- YAYA Glassworks (YAYA Arts Center) — Follow up your clay shaping session with liquid glass manipulation at Central City's working hot shop.
- The Mortuary — Balance a low-key afternoon at the pottery wheel with a stop past Mid-City's prominent 1872 Victorian former funeral home.
Good to know
Do I need to buy my own clay or pay extra for kiln firings?
No. Everything—clay, glazes, instruction, and both kiln firings—is included in the base class price.
How do I book a spot for a date night or beginner class?
Sessions run strictly by appointment. You can check upcoming class slots online or text/call 337-707-5018 to reserve wheels.
When can I take home the pottery I make?
Pottery must dry fully before undergoing a bisque firing, glazing, and a second glaze firing. Expect to return a few weeks after your class to pick up the finished piece.
Where exactly is the studio located?
Puddle ClayWorks operates at 7200 Washington Avenue in New Orleans' Hollygrove neighborhood.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Instagram · fox8live.com
last checked: 2026-06-23