It’s the year of analog activities in Tampa, and we’re here for it. The Floridian Ceramics pottery studio in Seminole Heights has become a quick star for those who want to drop their phones and use their hands to make something beautiful.
The beautiful studio opened in February this year, and they offer a wide range of beginner classes, workshops, and even full camps. Whether it’s your first time behind a pottery wheel or you’re a seasoned vet, they have classes for all levels.
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For those new to the studio, Floridian Ceramics classes are designed to be welcoming, approachable and fun. Class sizes are intentionally small so that everyone receives plenty of individual hands-on instruction. It’s a relaxed environment where people can learn something new, laugh at their mistakes, and leave feeling proud of what they’ve made.
Founder Haley Holloway is a Tampa local who first fell in love with pottery in a class at Chamberlain High School. She continued that passion in college when she attended USF St. Pete and signed up for classes with the legendary Charlie Parker at the studio now known as the Clay Co-Op. In fact, the two-hour bowls class she took under Parker is the same one she teaches today in Tampa.
But between that first class in St. Pete and the opening of Floridian Ceramics in Tampa was a full 10 years of apprenticeship under Parker, learning not only pottery techniques but also his teaching philosophy and the day-to-day operations of a working ceramics studio, all while pursuing her undergraduate degree in Biology.
For years, ceramics was just a hobby that she indulged when not busy with her career in marine science. But in 2023, she made the leap to turn it into a full-time job, working out of her garage studio. She was so successful that she outgrew the space at home, leading Holloway and her husband to take the leap and open a full public studio earlier this year.
It’s a dream come true for Holloway, and not just that she’s running her own pottery studio. A fifth-generation Floridian who grew up in Tampa, she saw a ceramics-sized hole in the city’s otherwise thriving arts scene. She wanted to create a place where people could learn and enjoy the art of pottery.
“We wanted to create a space that reflects the warmth, authenticity, and sense of community that makes Florida special,” Holloway said. “Whether someone is touching clay for the first time or continuing a lifelong creative journey, our goal is to make them feel welcome, supported, and inspired.”
If you’ve never been behind a pottery wheel before, Holloway has one easy recommendation: give it a try. Our That’s So Tampa team member Kirby recently tried her hand at Floridian Ceramics and came away so impressed and in love with the experience that she couldn’t wait to tell the entire team about it.
“Pottery is challenging and rewarding in ways you don’t expect until your hands are in the clay,” Holloway explained. “You don’t need any experience, just a willingness to get a little muddy and have fun.”
Floridian Ceramics is located at 7110 N Florida Ave. in Seminole Heights. You can learn about the studio and sign up for classes or workshops here.
