KAILUA, Hawaii -- A pottery craze has been sweeping the nation, and Hawaii residents are getting in on the action. Shops are popping up all around the island offering customers the opportunity to paint ready-made ceramics and not worry about getting supplies or firing their own pieces.
"Paint it Pottery" is a quaint shop located in the Kailua Village Shops strip mall where plain ceramics go from drab to fabulous in a few easy steps. Colorful tables and décor drum up creativity and fun for clients who want to create a personal masterpiece.
The process is simple: first a figure is chosen from a wide selection of unfinished ceramics, then it's painted using the shop's glazes and brushes. When finished, the Paint it Pottery staff will clear glaze and fire your work so it can be picked up in about five days.
Paint-your-own pottery parties are perfect for bridal showers and birthdays, but the hobby can also be a relaxing pastime performed in solitude.
"It really is a tension reliever," said Paint it Pottery owner Doreen Emerson. "You need to come here with a clear mind; you can't be thinking about work or anything."
The cost of ceramic figures ranges from $7-$80, depending on size and intricacy. Included in the price are the item, paint, clear overglazing and kiln firing.
Paint it Pottery also has a location in the Pearlridge Center, Aiea. Other similar studios located around Oahu are Fire it Up, near Diamond Head, and Color Me Mine, an international chain, in the Ward Center, Honolulu.
For those who want to really get their hands dirty, Windward Community College hosts noncredit pottery classes for children and adults. Students create art from a block of clay and follow the process through glazing and firing. This class gives participants the opportunity to not only paint, but also design their own piece.
"Play in Clay" is an adult class offered at WCC. The beginners' course instructs students on hand building, wheel throwing, glazing and firing. The cost is $100, plus a $20 lab fee.
Special classes for children and teens are also offered. These courses teach many of the same skills as the adult class, but with more focus on fun. A "Parent/Child Play in Clay" program allows families to work together on ceramics projects. Youth and family courses are $60, plus $10 lab fees.
Whether shaped from a lump of clay or just painted, unique art is being created all over Oahu, thanks to studios open to originality.