Hittin’ The Town: Firing up your inner artist at Peace Love and Pottery

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, ”Every artist was first an amateur.” There are plenty of places in our region where amateurs can perfect their skills. Peace Love and Pottery is one of them.

The idea behind this space is simple, it’s a paint-your-own pottery studio.

“We have shelves and shelves of pre-fired bisque wear,” said Sarah Best, co-owner of Peace Love and Pottery. “You come in and pick out your paint and glaze. You work on it, and you leave it with us. We fire it and you come back in about a week and pick up your creation.”

Best says this place is about so much more than pottery.

“I love having people come in here, sit and relax, and see them enjoying time disconnected from phones,” said Sarah. “We have people come in and sit for five hours talking and laugh. That is what feeds my soul.”

Sarah and her mom, Sandy Bourland, own the business. Sarah left the corporate world, and Sandy is a retired teacher.

“A lot of people ask how we work together every day? I wouldn’t have it any other way. We work so well together, it is so awesome to integrate our lives together. She is my best friend.”

Thanks to the mother-daughter duo, you don’t have to be an artist to make a beautiful work of art here.

“I tell people it’s kind of like coloring,” says Sarah. “So when you are picking out a glaze, you look where the colors go, and it’s really just following the lines. If you want something more creative, we can do that too. We can help anybody bring anything to life.”

Sarah says if you want to hone your skills at home, you can also do that.

“Any piece in the studio can be purchased as a take-home kit. You pick your piece, paint, and glaze, and we send you with brushes, and you do it at home. You bring it back to us to be fired, and you come back and pick it up.”

There are all kinds of options when it comes to what you create. Everything from mugs and bowls to platters and holiday decorations.

“A lot of people come in, and the first thing they say is, I can’t do this, I can’t do this. And I say you can do this, then they’ll pick up their piece and say, wow, I did this, I really did this? Then there’s confidence built,” said Sandy. “That’s what I always loved about teaching, showing them the way and letting them express themselves.”

The studio really offers something for all skill levels and ages. “We’ll have two-year-olds come in, and we’ll say, go ahead and make a mess,” said Sandy. “The tables are treated, and the paint is water-based and non-toxic, so go for it. Art is about fun, using your imagination, and feeling what you do.”

Peace Love and Pottery is on Sylvania Avenue and is open from Thursday to Sunday. You can have a private party any day of the week and bring in food and drink. Gift cards are also available.

To learn more, click here.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please include the title when you click here to report it.

Copyright 2022 WTVG. All rights reserved.