Tool Tuesday is a new educational series at ARTime BARRO designed to help pottery and ceramics students better understand the clay tools used in our studio. From trimming and shaping tools to ribs, sponges, stamps, and cutting tools, this introductory guide highlights the essential pottery tools available for classes, workshops, members, and open studio artists. Whether you’re new to ceramics or continuing your practice, learning how and when to use each tool builds confidence and creativity at every stage of the clay process. Follow along each week as we explore pottery tools one by one and deepen your connection to the craft.

Surface design is all about turning simple clay into something uniquely yours using texture, pattern, and color. In this beginner-friendly pottery workshop at ARTime BARRO in Santa Monica, you’ll carve, layer, and play with wax-resist techniques on studio-prepared pieces. Guided by ceramic artist Hank, this class is less about perfection and more about creative exploration, presence, and having fun with clay. Come slow down, get your hands dirty, and see what unfolds.

Resolutions come and go, but rituals are what we return to. At ARTime BARRO, creativity is a grounding practice, one that brings presence, calm, and connection through clay. From mindful making to shared studio time, our ritual is about slowing down and creating without pressure. This is wellness that fits into real life.

Wellness doesn’t have to be complicated to be impactful. The practices that truly make a difference often invite us to slow down, create with our hands, move our bodies, and connect with others. At ARTime Barro, these simple rituals come together through clay, sound, music, and shared creative spaces — supporting wellbeing in ways that feel real and lasting.

November at ARTime Barro unfolded in that gentle, steady way the studio always seems to know how to hold — full of creative energy, quiet focus, and the kind of shared joy that only happens when hands are busy shaping something new. Our workshops brimmed with returning makers and curious first-timers, each bringing their own spark to the table.

As we close out the season, we’re already dreaming ahead. December is just around the corner, and with it comes a fresh wave of offerings, warm gatherings, and opportunities to slow down and create with intention. We can’t wait to share what’s coming next — the studio is buzzing, and the best part is that you’re part of it.

This holiday season at ARTime BARRO, we invite you to slow down, sink into the moment, and create something that carries more meaning than anything you could buy off a shelf. Whether you’re shaping clay for the very first time or returning to the wheel with a gift in mind, our classes and workshops offer space to breathe, reconnect with your creativity, and craft objects meant to be held, used, and cherished.

From mugs and matcha bowl sets to ornaments and planters, every handmade piece becomes a story. One rooted in your hands, your intention, and the joy of making.

If you’re looking for a thoughtful gift this holiday season or a moment of calm amidst the holiday rush, our studio doors are open, ready to guide you through the magic of creating something truly personal.

At ARTime BARRO, we believe every handmade piece holds not only the imprint of its maker but the story of its becoming. Our upcoming Kintsugi Workshops in Laguna Beach, Costa Mesa, and Santa Monica celebrate that story through the Japanese art of “golden joinery”—a practice that transforms broken pottery into something renewed, resilient, and beautifully imperfect. Guided by the philosophy of wabi-sabi, kintsugi teaches us to honor our cracks, highlight our history, and see repair as an act of creativity. Join us for an evening of reflection, hands-on craft, and the quiet magic of turning fractures into luminous seams of gold.

At ARTime BARRO, we believe that creativity thrives when mind, body, and spirit align. Flow & Form is more than a pottery workshop—it’s a sensory journey blending the grounding art of clay with the restorative vibrations of a live sound bath. Join us in Santa Monica on Thursday, November 6, 2025, for an evening of mindfulness, movement, and making. Whether you’re new to pottery or sound healing, this immersive experience will help you release stress, find your flow, and craft something truly one-of-a-kind.

Slow down. Shape. Listen. Create.