Reviews

Extremely friendly and fair pricing pottery classes. I was part of Jeffs Friday night classes for a year and learned so much while having a great time!!

Throwing pots is the new yoga ! Take one lesson or sign up for a series. ALSO CHRISTMAS ALERT: They have a beautiful selection of pottery for sale.

Fun time

My wife and I took part in the Valentine's Day class and loved it! All three of the teachers there were knowledgeable, patient, and fun. They provided wine, cheese, and snacks and gave us plenty of guidance on how to work with clay. We had never done this before but felt like we got a lot of information out of a two hour class. Highly recommended!

I love Hinckley pottery! I took 15 weeks of classes with Sam and she was amazing. I made about 30 pieces of pottery during my time there and I can't wait to start classes again in the Fall. They had great COVID protocols, were incredible friendly and so so knowledgeable.

I can hardly claim to be objective as I have been going to classes at Hinckley Pottery for over 20 years. But my experiences there have been wonderful. The environment is comfortable, lots of space, well lit, materials etc easy to access. I began so long ago that I cannot promise that my memory of learning to throw pots at Hinckley is totally accurate but I think the instructors are pleasant, expert, and gentle, so I differ with some of the negative comments made here. The other students are all ages, from their 20s to their 80s like me. You very much go at your own pace. Just don't expect to throw an elegant porcelain teapot in a week or if your skills are only average like mine in a year. Porcelain is hard, but stoneware, which is what most people use, including the top Japanese potters, is easier for a beginner.

I love the place.

Jill makes and sells beautiful pottery. The classes are also fun and reasonably priced.

Jill makes and sells beautiful pottery. The classes are also fun and reasonably priced.

I love the place.

I can hardly claim to be objective as I have been going to classes at Hinckley Pottery for over 20 years. But my experiences there have been wonderful. The environment is comfortable, lots of space, well lit, materials etc easy to access. I began so long ago that I cannot promise that my memory of learning to throw pots at Hinckley is totally accurate but I think the instructors are pleasant, expert, and gentle, so I differ with some of the negative comments made here. The other students are all ages, from their 20s to their 80s like me. You very much go at your own pace. Just don't expect to throw an elegant porcelain teapot in a week or if your skills are only average like mine in a year. Porcelain is hard, but stoneware, which is what most people use, including the top Japanese potters, is easier for a beginner.

I love Hinckley pottery! I took 15 weeks of classes with Sam and she was amazing. I made about 30 pieces of pottery during my time there and I can't wait to start classes again in the Fall. They had great COVID protocols, were incredible friendly and so so knowledgeable.

I LOVE Hinckley Pottery Studio. Classes are sold in groups of 10 sessions and I just completed my first session (and am continuing indefinitely!). I came to Hinckley as a complete newbie. All the classes have different teachers, and I have mostly worked with Karen on Mondays. She is absolutely lovely and took the time to sit down and teach me everything I need to know at the wheel. Throughout my classes, any time I have a question, Karen and other students are always there to help and advise. Overall I have had only positive experiences here! It isn't cheap, but the price includes all materials and firing of pots which is important to keep in mind. I look forward to my time at Hinckley all week!

Great pottery shop - perfect place to unwind while throwing pots on the wheel.

I took a class at Hinckley Pottery over the summer and I had a wonderful experience. I learned so much during my time and my teacher was welcoming, helpful, enthusiastic and inspiring. Her demonstrations were extremely helpful and I loved the atmosphere and shop as well. I will be back!

Wow. I am a newbie and have had a very different experience than two negative reviews here. Perhaps it depends on the teacher, though I've had three due to makeups.

My teacher has had amazing patience with my learning curve and am important sense of humor. I'm in my second series and love it so much I will continue indefinitely.

I've found the fellow potters extremely helpful and supportive. It takes a village to learn how to throw and glaze a pot.

Another student and I have used our phone to tape instructions.

I love the new bright open studio space.

They have try it sessions if you don't want to buy a full series. But I think it takes a full series to get truly throwing.

Throwing pots is the new yoga ! Take one lesson or sign up for a series. ALSO CHRISTMAS ALERT: They have a beautiful selection of pottery for sale.

Fun time

My wife and I took part in the Valentine's Day class and loved it! All three of the teachers there were knowledgeable, patient, and fun. They provided wine, cheese, and snacks and gave us plenty of guidance on how to work with clay. We had never done this before but felt like we got a lot of information out of a two hour class. Highly recommended!

I can hardly claim to be objective as I have been going to classes at Hinckley Pottery for over 20 years. But my experiences there have been wonderful. The environment is comfortable, lots of space, well lit, materials etc easy to access. I began so long ago that I cannot promise that my memory of learning to throw pots at Hinckley is totally accurate but I think the instructors are pleasant, expert, and gentle, so I differ with some of the negative comments made here. The other students are all ages, from their 20s to their 80s like me. You very much go at your own pace. Just don't expect to throw an elegant porcelain teapot in a week or if your skills are only average like mine in a year. Porcelain in hard, but stoneware, which is what most people use, including the top Japanese potters, is easier for a beginner.

I can hardly claim to be objective as I have been going to classes at Hinckley Pottery for over 20 years. But my experiences there have been wonderful. The environment is comfortable, lots of space, well lit, materials etc easy to access. I began so long ago that I cannot promise that my memory of learning to throw pots at Hinckley is totally accurate but I think the instructors are pleasant, expert, and gentle, so I differ with some of the negative comments made here. The other students are all ages, from their 20s to their 80s like me. You very much go at your own pace. Just don't expect to throw an elegant porcelain teapot in a week or if your skills are only average like mine in a year. Porcelain in hard, but stoneware, which is what most people use, including the top Japanese potters, is easier for a beginner.

My wife and I took part in the Valentine's Day class and loved it! All three of the teachers there were knowledgeable, patient, and fun. They provided wine, cheese, and snacks and gave us plenty of guidance on how to work with clay. We had never done this before but felt like we got a lot of information out of a two hour class. Highly recommended!

We had a fantastic time learning the lingo and getting to know our new team members! It was an unconventional and unforgettable experience! That's to the Susan's and Andrew for taking us through the entire process! We left feeling inspired and ready for our next class, already!

Fun time

Wow. I am a newbie and have had a very different experience than two negative reviews here. Perhaps it depends on the teacher, though I've had three due to makeups.

My teacher has had amazing patience with my learning curve and am important sense of humor. I'm in my second series and love it so much I will continue indefinitely.

I've found the fellow potters extremely helpful and supportive. It takes a village to learn how to throw and glaze a pot.

Another student and I have used our phone to tape instructions.

I love the new bright open studio space.

They have try it sessions if you don't want to buy a full series. But I think it takes a full series to get truly throwing.

Throwing pots is the new yoga ! Take one lesson or sign up for a series. ALSO CHRISTMAS ALERT: They have a beautiful selection of pottery for sale.

I have been taking classes at Hinckley for several years now, I started at the old studio at Adams Morgan and now go in Georgetown. I have learned so much and constantly have the opportunity to learn from Jill who is a master and a joy to learn from. Her over 50 years of throwing and teaching are something I am so grateful I get to learn from and the feedback she gives me on pots allows me to learn and perfect my craft. I get better each week! It's been so much fun to be able to give friends and family wedding and birthday and holiday gifts that I made!

I started taking classes while I was finishing up my dissertation and the ability to do something physical and all-consuming was exactly what I needed to get out my dissertation writing headspace. It is meditative and requires focus and energy and it made me a much happier person. So much so that I kept doing it now that I'm done with graduate school!

Love community, love the arts, love getting your hands dirty? Then you'll love taking classes at Hinckley Pottery! It's a welcoming and warm environment where being a "weirdo" is considered a good thing :)

They offer both adult and kids classes. The teachers are great, there are two classrooms, a couple of electric bisque kilns and a large gas kiln for glaze firings. They also have a showroom that highlights the work of studio founder master potter, Jill Hinckley

Once a year there is usually a student show, so if you get good you can signup for a chance to sell your wares.

Love community, love the arts, love getting you hands dirty? Then you'll love taking classes at Hinckley Pottery! It's a welcoming and warm environment where being a "weirdo" is considered a good thing :)

They offer both adult and kids classes. The teachers are great, there are two classrooms, a couple of electric bisque kilns and a large gas kiln for glaze firings. They also have a showroom that highlights the work of studio founder master potter, Jill Hinckley

Once a year there is usually a student show, so if you get good you can signup for a chance to sell your wares.

I love Jill and the hinckley studio. Have been taking classes for a few years now and have learned so much!

Great place to learn pottery or continue improving. Love the classes, people, and atmosphere. Gas kiln for glazing produces beautiful results. Just started the “membership” a month ago to get in more studio time, and I can see more progress. Jill is a treasure!

An amazing local destination in Washington, D.C. Right in the heart of tourist-friendly Georgetown, a delightful spot to snag some of the prettiest pottery you'll find, right where it's made. If you're lucky, you might even see the maker at work! Not to be missed!

This studio has become a huge part of my life! I started taking classes there over 6 years ago and now sell pots that I make there. I've taken classes from most of the teachers who work there and they're all excellent potters and have a variety of specialties. It's a great spot for everyone who's never done pottery to those who are well accomplished.

I love Hinckley Pottery!

There's something really special about this studio and the community that Jill has built around it. Sad that they've left Adams Morgan, but so glad they're opening again down the road.

This is a place where you will learn how to make pots, but also meet new people and get to relax in a city that is wired way too tight ;)

This is a wonderful place. I have been taking classes with Jill twice a week for a couple of months now, and I am amazed not only at what I am learning, but also how much fun I am having. Jill tailors her instruction to where I'm at, and each session I can see palpable progress. Furthermore, Jill, Susan, and the students are an incredible, warm community. It's pottery, but it's also a retreat. Just terrific in every way.

I took pottery in High School and a bit in college. I then took a 7 year break after I graduated. I hopped back on the wheel a few months ago and quickly realized it's NOT like riding a bike... you forget a ton!

I signed up for the Monday night classes with Karen and she's an absolute darling. She was great with refreshing my memory and teaching me new tricks... even teaching me how to throw my first plate!

I'm currently working on completing a plate set for 10. Super excited to clear out my pantry of all things NOT made by me! Everyone at Hinckley is super friendly and they're pretty flexible about letting you take make-up classes if you happen to miss one or two in your 10-pack.

Fun note for experience potters: the new Georgetown studio has an AMAZING kiln that has been firing beautifully... even the coleman red glaze is actually coming out RED!

I have recently begun classes with this long established business in their newly re-opened location. The space is lovely, Jill Hinkley a true master and the other instructors are warm and welcoming. Beyond the wonderful talent of this group, they really come together as a nice community of artists and friends. Beauty abounds!

I took a class at Hinckley Pottery over the summer and I had a wonderful experience. I learned so much during my time and my teacher was welcoming, helpful, enthusiastic and inspiring. Her demonstrations were extremely helpful and I loved the atmosphere and shop as well. I will be back!

I've had three of the teachers here and they have been great. Jill has been doing this for like forty years and she's extremely "colorful" - funny, blunt, sensitive, and always interested in how students are doing. In working with the teachers here my pottery skills improved *dramatically*. Some classes actually have two teachers, which was helpful.

As for the atmosphere, I've found it pretty warm and vibrant. My class brings wine and snacks each night and we have a great time playing in the mud listening to music.

The teaching style is kindof a mixture -- they help you out individually a lot but you're also free to play on your own. It's not like a cooking class where everyone is working on the same thing at the same time -- all kinds of levels and all kinds of students.

Great pottery shop - perfect place to unwind while throwing pots on the wheel.

i took classes here for 1-2 years between 2012-2014 and highly recommend it for anyone who is genuinely interested in learning to throw pottery on a wheel. all of the teachers are very skilled at teaching and making pottery.

I LOVE Hinckley Pottery Studio. Classes are sold in groups of 10 sessions and I just completed my first session (and am continuing indefinitely!). I came to Hinckley as a complete newbie. All the classes have different teachers, and I have mostly worked with Karen on Mondays. She is absolutely lovely and took the time to sit down and teach me everything I need to know at the wheel. Throughout my classes, any time I have a question, Karen and other students are always there to help and advise. Overall I have had only positive experiences here! It isn't cheap, but the price includes all materials and firing of pots which is important to keep in mind. I look forward to my time at Hinckley all week!

I LOVE Hinckley Pottery Studio. Classes are sold in groups of 10 sessions and I just completed my first session (and am continuing indefinitely!). I came to Hinckley as a complete newbie. All the classes have different teachers, and I have mostly worked with Karen on Mondays. She is absolutely lovely and took the time to sit down and teach me everything I need to know at the wheel. Throughout my classes, any time I have a question, Karen and other students are always there to help and advise. Overall I have had only positive experiences here! It isn't cheap, but the price includes all materials and firing of pots which is important to keep in mind. I look forward to my time at Hinckley all week!

If you're searching for a fun-loving, eclectic, professional pottery studio, Hinckley Pottery is your best bet.  I've been throwing for roughly 10 years, and I feel that I have finally found a studio that suits all of my needs.  The pricing model is extremely practical (clay is included in the cost of class), and students are not charged extra to have their pieces high-fired in the gas reduction kiln.  The instructors are extremely competent, able to provide new students with a solid foundation of throwing and glazing techniques but also armed to help experience potters correct their bad habits or expand upon more advanced techniques.  The studio is also flexible regarding schedules, allowing for classes to be put on hold for personal matters and providing each student an allotted number of make ups for last minute conflicts.

And the glazes.  Hinckley boasts an unprecedented collection of unique, high-quality glazes (including three different shinos, for all of the pottery nerds out there).  Whether you fancy a more rustic, kick-wheel look or prefer a contemporary sleekness, this studio will be able to meet your needs, both in clay bodies and glazes.  Unlike many of the studios in which I've thrown previously, the firing schedule is insanely efficient, with pieces often coming back in under a week.  If only I could force myself to glaze more often.

Finally, the people are really what make this place special.  Bringing food (and sarcasm) to class is encouraged, and there are often baked goods or organic produce left for the greater good.  The owners' and teachers' passion for pottery and community is evident.  I would highly recommend trying a class or 10.

My granddaughter has been taking pottery class for a year, and she loves it! When I pick her up, I am so impressed with the mood of quiet, pleasant, focused activity. The teacher is quiet and calm and the children clearly know exactly what they are doing. I admire how they all help with cleaning up so competently. My granddaughter is learning wonderful technique with the wheel and with the use of glazes.

I LOVE Hinckley Pottery Studio. Classes are sold in groups of 10 sessions and I just completed my first session (and am continuing indefinitely!). I came to Hinckley as a complete newbie. All the classes have different teachers, and I have mostly worked with Karen on Mondays. She is absolutely lovely and took the time to sit down and teach me everything I need to know at the wheel. Throughout my classes, any time I have a question, Karen and other students are always there to help and advise. Overall I have had only positive experiences here! It isn't cheap, but the price includes all materials and firing of pots which is important to keep in mind. I look forward to my time at Hinckley all week! • • • I LOVE Hinckley Pottery Studio. Classes are sold in groups of 10 sessions and I just completed my first session (and am continuing indefinitely!). I came to Hinckley as a complete newbie. All the classes have different teachers, and I have mostly worked with Karen on Mondays. She is absolutely lovely and took the time to sit down and teach me everything I need to know at the wheel. Throughout my classes, any time I have a question, Karen and other students are always there to help and advise. Overall I have had only positive experiences here! It isn't cheap, but the price includes all materials and firing of pots which is important to keep in mind. I look forward to my time at Hinckley all week! • • •

I am coming up on the last week of my 10 week beginner course, and I have to say that Hinckley Pottery is pretty damn fun.  It's not only an outlet for creativity, but there is something insanely calming about playing with clay.  This is like art zen.

I've learned to make bowls, mugs and cups...simple shapes.  The classes are small, the instructors are cool (especially Sam, her sarcasm and playlist are wonderful).  It is go at your own pace, and each week you get better.  They have a try-it class, if you want to feel it out, before committing to a full 10 weeks.

So come on out and play!

I can't really say exactly what the problem was that some of the other reviewers seem to have had with Hinckley Pottery.  I can say with confidence that most of the (notably anonymous) negative reviews here reflect personal issues or a failure to engage with the many resources offered by the studio, not a problem with what is offered by the studio itself.

I really have nothing negative to say about the place or the people there.  I've been taking classes for just over a year, and in that time I have already made a number of close friendships, progressed from beginning to advanced skill level while coming into my own as a potter and artist, and learned a great deal about the art form as well as how to manage and maintain a functional studio.  It has been a tremendous experience and one I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.  I have found the instructors tremendously helpful, and I should know, since I have worked extensively with all of them now.  They are always willing to help any student with any question he or she might have.  Additionally, they will work with and adapt to the developing potter as she or he progresses in skill and begins to develop a unique aesthetic, as any maturing artist does.

Like any creative endeavor, one can reasonably expect to get results out of making pottery roughly in proportion to the level of effort one puts into it.  Learning to make pottery well requires a great deal of patience and discipline, no matter where or from whom one learns.  The only way to find out if one possesses these required traits is to try it out, and I cannot think of a better place to do so.  Classes at Hinckley Pottery may not be for everyone, but it is unfair -- and a mistake -- to turn off other potential students to the enormous opportunities to learn, create, and make new friends that exist here, whether out of resentment or for any other reason.

I can see where some have a hard time adjusting to the way the studio operates, such as the use of colorful language, and insistence on doing things a certain way, such as promptness in matters like payment for classes and materials (it is a business, after all, which explains why it's run like one) or cleaning up in a timely manner (so that students in the next class can have access to the wheels for which they paid).  But it is a working studio, after all, so it would be unreasonable for anyone to show up for classes thinking they could treat the studio like a personal playground and make their own rules.  What some of the reviewers here seem to see as inherent problems, others (myself included) might see as part of what makes Hinckley Pottery a fun, friendly and unique place to learn an amazing art form.

I've been taking classes at Hinckley Potter for 15 years. It's like a home away from home.  Great facility and reasonable prices, but the teachers really make a difference.  They're very welcoming and were so patient when I first started.  I'll never leave.