Make Your Own Maneki-Neko Class

Learn how to make your own Japanese Maneki-Neko to enhance your fortunes!



2.5 hours Location Collingwood Class size 12 to 40 guests   $95

Once upon a time, a destitute shopkeeper took in a starving cat. Though poor himself, he shared what he could. The grateful, apparently magical cat sat in the doorway beckoning to passersby; the shopkeeper’s luck turned and business boomed. Thus Maneki-Neko was born.

You’ve no doubt glimpsed these beckoning Japanese cats from shopfronts, gesturing for you to get inside and spend some money. Now you can make your very own Maneki-Neko to enhance your fortunes!
In this class, you’ll paint and decorate your own Maneki-Neko with the guidance of local artist Carla Scotto. All materials are provided, so all you’ll need is your imagination. Swipe a ticket or two right meow.
Please note: This class requires at least five students to run. In the unlikely event that we don't get this number of students, we'll cancel the class and fully refund you and inform you via email, so please watch your email a few days prior to the class.

Please note: This venue is located on the first floor via a flight of stairs and does not have wheelchair accessibility.

What you'll get

- All materials and paints provided A brand new, one of a kind large sized Maneki-Neko

Read more details   
What to bring

Just yourself!

Suitable for

This class is perfect for beginners - no prior experience is needed.

This class is great for a team building activity, Christmas party, birthday or hens party.

Location

Work-Shop Melbourne - 136A Cromwell St, Collingwood, VIC

This venue is a short walk from Collingwood station (500m).

Make Your Own Maneki-Neko Class location
Verified reviews

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Recent reviews of Make Your Own Maneki-Neko Class

  • 5/5 from Shirley Huang, attended Feb 2025: It was a fun and creative class, my friend and I had a blast painting our maneki neko. Just wish there was more time! Haha
  • 5/5 from Aimee Haywood, attended May 2024: Fun evening planning and painting our cats. Great that you choose base colour beforehand. Good venue, large workshop space
  • 5/5 from Laura Brunt, attended Mar 2024: Really fun class, Carla was really helpful and supportive, and I left with a super cute piece to display at home.
  • 5/5 from Madeleine McKinley, attended Mar 2024: So much fun! Great help from the teacher but she also just let's you do your thing
  • 4/5 from Eliza Browne, attended Mar 2024: A great way to have some fun with friends doing something creative! Nice to break out of the traditional dinner and drinks options to celebrate a special occasion.
  • 5/5 from Melissa Tamraz, attended Feb 2024: And a grand time was had by all. Brought my sister who has way more skill than I. Carla was so helpful and wonderful. Would definitely go again
  • 4/5 from Penelope Charlesworth, attended Feb 2024: I love the mareki neko I painted. Pride position at home Always happy with workshop classes
  • 5/5 from Annabel Chan, attended Jun 2023: Great vibes and fun. Teacher was helpful and provided enough instruction and suggestions. Quality of materials were excellent.
  • 4/5 from Katherine Xu, attended Jun 2023: Fun workshop that allows you to have the freedom to be creative, although it's not much of a class as the workshop leaves you to your own for most of the time. The teachers walk about checking in and helping people. I wish there were more options for the colour base of the cat, otherwise there's plenty of options for the detailing of the cat. Time flies by really quickly, and it's nice to see other people's finished work at the end of the class. Would be fun if you go with a group of friends! You can also put batteries in the cat so the arm moves :D
  • 5/5 from Cathy, attended Feb 2023: A really fun and enjoyable class - highly recommend it! There was a great selection of different coloured paints and posca pens to use to paint your maneki neko. Carlo was very friendly, walking around the class and checking in if anyone needed help.
  • 5/5 from Helen Pham, attended Feb 2023: The class was extremely fun! My friend and I were laughing throughout the night and overall it was a good bonding experience for us. It was definitely a challenge to come up with ideas/designs for the cat, however our teacher Carla was helpful and supportive and guided us through it all. Time really flew and I was having so much fun that I wish I had more time to continue painting my cat!
  • 5/5 from Nina Mossop, attended Nov 2022: My sister and I really enjoyed making our own lucky cats! Carla was super helpful in giving tips of how to paint and giving ideas of how we could execute our ideas. Definitely recommend to research ideas before you go, Pinterest and Instagram were super helpful :)
  • 5/5 from Emma Reece, attended Nov 2022: What a lovely experience. Venue was great and so were the teachers. Would definitely recommend to people
  • 5/5 from Shay Donnachie, attended Nov 2022: Such a fun space to create! The teachers were so helpful and the dogs made my night. Would always recommend
  • 4/5 from Nina Demoulin, attended Nov 2022: Venue had a fun creative energy. Carla was great, but sometimes it was hard to get the attention of herself and the other teachers assisting. Instead of addressing the whole room, she would come to the separate tables which was nice, but also felt like it separated the groups a bit so there wasn't much interaction between the guests attending the workshop unlike some of other workshops I've been to. The fumes from the sealing spray at the end was very strong and got stuck in the room so might be something to consider for future workshops. Overall, the cats turned out great and an enjoyable activity to do with a group of friends.
  • 5/5 from Teresa Huynh, attended Sep 2022: Had a lot of fun. Highly recommend brainstorming well ahead of time as the 3 hours goes by quickly.
  • 5/5 from Kane Berry, attended Sep 2022: I had such a great time at the workshop. The space was so nice and relaxing, big plus was there was a friendly dog there. Carla the host was great and showing some examples of how you could customise your piece and demonstrated techniques. Carla came around regularly to check out what people were working on, if they needed help or wanted some creative input or feedback. It was all organised really well and didn't feel rushed. It's so great to take a piece home with you after the workshop. I'll definitely recommend it to some friends to try. It's great for all creative abilities. Thanks again Carla.
  • 5/5 from Joshua Wigley, attended Sep 2022: Had an amazing time! Carla was an excellent teacher Would definitely reccomend and try again!
  • 4/5 from Angie Richards, attended Sep 2022: Cute venue and a fun and accessible activity for all skill levels. Insurrection was good and you could ask for 1-1 assistance when needed.
  • 5/5 from Mei Lim, attended Jun 2022: Fun, easy class with plenty of instruction from the teacher. A way to unleash the inner artist in you. -Mei
  • 5/5 from Rose Pot-Kolder, attended Mar 2022: This was a fun workshop! Helpful teacher, good workspace, lots of colors for painting. Sweet dog to pet as a bonus. And your own unique Maneki Neko to bring home.
  • 5/5 from Emily Hearn, attended Mar 2022: Excellent value with a beautiful variety of art materials to play with and getting to take my own custom designed menki neko home with me was such a flex. Carla was a dream instructor making the whole process exciting and fun! A great way to spend the evening.
  • 5/5 from Tina Moorthy, attended Mar 2022: This is a creative and fun class. There was a variety of mediums to use to paint the Maneki-Neko. The teacher (Carla) was very helpful in giving tips and suggestions with the color design. Overall this class was relaxing, fun, and joyful. I was so happy to take home my own custom color designed Maneki-Neko.
  • 3/5 from Sandra Monkhouse, attended Mar 2022: We could have received more feedback from the teacher on the day. More interaction with all students is probably needed.
Your teacher
Carla Scotto

Carla Scotto

4.7 (24)

Carla Scotto is a graphic-designer-slash-illustrator, former emo, vitriolic towards waste and in a state of constant existential and artistic angst. She’s fun. She’s been drawing since she could clutch a pencil and graduated from Shillington College of Design in 2015. Carla loathes unnecessary waste and is on a mission to condemn single-use plastic and shout about conscious reductionism. This theme is heavily explored in her Neopets-inspired graphics, combining cute and confronting in one hit.




Your host

Work-Shop
Work-Shop

4.9 (5,000)

Work-Shop is a creative concept that will broaden your horizons and help you unleash your inner awesome. We provide affordable short courses in life skills and alternative art. We’ve teamed up with Australia’s brightest creative minds to share their knowledge and help teach you a new skill. From 3D printing and stencil art through to music and gardening – life skills and personal development through to cooking doughnuts and mushroom foraging, we offer a broad range of fun and creative short courses to suit our time poor lives. We will inspire you to pick up that pen, paintbrush, hammer or sewing machine and flick the switch that will kickstart a whole new way of life.
Community values lie at the heart of our project. We collaborate with local artists and industry experts to teach classes and utilise local suppliers for any materials needed. We also provide a creative environment for emerging artists to produce and sell work, and meet like minded individuals. Work-Shop will be a space for everyone, with a rotating schedule of art shows, information nights on local issues and a whole range of events and community initiatives.

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2026-10-30 15:00:00
class 0 V48I01Z33L 34c052b7f77f35dccea660a6ce51910d 1 production melbourne Melbourne VIC AU melbourne