We’re a Studio for What’s Personal
OUR PROCESSA Vision Based in Creativity
We believe creativity is contagious—especially when you’re having fun. That’s why our approach is hands-on, collaborative, and rooted in experimentation.
Energy matters. We spark creativity by showing up with curiosity, enthusiasm, and a willingness to play.
Energetic
No pretense, no barriers. Come as you are and learn at your own pace. All are welcome.
Accessible
We make space for what’s personal. Your style, your story, your way of creating.
Expansive
Our Story: A letter from randyAfter a decade of working in schools, I found myself questioning whether I was still an effective educator.
A passion for—and a deep sense of responsibility to—young people has always guided my teaching practice. When I noticed my inability to fully show up, I wondered whether my time as an English teacher needed to come to an end… a frightening thought for someone who cares so deeply for his students.
I found myself spending more time at the wheel than grading papers or lesson planning, and I knew that something was out of balance. Even while living my dream—returning to my alma mater to teach alongside those who had once taught me—I struggled to show up for my students in the way that I always had. It wasn’t that I didn’t care, but I needed realignment. I needed a way to refill my cup, especially if I wanted to continue supporting others.
The pottery wheel has centered me since I was fifteen. It has always given me space to work through thoughts and emotions - space to make sense of life through art.
It became clear when something unexpected happened.
One afternoon at lunch, I overheard a conversation about our school selling its’ old yellow bus. Almost immediately, a question popped into my head: Has anyone ever turned a school bus into a pottery studio?
That question stayed with me. I knew I could help others experience the ways pottery can heal. Originally, Personal Ceramics was meant to be just that—a way to impact people in a mobile studio built inside a renovated school bus. I had never seen one before, so why not try? A bit of research confirmed there weren’t many examples, especially in the Santa Barbara area. More research raised practical questions: Where would you park a bus? How would it supply power to multiple wheels? How many wheels could I even fit? But one question lingered longer than all the rest: How does a high school teacher start a business?
After months of wondering, planning, and taking risks, I’m still discovering the answer.
I never bought the bus, but what I do know is this: Personal Ceramics began with a simple question and the willingness to sit with it. That question became an idea, the idea grew into a vision, and with the support of my family and community—and a newfound comfort with discomfort—that vision became reality. What once lived only as a question now stands in the Funk Zone as a foundational space for creativity, connection, and personal expression.
It’s my hope that this space offers others the same sense of grounding, curiosity, and renewal that clay has always given me.
Personal Ceramics exists because people keep showing up—curious, open, and ready to make something real.
Every class, every piece, every conversation continues to foster wonder and helps keep this space alive. Hope to see you at the wheel soon.
— randy person
