Atelier Forma (St-Laurent) — Local services in Montreal

I took two classes with this studio: an intro to wheel-throwing at Fabre location, and a Beginner 6-week class at St. Laurent. The intro class was fun and I enjoyed it and the pieces I ended up having, even though they aren't the prettiest :) But I can't really recommend the beginner wheel-throwing class as I found it to be unfortunately organized, with everyone doing different pieces at different times (this week I decided I do a cup, next time another person decided they do a cup, next week another person), so the teacher kept explaining a lot of things individually and having very little time for each student in the end. Also a lot of the instructions I got from my teacher were "you just have to feel it", "it's hard to explain, you need to practice a lot and it will come", and even "you need to figure it out for yourself". While I acknowledge that every craft requires practice obviously, I started to watch YouTube videos before classes and they were more helpful. Overall I feel those classes need a different approach, more structured lessons and better explanations then "just do it until it feels right", especially when you only have 6 weeks. Upd. Took one more star out after the response. Apparently I was too beginner for a beginner class, and should have done better just because the teacher is experienced. Maybe don’t put 10 people in the beginner class if that ends up being a challenge to accommodate for...

One day, I walked by Atelier Forma on Saint-Laurent, saw all the striking pottery in their window, and thought, "What if I make all my own bowls, plates, and mugs?"

I've now taken a couple wheel-throwing classes and a hand-building workshop, made a dozen or so pieces, and suddenly, clay is now a big part of my life.

The team at Atelier Forma makes pottery accessible and fun, and they're always at the ready to offer a tip for improving a piece (or even to step in and save it, now and then).

I'm still probably at the level that would impress my mom and no one else, but I intend to keep going back, getting more practice, and gradually replacing all my bowls, plates, and mugs with pieces I made with my own hands (and sometimes with the help of a teacher's...

I was inspired and encouraged to take classes by my friend, Wulan, who has been creating such beautiful pieces. I am now about to complete a 4-week pottery class, and it’s amazing! Naomi, our instructor, is incredible—her passion and expertise makes the entire experience so enjoyable. She has a talent for breaking down techniques in a way that’s easy to understand, and her hands-on approach was key to my progress.

Naomi provided personalized guidance throughout, helping me improve my centering, hand positioning, and shaping skills week by week. The class was well-structured, supportive, and inspiring. I’ve learned so much and can’t wait to keep building on these skills. If you’re thinking of trying pottery, do it—especially if Naomi...