ClassBento is home to Australia's best creative workshops. Book or gift an artisan experience.
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ClassBento money-back guarantee
Our mission is to improve mental wellbeing through our workshops and experiences. We curate our teachers and hosts carefully to ensure that they are of high quality.
That's why we provide a money-back guarantee*: If you're unsatisfied with this experience, just leave it at least 20 minutes before it ends, and tell us (the ClassBento team) the reason for your dissatisfaction within 4 hours of that time, and we'll provide you with a refund.
* We may choose to limit our refund per customer at $1000. In some rare cases, we may also require you to show us your photo ID before we process the refund.
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(Leave your mug with your teacher to be fired and glazed white from inside ( this process takes a long time and/or as it’s two firing and glazing))
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ClassBento money-back guarantee
Our mission is to improve mental wellbeing through our workshops and experiences. We curate our teachers and hosts carefully to ensure that they are of high quality.
That's why we provide a money-back guarantee*: If you're unsatisfied with this experience, just leave it at least 20 minutes before it ends, and tell us (the ClassBento team) the reason for your dissatisfaction within 4 hours of that time, and we'll provide you with a refund.
* We may choose to limit our refund per customer at $1000. In some rare cases, we may also require you to show us your photo ID before we process the refund.
Learn how to make your own unique mug in this Sydney workshop! You will discover many possibilities of building that perfect mug without using a pottery wheel.
Your teacher Irina will demonstrate making a unique colourful pattern or marble effect and how to build a cylinder mug. Your mug can finally be in your favourite colours inside and out prior to glazing!
You will be supplied with sufficient materials to build your mug and to apply the amount of colourants to your wet piece, prior to firing.
Once fired and glazed, you will get a perfectly functional mug and will be able to drink your morning tea or coffee from your art piece.
It does feel great drinking from something you have designed and hand-built yourself!
Please note: Everything made of ceramic must be fired in ceramic kilns. Glazing comes after the first firing and must be fired again. Firing is very affordable, you can leave it with Irina for a fee or get instructions on where and how to do it (take it to firing studios).
This is the same way all of our tableware is made and your mug too will be dishwasher, oven and microwave safe.
This process of firing and glazing your pot requires you to have a great deal of patience as it includes drying time, bisque firing and glaze firing. The wait can be sometimes over a month. An additional fee applies.
See available dates, Request a private class or Gift
Leave your mug with your teacher to be fired and glazed white from inside ( this process takes a long time , as it’s two firing and glazing) ($20)
You can add these when you book (optional).
Knowledge required
* we have a wonderful cat in the studio, but if you are allergic, Im afraid she can come to you to say hi. Not in the lap, just to hang out next to you. Beginner - friendly, but a bit complex
Not suitable for minors without accompanying adult.
What you'll get
Fresh clay cube, ready to use.
Access to tools to cut, shape and carve.
Paintbrushes
Pigment (ceramic stain and/OR oxides) to paint fresh clay and create a pattern of your choice (you can mix and match).
Sponge for smoothing the edges.
Rolling pins.
Different paints.
water, coffee and tea and biscuits (soy and cows' milk available).
I like to introduce myself as a sculptor, although I'm engaged in different art disciplines too. I have never had another profession, nor have I wanted one. I fell in love with three-dimensional art at a very early age which came to me naturally, as I was born in a family of artists. It was the world I've grown up in, a measure of value around me.
I have graduated from Fine Arts, majoring in Sculpture, and with a bit of luck, I had a chance to work internationally and gain great experience in different industries and media. Cooperating with professionals from other creative fields has perfectioned my skills and broadened the views of my artistic expression.
I have tried to gather all the projects I am engaged in on this website, showcase it, sell and teach my art. Always open for the new projects with fellow creatives, just get in touch.
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Gift this artisan experience
With our gift card, they can book this class at a time that suits them
We only show reviews from customers who have
paid for and
attended this class
Kim Phung•
Nov 2023
Open and clean space.
Good range of materials and colours.
A lot of sample mugs around the room to give you ideas.
Jake Hayden-Smith•
Nov 2023
The session was brilliant and a lot of fun. My girlfriend and I really enjoyed the class and the teacher was a great.
Lesley Chen•
Nov 2023
We were a group of 7, it was great for a private party! Thank you!
Shay Ng•
Oct 2023
We had a lovely time with Irina and her adorable tiny cat! Irina was very patient with us and explained things very well. Can't wait to get our mugs back and would highly recommend this class!
Kyle Anderson•
Oct 2023
Experience was okay. The teacher kind of left us to our own devices and provided guidance however not to a beginner level. Unsure if pottery experience was required prior to conducting this lesson. My partner and I were abit disappointed as we left not having made what we had hoped to make, considering the price we paid we hoped for abit more.
The experience is still interesting and enjoyable. The venue was nice, with plenty of paid parking. The teacher’s hospitality was great.
Teacher's
response
Thank you, Kyle, for sharing your honest feedback.
This class is absolutely beginner- friendly, but as written in description, a bit complex.
Takes a bit of dedication and showing up on time matters to absorb more input as there were other people who already started.
I think your mugs are lovely and that you will think so too once you see them fired and glazed.
Thomas Vella•
Sep 2023
My family and I had a lovely experience. It was very peaceful and calming for me personally and my partner and kiddo had a blast. It was wonderful to let go of expectations and just see what would happen!
Riley Blakers•
Sep 2023
Absolutely lovely. Was a beautiful experience. Would recommended to anyone. 10/10 absolutely unbelievably amazing.
We loved this class. There was a methodical nature to the making of the mugs. Our teacher Irina was very good, very happy to help if we were heading in the wrong direction, which was very useful in creating a finished product that we were super proud of. There was a relaxed atmosphere conducive to creativity so the time flew by. Cannot wait for the mugs to be fired and be drinking out of the finished product - highly recommend
Nicki Imrie•
Jul 2023
A lovely atmosphere and beautiful mugs created by the girls.
The teacher/facilitator is a gifted artist. She was however, somewhat quite/reserved as a host. Given that I had indicated that this was a gathering for my daughter's 16th, I had hoped for a more warm/energetic engagement with the girls. Of concern, was the teacher's comment to the girls that she was "not used to working with children". Perhaps best to indicate that is an adult only appropriate class on your website.
Teacher's
response
Hi Nicki,
Sorry for the misunderstanding, I did not know it is going to be only 16- year old girls as the website clearly indicates that minors are required to be accompanied by adults.
Moreover, I have told you before the class started that I had a recent surgery in my mouth and I am not capable of speaking loudly which this group required ( as teenagers do) as they were not keen on listening and there was no adult present.
Finally, I really don’t appreciate this public misinterpreting of my words- as you were not there- I have said to girls that I will do my best to explain everything as this class is a bit complex and I am used to working with older customers. I do not understand the misquote nor the negative implications of “children”.
I am simply not in a position to host children’s parties, especially when I am recovering. I only had this class because you have already rescheduled it and I didn’t want to cancel on you.
Really surprised to receive this feedback after I made my position clear and I have made sure that everyone comes out with a great mug, nevertheless
Maryam Shariati•
Jul 2023
2 ClassBento workshops attended
Irina is a great teacher and the class was SO much fun! We booked it for a group of girlfriends to celebrate a birthday, best idea. Keen to do more classes with Irina!
Lucas Natter•
Jul 2023
Amazing class and a very knowledgable teacher, she was always there to help even with the finishing details to make our coffee mugs even better!
Hilda Nguyen•
Jun 2023
Teacher was very patient and helpful. It was a delight taking this class. I recommend this place to those who havent done pottery before
Weber Ting•
Jun 2023
A really pleasant experience and Irina was a lovely and patient teacher. I would highly recommend!
Georgia Burke•
May 2023
Lovely environment. Very suitable for beginners but with a great sense of achievement with what you get to complete in the time. Would definitely recommend to friends!
The class was very good and the lesson was interesting so relaxing and great the teacher was
Ben Obrien•
May 2023
All round great experience! Took my girlfriend for her birthday. Full of laughter and fun memories
Lyndal Halliday•
Apr 2023
Great fun. Teacher was helpful and relaxed. Was nice chatting to other people in the class and seeing their creations come together. A fun morning with my bestie!
Enrico Pradel•
Mar 2023
The Teacher was wonderful, felt supported but free to create. Loved every minute of it!
Fiona Climpson•
Mar 2023
Very friendly and helpful- we would definitely recommend. Thank you for a great afternoon- much appreciated
Karen Luo•
Feb 2023
The class was great! All the materials were provided and the instructions were mostly clear. She was active in moving around and helping us out with our designs.
Mary Vu•
Feb 2023
Irina was a great teacher, very patient and accomodating. The class was set up well and we had the help needed to make the best mugs. Thank you Irina!
Jessica Mao•
Feb 2023
Really happy with our experience - there were 5 of us and we loved creating our own masterpieces
Alessia Marano•
Feb 2023
Very fun activity as team building Suggested for small groups!
In the centre of Surry hills
Qianxin Zhou•
Jan 2023
I love the class here and the vibe is perfect there. Also, the class is easy to understand and do the procedure.
Mitchell Thompson-Holloway•
Jan 2023
We had a blast with Irina, she was a great teacher and such a cool space for a Hens activity! It was great for beginners too, so much fun and would definitely do again!
Man Wong•
Dec 2022
Very chill and cosy environment and Irina is so nice and so patience! It was a very great workshop and highly recommended
Rio Liem•
Dec 2022
It was a fun and different experience. It's quite easy to understand and learn as a beginner.
Fiona Lam•
Nov 2022
Irina was very knowledgeable and helpful. We had so much fun and really enjoyed this class! Can’t wait to see our fired and glazed pieces :)
Karina Alzate•
Nov 2022
Thank you Irina for a wonderful mug making day!
It was a first for many of us working with clay and Irina was very helpful (and patient!). The studio was really well set out and we all had a blast playing around with the colours and patterns.
Great experience, we loved being creative as a family and now wait for our cups to go through the process of firing.
Todd Hale•
Nov 2022
I had the best time it was so fun! Thankyou… I made a splendid mug! Can’t believe how good it came out
Alison Stoner•
Nov 2022
My daughter and I really enjoyed our class. Irina was lovely - welcoming, helpful and knowledgeable. A really fun and accessible class looking forward to seeing our final pieces!
Fabulous venue, small class, generous with timing (when we were late, she let us go over time a little bit). A lot of fun.
Looking forward to seeing the end result when the firing of the vessel
Is done
Johanna •
Oct 2022
Teacher was really nice, and supporting anytime I had problems!
It was my first pottery class, and I loved it a lot. Very proud of my mug - but looking forward to doing more now that I understand a bit better the technique.
All materials were provided !
Sandra Gendera•
Oct 2022
Absolutely loved the workshop- Irina the teacher is a wonderful teacher, guide, inspiring and gives hands on assistance when needed.
The technique is easy to follow also for someone without any experience. The workshop space is perfect and the groups are all up to 8ppl. I can highly recommend this event
Nice quiet and bright studio where expressing your creativity with the help of the experienced and lovely Irina.
It was our second time as we loved it so much!
We had a great time, again!
What a great class. The location was great with a bunch of tables for different group sizes. We loved playing with the clay to make our pots. The teacher was great with going through each step and walking around to assist us when needed and helping out if required. I would recommend it to everyone.
Kevin Tu•
Sep 2022
Had fun making these mugs. Our teacher was knowledgeable and considerate making sure we had everything we needed and helped us along the way. We even got a Polaroid photo with our mugs for memories, very cool. Go check them out.
Mike Shipley•
Sep 2022
Lot of fun - really great way to spend time together. Teacher was lovely, and this was a very unusual activity
So much fun
What a great creative activity to do.
Nice studio, relax and helpful teacher.
Making something useful.
A great moment to share with partner, friends, family…
Wanjun Hou•
Aug 2022
2 ClassBento workshops attended
I was enjoyed the class last Sunday. The teacher is patient and kind. I was so happy with the work been done in the class.
Hannah Sexton•
Jul 2022
2 ClassBento workshops attended
A lovely class and a beautiful mug! The instructor was kind and patient and provided great advice and tips
Jordan Truong•
Jul 2022
Loved it. The teacher is very friendly and outgoing, always keeping an eye to help give feedback to make our pieces much better. Got all the materials as needed, and even provided options for extra payment for firing up the glaze. Learnt a lot about techniques needed to make sure that the mugs were perfect.
Ted Bui•
Jul 2022
My partner and I really enjoyed the class! Our teacher was really helpful and made the class as easy to understand as possible for the both of us who have never really moulded clay before. We were happy with how our mugs turned out and hope to do another class in the foreseeable future.
Kenneth Chong•
Jun 2022
Great teacher! She is very patient and informative. Materials provided were of high quality! Would recommend!
Irina is a great teacher and holds space in a very patient, calm and grounded way that helps unlock creativity and find a sense of play with the clay work.
I enjoyed the experience and the amount of fluidity in the class to explore your own shapes and colours and techniques. It was fun, very calming and brought new inspirations to mind. Looking forward to seeing the final product once it's been in the kiln :)
Thao Cao•
May 2022
I had great time during the class. So relaxing and enjoy working with clay. Will recommend this class to my friends
Very relaxing and enjoyable. Good for beginners who’s love to get their hands on clay and colour powder.
Haseeb Rana•
Apr 2022
What was the teacher like?
She was so nice and helpful, will definitely recommend her to friends and family.
How was the venue (if there was one)? Great, very clean, lots of space and facilities like coffee.
If materials were provided, did you like them? Yes, clay and paint was provided and she offered to give us paint to take home.
Was the class good value for money? Yes
What did you do / learn? We learnt how to sculpt ceramic mugs and ad our unique design with paint and inks.
Fiona Macneall•
Sep 2021
Great class. We really enjoyed. A good class to take with teenagers and the perfect activity for a rainy day.
Annie Tan•
Jun 2021
Overall it was a fun experience, and the ambience of the room was enjoyable, with nice music, drinks and conversations around the table. The techniques were accessible and manageable and the emails before and after the class were clear and instructive. Irina had a sense of humour and gave us freedom to experiment with our own choices. I had a good time. However, the class was quite big and there were others who needed more help than I did, so there wasn't much one-on-one time with the instructor and direct help wasn't readily available. I would recommend going with a friend or two, and with smaller class sizes.
Teacher's
response
Annie, thank you for taking the time for your review.
Unfortunately, in group classes one-on-one time is understandably limited and I advise on following my step- by step thorough demonstration.
I feel it’s a necessity to give people freedom to enjoy, socialise and get creative without me hovering over them constantly. I still show and explain every single step without an exception.
Groups are now limited to 12 which allows everyone to get my attention within 2.5-3 hrs if they only speak up. I am very enthusiastic about teaching, just seeking for that balance between a lecture and an experience.
Auna Jornayvaz•
Jun 2021
It was a nice break for my girlfriends and me! The teacher was nice, but could have done a bit better job of explaining everything without slowing it down so much. Overall it was a great afternoon away and I highly recommend it!
Janette Toll•
Jun 2021
Our teacher Irena was generous, kind, well prepared and a good/patient teacher for a newcomer to pottery like me
The materials supplied were great and very neatly packaged.
The venue was a comfortable, calm inspiring space with very clean amenities, good coffee & snacks.
I made a mug
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