Make Your Own Studios for Pottery, Soap, Candles and Goat Cuddles
For those looking to flex their creative abilities, there are a number of art studios in the state that offer classes, take-home kits and sip and paint parties. And as the weather changes and the days grow colder, artists can cozy up and paint their own pottery or weave their own blankets.
Make your own soaps, candles, plates, bowls, mugs and more with these six art studios in Connecticut.
Bradley Mountain Farm is known for its various goat related activities. The farm hosts goat yoga, goat cuddle sessions, goat strolls, goat hikes and more. However, the farm also offers its own soap-making class featuring, of course, goat milk. Workshop participants will take home three pounds of soap and will receive a bag of goat food to feed the goats who provided the milk. Bradley also offers take-home kits. Classes are $100 for a two-person session. Children 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 537 Shuttle Meadow Road, Southington; 860-385-4628; bradleymountainfarm.com
Bradley Mountain Farm
Bradley Mountain Farm at the 33rd Annual Connecticut Wedding & Bridal Expo 2018, January 27th and 28th. The event was held at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. Alyson Bowman / Hearst Connecticut Media
Bradley Mountain Farm is known for its various goat related activities. The farm hosts goat yoga, goat cuddle sessions, goat strolls, goat hikes and more. However, the farm also offers its own soap-making class featuring, of course, goat milk. Workshop participants will take home three pounds of soap and will receive a bag of goat food to feed the goats who provided the milk. Bradley also offers take-home kits. Classes are $100 for a two-person session. Children 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 537 Shuttle Meadow Road, Southington; 860-385-4628; bradleymountainfarm.com
The Pottery Factory – Brookfield
Camille Egan, 9, of Brookfield, works on a painting during a canvas class at The Pottery Factory, in Brookfield, Conn, onThursday, September 25, 2014. H John Voorhees III
The Pottery Factory in Brookfield offers a lot more than just pottery. For those looking to pursue all kinds of art, the Pottery Factory has classes for candle making, glass fusing, paint your own pottery and canvas painting. The shop also offers take-home kits and classes. Participants can order their own supplies and follow along to the Factory’s paid YouTube tutorials or purchase take-home kits to create their own chunky blankets, seascape resin and pottery.
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday; 265 Federal Road, Brookfield; 203-885-0100; thepotteryfactory.com
Olive My Home Candle Bar – Redding
Olive My Skin in Redding sells soaps, skin care and candles made from olive oil, but it also allows shoppers to make their own candles on Thursdays. For $40, attendees can enjoy a drink and make their own candles with a selection of scents and colors. Attendees also receive 20% off all products in the Olive My Skin store.
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday; 8 Main St., Redding; 203-587-1176; olivemyskin.com
The Pottery Piazza – Plainville
In Plainville, The Pottery Piazza offers the opportunity to shape and paint your own pottery and create unique mosaics. The shop also hosts parties for adults and children in store and online and sells take-home kits. These kits include string art, mosaics, ornaments, tie-dye and stoneware. Kits range from $20-$113.
Noon-7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, noon-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday; 17 Farmington Ave., Plainville; 860-517-8553; thepotterypiazza.net
The Claypen – West Hartford
As fall approaches, The Claypen in West Hartford offers many make-your-own crafts, including custom clay jack-o-lanterns. In the summer, the studio hosts camps for kids. Year-round it facilitates walk-in pottery making and painting and workshops for adults and kids.
Noon-6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; 997 Farmington Ave., West Hartford; 860-233-3322; theclaypen.com
The Clay Date – New Haven
Natalie Barden, 12, of Newtown, paints the clay mask she created during the final clay date workshop at Healing Newtown, on Saturday, October 4, 2014, in Newtown, Conn. The clay workshop, on mask making techniques for hand-building with clay. H John Voorhees III
The Clay Date is another all-in-one kind of studio where guests can pursue a number of creative activities on a walk-in and appointment basis, such as candle making, glass fusion, pottery painting, T-shirt design and mosaic. The studio also sells take-home pottery painting kits with items such as plates, bowls, figurines, mugs and piggy banks.
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 146 Amity Road, New Haven; 203-387-2521; theclaydate.com
