Barcelona: Artisan Ceramic Cup Workshop with Local Artist

4.99

(194 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

“Don’t worry if you’ve never touched clay,” Wendy said, sliding a lump across the table toward me. I’d already managed to get smudges on my shirt before the apron was even on — classic. The workshop was tucked away on a quiet Barcelona street, sunlight slanting through high windows and catching little clouds of dust. There was this earthy smell — like wet stone and something faintly sweet from the glazes. I’m not sure why, but it made me think of rainy days at home.

We started shaping our cups by hand, no wheel — just palms, fingers, and a bit of patience. Wendy (she’s had her work in museums, which is wild) showed us how to pinch and smooth the clay so it didn’t collapse or end up lopsided like mine almost did. She laughed when I tried to say “engobe” with a Spanish accent — pretty sure I butchered it. There were people from all over: one guy from Berlin, two friends visiting from Madrid. Everyone kind of relaxed after the first few minutes; there’s something about working with your hands that makes small talk easier.

The best part was decorating — picking up these tiny tools and pressing patterns into the surface, then brushing on colored slips. My cup still looked more “abstract” than anything you’d see in a shop window, but honestly? I loved it for that. Wendy explained how they’d fire everything later (it takes about a week or two), so if you’re just doing a day trip in Barcelona you can swap for one of their finished cups instead. That’s what I did — now there’s this blue-and-white mug at home that reminds me of clay under my nails and that weirdly calming silence right before everyone started laughing again.