Blue Dog Ceramics - Houston, Texas

Anna P.

Get Dirty With a Partner 😍
What a fantastic experience for couples to try something new and add a fresh twist to their relationship! My husband and I had a great time creating our own ceramic "art pieces." Ken was such a fun mentor; he made our class engaging, enjoyable, and easy to follow. His positive attitude inspired us to get more creative. My husband, who was skeptical at first, ended up loving the process and enjoyed every moment of working with ceramics. On the way home, we could not stop talking about the experience!
The only suggestion for improvement would be to provide aprons or some kind of protective cover for our clothing. However, the name of the experience speaks for itself—be prepared to get dirty, as it is part of the fun! I highly recommend trying this ceramic studio and taking classes with Ken! 👌🏼👍🏼

Nikita R.

Ok so I don’t leave reviews hardly ever but I feel strongly about how much I love this place. I wanted to try a new hobby and ended up finding a love for a hobby I never imagined!

I began with a 2x/wk class last July, and since then have maintained a membership going 1x/week. Many people just try gift cards and one time date night classes, and many like the reoccurring classes.

The studio is easily accessible, clean, appropriately sized for the amount of students in each class. Ken is easy going and my favorite part of the class is that he gives you whatever help you need. Every person learns differently and if you need help and something demonstrated or re-demonstrated, he’s always there to teach. Some people don’t like too much instructor demo, and Ken is very respectful of the fact this is your time, let me know what you’d like me to help you with. Based on how you individually progress, he gives great feedback at the level you are at in wheel throwing. He helps you focus on certain aspects, and he challenges you to make more centered, more balanced, more unique pieces as you naturally get better and better.

I’d like to give some perspective on some of the negative feedback I’ve seen on some of the reviews. Some people were upset they couldn’t book classes at a certain time, well there was an arson incident long ago that caused that - and since has been resolved. And others claim they couldn’t come pick up their pieces… which I have seen date night pieces personally sit on our shelves holding space for a year before they are discarded; additionally, Ken is there at the studio 6/7 days of week, and he’s always responded to my texts/emails so quickly (even tho it’s just him running things), if anyone wanted to pick their pieces up, they’d literally just have show up to the studio in the afternoon/evening on almost any day, and they could’ve picked up their piece. More often than not, people say they’re coming to get their pieces and they just keep forgetting to come. So I don’t consider that a reflection on the studio, but on the individual that if they wanted to prioritize getting their stuff, it’s there for them. You just have to walk in lol.

There are a lot of studios in the area. Some with waitlist and higher fees. But I absolutely love this studio. It’s quaint, small, great vibes, potters of all levels in each class, someone always willing to help you and teach you something new (Ken or the more experienced students)… and there’s always something new to learn! Highlyyyyyyy recommend trying it out and coming to meet the blue dog fam.

Alyssa C.

I started classes here in August shortly after relocating from the East Coast.

Coming into class, I had essentially 0 experience with pottery, and none prior on the wheel. My first class started with an extended demo from wedging the clay all the way to assessing the final form of the demo piece. There was a lot of information to take in for from the demo, so definitely new students should be prepared for a steep learning curve— don’t be discouraged if it takes a while to build a functional(ish) piece. The quality of your throwing will improve with time and repetition, something that the instructor mentions often; there are a lot of trials to go through (throwing, trimming, firing, glazing), so positive attitude is a must! I had 1 somewhat decent piece on my first day (a very heavy, slightly wobbly plate) and the next day I couldn’t throw clay to save my life. The instructor was available for refreshers and advice when needed. Some advice offered to the class was to focus on throwing a good cylinder. At the end of the month I had about 8 little cups. Are they the most well constructed? Of course not. They are, however, functional and a sign of how much improvement can be made with just a little time and determination.

As far as instruction is concerned, it is free-form in nature, so you get what you put into the class. This is something that I appreciate a lot about the current structure. If I have questions or want him to assess a piece I’m working on, the instructor is pretty readily available to hear me out and talk through my ideas/process. If I want to be more independent, he will let me be. I’ve observed the same with other students both in the weekend class (my original schedule) and the M/W evening class. There are students who only seek assistance intermittently and there are some who require a lot more hands-on help, including multiple demos. The instructor also makes rounds throughout the class between studio chores.

The environment in class is relaxed and welcoming. We often kick off by chatting about our current projects or plans for class. It’s open-ended so we can self-critique or talk about what pieces we’re proud of. The instructor will offer some constructive feedback, if asked/needed, but also offers plenty of encouragement to keep practicing. If there is opportunity to discuss troubles with pottery (e.g. stress cracks, glaze crawls, etc), he will give pointers on possible fixes or sources of error to keep in mind as each project is processed.

In summary: I think Blue Dog Ceramics is a great option for anyone looking to get into pottery. The instructor will meet you at your level, both in experience and independence, and is there to make sure you enjoy the class. The overall atmosphere is relaxed and light-hearted. There’s a lot of witty banter between students and instructor, which adds to the fun of the class. Looking forward to month #4.

Kaitlin

I have been coming to the 2x a week class since about September, and absolutely have loved every second of it! I started out having zero experience with pottery or wheel throwing. Ken does a great job of walking you through each step of the ceramics process during your first class - and once he has taught you the basic as it becomes almost an open studio time for you to challenge yourself and grow at your own pace. He is always available for additional instruction or help - and everyone who goes to the class is also friendly and helpful whenever you have questions. Cannot recommend this studio enough!

Amy Z.

Blue Dog Ceramics has been an incredible studio to learn at. The classes are fairly priced, students are afforded so much freedom and encouraged to explore and create however they please, and the facilities and equipment are all clean, well-organized and well-run. I’ve especially enjoyed Ken’s approach to teaching, which blends structured instruction at the beginning and tailored help-as-you-need-it while you’re on the wheel. I feel both supported and encouraged in class while also challenged to make the class what I want it to be. So, so appreciate the space and community that Blue Dog Ceramics has created - highly recommend to anyone seeking to learn more about the art of pottery!

Denise G.

We had so much fun!! Ken is a very knowledgeable, extremely talented artist and teacher. His studio is a comfortably laid back environment in a well organized space. We were pleasantly surprised that we were able to create 3 pieces of wheel thrown pottery between the two of us by the end of our very first lesson with no experience! We can’t wait for class number two! Highly recommend!!

Ronald D.

My wife and I came here for date night. Ken was an outstanding instructor that was super patient with us. He also does an amazing job keeping the studio super clean. 100% would recommend if you need a date activity or are looking to pick up a potential new passion!

Kara

We celebrated a birthday at Blue Dog and had a great time. Ken was an amazing teacher, and especially patient with all of us! Ladies, nail length matters 😃 Highly recommend checking out this great experience.