Frequently Asked Questions
Get your pottery studio questions answered below! Please contact us at 208.765.8203 with any further questions.
Fun note: YES, we used to be called Hands ON Art! Our amazing studio has been in Coeur d’Alene for nearly three decades!
In that time, we did change our name due to a copyright issue. No biggie, everything else at that time stayed the same, same location, same owner, same staff, just a new middle name!
Location
We are located at 3115 N Government Wy # 4, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815, right next to the Pet Supplies Plus Store.
Accessibility
The main studio is wheelchair accessible, but our bathroom is a bit tight due to the building’s age.
To Book
Call us! 208-765-8203, we will be happy to help book your reservations, parties, events and even field trips over the phone.
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Pricing, Costs and Fees
How much does it cost?
Our prices range anywhere from $8 up to $120 for large seasonal items
Average cost per piece is anywhere between $15- 35 per piece
Are there any extra fees, like glazing/ firing fees, studio fees, storage fees?
NOPE! Its all included! We have made our prices all inclusive to make things easier for everyone! We don’t believe that you should have to pay extra to use more than a couple colors, to come to sit while you paint, or that you should have to provide all of your own supplies. That’s what we are here to do! The only thing you will have to pay other than the price marked on the piece is Taxes.
Do you offer gift certificates/ gift cards?
We offer gift certificates in any denomination. Most of our pieces are between $15-$35, with very few above $65 except for special seasonal items. If you’re local just stop by to pick one up? Not local? No Problem! Just call the studio at 208-765-8203 and we will be happy to help you pay for it over the phone and we can mail the gift certificate to you or the recipient at no additional charge!
Why buy pottery at Hands to Art when I can get a mug at the dollar store for cheaper?
That’s true you can, but what you can’t buy at the dollar tree is the fun, the relaxation, the pride of making something yourself, or most importantly, the memories made while creating your art piece. Whether you're painting with kids, family, friends, or even just with the staff working that day, it's not JUST about the outcome, it's about the journey of how it came to be.
Do you ever offer discounts?
You can find coupons for us in the Sorenson Coupon book (we love supporting our local schools)
We offer an Active Duty Military discount with valid ID
We also occasionally will have sales on out of season items, after that holiday is over.
Pottery Questions
How long does painting usually take?
In Most painting sessions, people tend to take between 1.5 - 2 hours. If you need more time, you can either take home small containers of paint or leave your piece with us for up to 60 days to finish later.
Can I bring food or drinks into the studio?
Yes, personal snacks and drinks are totally fine, we just ask that you be able to fit them on your table while you paint. But, be mindful of greasy foods. Just wash your hands before touching the pottery so that grease doesn't affect the ability of the glaze to stick when we fire your pottery!
When can I pick up my pottery?
Typically we allot 4 to 5 days for firing
If you are in a hurry, occasionally we can get it done sooner, if you ask nicely, but keep in mind typically it will take at least 2 days!
What if I'm leaving before it's ready?
We have a relationship with our local UPS store, and they are kind enough to do our shipping, we simply get all your info, pass it along to them, and they will package and ship your finished pottery as soon as it's ready
Downside, we can't quote prices at this time. Because prices can vary dramatically depending on how far it's traveling, the weight as well as the size of the box it is shipped in.
Our agreement that you sign when giving us your shipping info explains that they will send it the cheapest way possible to get it to you.
Does this stuff wash out of clothes?
YEP! That’s one of the perks of working with glaze! It’s not permanent until it is fired, even if it dries completely, you can still dissolve it with water to clean it off.
Do you offer to go or take home options?
Absolutely! Ever dreamed of painting a mug by the fire while its snowing outside, listening to your favorite movie in the background that you have watched a million times?! Well, now you can! We offer a few different to go options.
First, we offer seasonal to go kits, curated boxes that include pre selected pottery pieces, 2- brushes, 8- glaze colors, and instructions, all wrapped up in a to go box, tied with a bow and ready to give as a gift to a friend, a loved one or even yourself!
Second, we offer our regular pottery to go.
Simply come in, pick out your pottery you want to work on, select up to 10 paint colors per household, decide if you want to purchase a 12 pack of brand new brushes for $7. And if you need an instructions sheet. Then we will dish up all your paints as well as your pottery, we will have you purchase the pottery before you leave, then take it home and have at it! Paint and decorate to your hearts content! Just return the painted pottery, any leftover glaze paints, we will recycle it if we can, and we will fire your completed art!
Finally, we offer a Party to go Box! This is a big tote that we rent out for up to 3 days at a time, the fee is $25 and the kit includes: 23- 8oz bottles of glaze paint, a variety of paint brushes, paper plates, napkins, water cups/bowls, a sample of what the finished glaze colors will look like, laminated instruction sheets, a pencil, some clean up tools like tooth pics and Q-tips, and last but not least, one of our coveted black detail bottles, for writing names, initials, or adding those finishing touches to your pottery! This is the perfect option if you have a lot of painters or if you just want more color selection, and you don’t want to worry about forgetting a color, or running out!
Does pottery glaze have lead in it? Is it safe for my kids to do handprints, and what if my baby put in his mouth?
We are happy to let you know that we use all non toxic lead free glazes in our studio! They are safe for both adults and kids.
While our glaze is not edible per say, they are non toxic which means we don’t recommend putting it in your mouth on purpose, but if you or you little one do on accident it wont hurt you, it just doesn’t taste very good
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NO! While some forms of pottery like Stoneware are suitable for the oven if put in when the oven is cool. Lowfire earthenware pottery is NOT suitable for oven use. Yes, the kiln does get A LOT hotter than your oven, it's true. But, the secret to the kiln is that it gets hot very slowly, unlike your oven which will be up to temperature in much less than an hour, the kiln will take nearly 7 hours to reach its top temperature, and from there will take around 12 hours more just to cool back down enough to even open the lid let alone unload the pottery.
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For the same reason we don't want you to put your earthenware in the oven, microwaves are similarly not recommended.
The microwave simply gets hot too quickly and can lead to thermal shock of your pottery piece. In dramatic cases, this can lead to your pottery developing cracks, this can also lead to Crazing (small cracks in the surface of the glaze that, over time, can cause issues with bacteria growth) While crazing on most pottery pieces isn’t anything more than a cosmetic issue, in the case of dinnerware it is not ideal.
While its not recommended, If you do choose to microwave your pieces, please take great caution and make sure to only do it in short increments of time. Please also check the pottery temperature before grabbing it out of the microwave as some pieces get hotter than others.
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It is always safest to handwash your handpainted masterpieces.
Unlike Stoneware, Earthenware (normally the kind of pottery you will paint when you come to our studio) is a low fire clay body. This means that it is NOT Vitrified after firing. (Vitrification is when a piece of pottery has been fired to such a high temperature that the pores essentially shrink and close on the surface, and it becomes impermeable to water, or as some might call it, waterproof)
Because it is NOT vitrified the entire piece of pottery must be sealed in order to insure it will not absorb water, and grow bacteria.
Therefore, the dishwasher is not recommended, as putting your pieces in the dishwasher puts undue stress on the pieces, not only due to the amount of water, the length of time it is in the water, as well as the temperature in the dishwasher, but the nature of the dishwasher where things can sometimes move and bang into one another. This can lead to pieces chipping, or even crazing, and therefore cause your pieces to no longer be food safe.
Our Studio Information
But wait, wasn't it called Hands ON Art at one point, I swear it was when I was a kid?!?
You're right! Our amazing studio has been in Coeur d’Alene for nearly three decades!
In that time, we did have to change our middle name due to a copyright issue. No Biggie, everything else at that time stayed the same, same location, same owner, same staff, just a new middle name! So if you remember Hands ON Art, you’re not crazy… And, you might also be over the age of 21, lol!
How do you get your staff to be so amazing?
We try really hard to only hire people who want to be here. People who are genuinely passionate about customers service, making sure the customer leaves them with plenty of happy memories, and a beautiful piece of pottery!
Not just staff that are passionate about art, but people that are passionate about building a positive, welcoming environment, and facilitating relationships. People who see how special this place is and what a small yet important role we play within our north Idaho community. We love to give back to our schools, and non profits. To help support those throughout our area who have supported us over the last several decades!
I’m really bad at this kind of thing, I’m not creative, can i still do this?
ABSOLUTELY! In fact, I think you might just surprise yourself! Our amazing staff is here to answer all your questions, even the ones you forget to ask, and to guide you every step of the way! We provide lots of samples for inspiration, as well as idea books, stencils, stamps, sponges, tracing paper and carbon paper, to transfer designs you bring in. We have dotting tools, sanding pads, and tape and We even have tooth brushes for spattering! You name it, we probably have it!
Classes & Parties
I want to know everything there is to know about pottery, do you offer classes?
We sure DO! Currently, we offer stoneware classes, at least once a month, occasionally we also offer painting technique classes as well. If you have a younger painter we also offer Summer Art Camps for kids!
Our goal is to make you feel as informed and successful as possible, we want to offer you all the tools you will need because we want to see you succeed!
Do you do after hours parties, groups, or classes, and what are the requirements and cost for such an event?
YES! To book an after hours event, you must have a minimum of 10 painters. If you have less than 10 painters, there will be a fee of $20 per person missing. We charge $50/hour for after-hours events (on top of the cost of the pottery you purchase to paint.) You can choose to do 2 or 3 hours. The after-hours fee is to be paid at the time you book the event, and is only 50% refundable up until 48 hours before the event is scheduled, and then becomes nonrefundable. If you have an after hours party or event, you are more than welcome to bring any type of food or drinks, and you will have the whole studio to spread out into, we can comfortably seat up to 30 in our main studio!
View our parties information →
Do you host homeschool or kids’ art days during the school year?
We do! We host special sessions for homeschool and preschool, as well as public, and private school field trips typically before we open to the public.
Do you offer field trips, corporate events, or fundraisers
Absolutely! We host field trips for homeschool groups and schools, corporate events after hours, and we donate to local nonprofits for fundraisers. We just can’t accommodate outside pottery for liability reasons.
