Omaha hangs: Kimba’s Pottery

recs

Jan 23

A small pottery studio in Elkhorn, Nebraska

Bringing people together to create.

When the skies go dark for daylight savings, I start scrambling for fun things to do to get out of the house. This fall I jumped on taking pottery lessons - something I’ve wanted to do since taking ceramics in high school. There are plenty of the “paint your own pottery” spots in town, but I wanted to go one step further and actually build the pieces from scratch. At Kimba’s Touch in Old Elkhorn, anyone can get their hands on some clay and start shaping something beautiful.

The easiest way to start is to join the 6-week classes. Although not particularly structured with a set lesson plan or agenda, students are guided through the process of working with clay. Many people (just like me) have used clay in some capacity before and are revisiting it after a long time away. Others are completely new to the game. Either way, when you’re all sitting around the long community table together, it just feels like a collection of creators.

Outside of your designated “class” time, you’re given completely open access to studio hours. This means you can come in at anytime and work on shaping, sculpting, staining, or glazing your pieces - but you won’t be under supervision of a teacher. However, from my experience, others in the studio are more than willing to help you out.

I took my classes on Thursday evenings, a great way to ease into the weekend. Each time I walked in, I was greeted by the studio kitty and there was often potluck style snacks on the couter. Some folks are plugged in with their headphones and heads down, meditating as they work on their craft. Others used the time to socialize and chat, always curious about what the next person is building.

Kimba and her staff are knowledgeable, friendly, and encouraging. Their approach is less “do this, do that” and more “let your creative instincts run wild”. A few things I did were a total flop - but it’s all part of the process, right? Over time, with gentle nudges, I learned more techniques and proper procedures when working with clay.

If you’re looking for a creative space that feels warm and inviting - looking for cheerful faces to create alongside - looking for an outlet to be messy (and trust me, you’ll get messy) - Kimba’s Touch Pottery is a place you’ll want to visit.

If you’re not looking to create, I still encourage folks to swing by to check out the selection of pottery for sale. You can also commission a special gift or item. Supporting small local businesses is all the rage… and rightfully so!

INFO ON Pottery Lessons

6-week lessons with 1:1 guidance from the teacher
Classes are 2hrs and offered Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Cost: $204 + $22 for 25lb bag of clay + minimal firing fees
Ongoing registration, call 402-618-2722 anytime