Pottery and Ceramics Studios in Lebanon: Wheel Classes and Hand-Built Art
AdvisorLB Team
Lebanon has a long ceramic heritage — Beit Chabab pottery has run since the Ottoman era. Today, new studios in Beirut, Batroun, Jbeil, and the Chouf teach wheel-throwing, hand-building, and glazing. Some run residencies for international ceramicists.
What's offered
- Drop-in throw class: 2 hours, walk out with one piece.
- Beginner course: 6–8 weeks, basics of wheel + glaze.
- Hand-building: coil, slab, pinch — no wheel required.
- Studio membership: open access + firing + clay credit.
- Kids classes: after school or weekend workshops.
Process basics
- Wedge: knead clay to remove air pockets.
- Throw: centre on the wheel, open, pull walls up.
- Trim: after leather-hard, refine base.
- Bisque fire: first firing at 900–1000°C.
- Glaze: dip, brush, or spray.
- Glaze fire: second firing at 1200–1280°C.
Choosing a studio
- Number of wheels (avoid waiting).
- Kiln access — some studios charge by the cubic foot.
- Variety of glazes and clay bodies.
- Open-studio hours for practice between classes.
- Friendly community — pottery is social.
Where to buy finished ceramics
- Beit Chabab village shops — heritage red clay water jugs.
- Lebanese ceramicists at Souk el Tayeb, House of Today, design fairs.
- Studio sales at year-end — often the cheapest way to buy art pieces.