Support the Global Climate Strike

We will be closed on Friday 20th September in support of Greta Thunberg’s call for a Global Climate Strike.

Closing the shop was not an easy decision, but supporting this cause is. All of the Painting Pottery Café team feel passionately about upping our response to the climate crisis.  While we do not like to let our customers down, we felt it was our duty to join this strike.

When we are so often helpless in the face of the chaos around us, we can feel thankful for the opportunity instigated by the young to change attitudes and behaviours, reflecting the overwhelming and urgent need to protect our planet, our democracy and their future.

You will find us on Hove Lawns at 11am.

We will re-open as usual on Saturday 21st September.

Another Great Summer Season

As usual, we’ve had a super duper busy summer holiday, jam packed full of creative families, kids parties, stag and hen parties, team building activities, babies, friends, first-timers, old-comers, locals, tourists, and more!

We’ve been working really hard to make sure everyone’s pottery has been glazed, fired, and wrapped up safe and sound to be taken home on time. 🔥 🏺 We reckon we’ve fired between 1500-2000 items in the last 6 weeks, which is why we’ve been a bit quiet on the communication front!

But fear not, the holidays are winding down, and we’re easing ourselves into the social media routine again. If you don’t already follow us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, we’re just as fun on those platforms as we are in real life!

One thing we’re really interested in on this blog is interacting with our lovely customers and finding out what you’d like to hear about. Are you particularly interested in how we glaze and fire your items, or who our favourite throwers are on Instagram? Maybe you’d like to hear more about our Gallery downstairs, which showcases local artists, or about the story behind our whale mural? If you have any burning questions, our inbox is always open. ✉️

While we’re busy writing lots of posts to interest and delight you, take a sec to check out our Hall of Fame and vote for your favourite items of the month, we’ve been blown away by some of our talented customers recently! Here’s a select few from the vast range to whet your appetite.

🍾 Trip Advisor Hall of Fame 🥂

Psst, we've officially made it to the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame! That means we've consistently earned Certificates of Excellence for at least 5 years running. 

We couldn't be more pleased to receive this prestigious award, and would like to thank every one of you who has taken the time to write us a lovely review. We love hearing your feedback! 

So now, whether you're throwing, painting, or just popping in for a coffee, you can tell your friends that you've visited a business that's in the international top 10% of Trip Advisor ratings. Sounds posh, doesn't it!

Here's to many more days of creative fun, and many more years of happy customers! 🍾

If we’ve made an impression on you during your visit, no matter whether it was this week, month, year, or decade, we’d love to hear what you have to say! It really means a lot to us all.

An Event Not to be Missed!

Caroline Lucas (our local Green Heroine) will be in conversation with Matt Haig, best-selling author of Notes on a Nervous Planet, at St George’s Church on 5th July.

“A fast, nervous planet is creating fast and nervous lives. We are more connected, yet feel more alone. We are encouraged to worry about everything from world politics to our body mass index.”

In this burnt out world, it’s hard not to feel worried and stressed about climate change. Eco-anxiety is a well practised phrase, with politics and mental health going hand in hand. Matt Haig explains how the world we now live in contributes to our anxiety and thus our mental health.

Do we feel like we’re doing enough? How do we get our voices heard in this era of fake news? And how do we deliver on the Green Party vision for a confident and caring country, where mental health is given the same space and attention as physical health?

The evening chat provides the opportunity to listen and share how we are feeling and hopefully will present an honest, human guide on how to cope with the world.

Phew – just what’s needed in this crazy world!

Evening Classes

Psst, have you heard? 🗣️ We’ve just updated our evening class list for the next 5 months! 🏺 Be sure to grab your tickets while they’re still available - the last few months have been sold out! Here’s a round up of what you can expect before 2019 is out, with a few examples to whet your appetite and inspire your creativity!

July: Bowls

From a new serving bowl to a lovely set of tapas bowls, this is your chance to shine at the dinner table!

@chimericalhomewares

August: Supper Serving Board

Perfect for those occasions when nothing will do but a spot of cheese and chutney.

@studiocaliari

@beetlesandbones

@eatthelove.ceramics

September: Utensil Holder and Spoon Rest

If you’re anything like us, you’ve always got just a few too many wooden spoons with no home. Here’s your chance to make one for them!

@hkaceramics

@yurt.ceramics

October: Set of Coasters and a Mug

Say hello to your new go-to mug for your morning cuppa. Even better, it’ll be joined by four custom-made coasters which can represent all of your favourite things!

@lucyandjaneceramics

November: Hot Chocolate Mug and Biscuit Plate

Those evenings sure are chilly, and what better way to warm up than with a scrummy mug of comforting hot choc and a biscuit or two… or three… or seven!

@madebypowley

@hsiaowanstudios

@gabriellefaeth

So, are you tempted to book in right now? Just give us a call or fill in our booking form to go for it!

Why not make 2019 the year you finally give pottery a go in our friendly, fun environment. We cater to all levels of experience, and welcome beginners! We look forward to seeing you there.

Painting Workshop: Mandala Plates

Last Thursday we hosted a relaxing evening of painting intricate patterns, accompanied by a healthy splash of bubbly!

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Fern had prepared lots of lovely images for our painters. She even sketched concentric circles on a few plates, to break down the designs into easier steps. With her expertise, customers had a blast creating their own out-of-this-world plates!

The masterpieces these lovely painters came up with were fantastic — here are just a few of their artworks!

If you missed this workshop, don’t worry! We run our painting workshops four times a year, so there’s bound to be another which takes your fancy.

Or, if you’d like to try your hand at playing with clay, be sure to check out our evening classes!

Father's Day 2019

Mark it in your calendars: Sunday 16th June is a big day for dads across the country!

Whether you would like some help beforehand with baby footprints, or fancy letting the little ones go wild painting a new mug for dad, we’ve got you covered! 🎨🖌️

If you would like to come in to paint a treat ready for the day, we really recommend coming in at least a week before the 16th so we have plenty of time to fire your pottery perfectly.

Alternatively, why not book in to come and paint on the 16th with dad?

We’ll be offering a free hot drink and slice of cake to all the lovely papas. ☕🍰Because of this, booking and a deposit are required, but the deposit will cover the studio fee you’d normally pay on the day!

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Evening Painting Workshop: Paint a Mandala Plate!

A spiritual symbol in Asian art, mandalas have become a popular, meditative element for a variety of different cultures. In Hindu and Buddhist cultures in particular, mandalas serve as a representation of the universe and a guide on the path to enlightenment. 

Restore your inner peace and wisdom within, by booking a ticket for our evening painting workshop on 6th June. We’ll be talking you through how to paint your very own mandala plate, step by step. As usual, feel free to BYOB and bring nibbles, too! We have glasses and plates for you to use.

Tickets are selling out fast for this super exciting painting workshop, so be sure to get in contact soon and book over the phone, or in person! Alternatively, you can book on Eventbrite.

We've been on Telly!

Holly made her television debut yesterday on Latest TV. We were invited by The People’s Republic of Brighton & Hove to talk about our Fringe Taster Throwing Sessions that are taking place every weekend. Congratulations Holly - you are a natural!

Happy 20th Anniversary to The Painting Pottery Cafe!

🎉 Since 1999, so much has changed - both in the world and for our business! We’d like to take a minute to reflect on our journey over the last two decades. 🎉

We started as a little shop with just one floor in the North Laine area. Not many people understood the concept of pottery painting as something they could do, let alone how much fun it could be!

And here we are today: we’ve spread out across another floor (and frankly could do with another two some days). This expansion didn’t happen overnight. As demand has grown, we’ve grown with it to extend downstairs and out to an exterior stockroom so we could provide even more choice, and even more help.

We have proudly supported many local schools and hospitals along the way, providing raffle vouchers and setting up stalls at Christmas fairs. Other local charities we support are Rocking Horse and Martlets - if you missed the Martlets quiz we hosted in March, it was a hoot! And if you can’t tell already from our giant whale mural, we also are strong supporters of whale and dolphin conservation 🐋 🐬.

🏳️‍🌈 We’ve witnessed 20 Pride celebrations take over the city - that means not just Britney, Jess Glyne, and Fatboy Slim, but also Pet Shop Boys, Boy George, Alison Moyet, and Nile Rodgers & CHIC! We’re really looking forward to Kylie this year! 🏳️‍🌈

Some of our lovely customers have even been celebs! Zoe Ball from TV and radio, Noah Taylor (who Game of Thrones fans will recognise), Chris Eubank the boxer, several Seagull footballers, Dorothy Koomson the author, and even YouTube star PewDiePie have all painted with us. 🎨 From telly to writing to radio to sport, a huge range of people, no matter their background or career, find a welcoming space here.

Our customers come here time and time again, over several years. First to celebrate their birthday parties, with cake and balloons and goody bags … and then, years later, to celebrate their hen, sten, or stag dos, with cake, balloons, and this time a bottle of bubbly or two! 🎁 🎈🍾 Some have even brought the next generation to come and do footprints a couple of years later. It’s the circle of life! 👶🏼👧🏿

Some people who painted here when they were younger have even grown up to work here: Mimi and Maya both remember enjoying their birthday parties here when they were young. Hazel, who worked here for several years, has flown the nest to set up her own wonderful studio in Newcastle, The Pottery Experience, which is well worth a visit if you’re in the area! And some of our staff are award winners! The talented Luke won the 3D Graduate of the Year at New Designers, and has gone on to study at the Royal Academy of Arts. Our fantastic queen of clay Holly was a winner of the Potclays Award in 2017. 🏺

We are looking forward to the next period and are all excited to see what we may look back on 20 years from now!

Finally we would like to thank all of our customers and staff who have supported our little shop over the years. We are kicking off our celebrations this Thursday 9th May with a EUnity Party - previewing our tributes to some of our favourite European Artists. Come and join us if you can.

Fringe Fun Strikes Again!

We’ve been a part of Fringe for So many years now, we can’t keep track! we’ve had so much fun every time that we’ve decided to do it all over again!

That’s right, for just £12.50, you can come and learn to throw a pot in a super fun environment with one of our throwing specialists.

We’ll show you how to throw with a demo, and then guide you through the process yourself.

Then, we’ll glaze and fire your pot. 🏺 When you come and collect it after three weeks, it it’ll be water tight and food safe! Great for a sauce pot for your dinner table, or a little cactus pot. 🌵

If you’re just visiting Brighton, we can arrange postage for an added fee on the day.

All tickets must be purchased through the Fringe website.

For more info, check out our Facebook event!

*Please note there are only eight places per session, so if you're coming with friends it's best to book at the same time to avoid disappointment.*

Artist Spotlight: Embletree

We are very proud to shout about all the lovely talented team members here at The Painting Pottery Cafe! Today, we’d love to introduce you to our very own Alex, aka Embletree.

Using a mixture of watercolours and indian inks, she loves creating funky patterns. Her designs have been commissioned by Topshop, Topman, ASOS, and Urban Outfitters. You may even have one of her pieces in your wardrobe!

We love her gorgeous botanical pieces so much we wanted to feature them in our gallery! In October ‘18 we had a wonderful private viewing with nibbles, bubbles, and smiles galore as everyone delighted in Alex’s work.

If you love Embletree as much as we do, check out her website here. You can follow her Instagram and Twitter, too!