Funke Fired Arts

Funke Fired Arts has something for everyone! The place is huge, but a little confusing. Currently, there are two entrances. The one from the street opens directly to the booths artists rent and you have to walk through the studio to get to the store and paint a pot area. The second entrance is a red door in the back of the building past the dry cleaners. This door opens to the store. The store sells clay, glazes, tools, and anything else you need. The gallery is next to the store and you can buy artwork from area artists. The paint a pot studio is just past the store. They have a ton of great pieces, lots of different color glazes and instructions are available to do some of the techniques shown on artwork in the studio. The best thing about Funke’s are the classes! Funke’s offers classes in painting, sculpture, handbuilding, and on the wheel. The class schedule is available on their website. The classes are usually 8 week sessions throughout the year and a 6 week session in the summer. Funke’s teachers are the best! If you can’t commit to a full session, check out open wheel nights. These are two hour classes on certain Saturday night where you can try your hand at the wheel. The studio is changing ownership in January, so some of this will change! I’ll update it as I know what’s new! Also, the hours listed on Unilocal are incorrect. Check out the website for correct hours!

We hosted a baby shower here for our friend and it was so much fun. They let us set up a little table with our food and beverages that we were able to bring in and we each picked out a piece to paint while we nibbled on food, had mimosas and chatted with the mom to be. The staff was very helpful in explaining all the different methods of painting to us and they had tons of different tools for changing up your piece how you wanted to do it… which is helpful for people who are maybe a little less artistic than others :) They also do the cutest little hand print Christmas ornaments at Christmas time which is definitely going in the grandparents stockings this year :)

Our experience wasn’t a typical one.
We attended an event where Funke Fired brought all the supplies to the even location. My kids had a choice between 3 things to paint. They each picked a piece, and got painting. At the end we were given a slip with instructions on when and where to pick up the masterpieces. The event paid for the whole thing.
Several weeks later we drove to the actual Funke Fired Art location for pickup. The entrance is actually around back. There was plenty of free parking for all the business. We entered, handed the woman behind the register our claim slip, waited a minute, then left. I can’t attest to the experience of painting in the actual location or pricing.
I will say that I have painted with my kids at other paint places. Paints used by Funke Fired Art seem to cover better/​more completely than other places we have been.

What a fun little find!
I went with a friend to Funke Fired Arts for a change of pace one weekend. It had been at least 5 years since I visited a pottery-​painting place; I loved them as a kid, but it never occurred to me to go to one as an adult!
Funke is located behind Hyde Park Plaza. It honestly feels a little sketch as you first drive up– what is this ‘warehouse’ behind Kroger? But once you walk in, it’s very clear that it’s an inviting, artistic place where you are free to be creative.
My friend and I each painted a vase. The process is simple– just pick the piece you’d like to paint, and the tools, paint, and clean up are all included in the price. Sit down, let your imagination run wild as you decorate the piece, then let Funke fire it for you. Half of the fun is waiting and wondering how your piece will transform once it’s fired!
I’d definitely go back for leisure pottery painting, or I’d also love to look into the classes. Love it!

Great fun, laid back atmosphere, helpful teachers and staff. We’ve been taking an intro class and the experience couldn’t have been better.

Ceramics fan? Check. DIY fan? Check. Need more bowls, plates, and cups? Check!
I took a wheel 1 class here during the winter (and I’ve also done their ceramics painting and open wheel session) and let me just say it’s really amazing. When I took the class, I had a lot of extra time so I was able to really utilize the studio time. The course cost about $ 250 and gives you 8 classes, and unlimited studio time for 7 weeks (the last week is for glazing only). We made tons of functional items and having made over 20 items (not all works of art but!!!) I can say for sure I won’t need to buy any food vessels for a long time.
The teachers here are all really helpful and very skilled at their art. It’s often mesmerizing to just watch them and they are all very attune and aware of those who are unlikely to ask and pester for help and are willing to drop in and work out your wheel throwing issues with you.
Taking the class is much more economical than opting for the studio time (i feel) and its a great way to spend 2 months practicing a skill.
To be honest though, even though my creations weren’t amazing, I loved the actual wheel throwing because it was so relaxing and so much fun to get dirty for a good reason. I could go out in the laziest of clothes and still feel good!
The only downside to the class is that you have a limited selection of glazes, but it’s much better than the choices you have for open wheel. Oh and get this, when you just wanna try it out, you can take a single 2 hour open wheel session (with drinks!) and if you like it, they’ll apply the cost of the session to your class if you decide to sign up!
In wheel 1, you are given 2 logs of clay, but the clay is all «reclaimed», so it’s not fantastic quality, but at least you don’t feel bad about making bad pots with it. Once you get into the higher classes, or you run out of the 2 logs, you can buy higher quality clays. I ended up making 20 items with 2 logs and didn’t need to buy anymore, but if you’re making larger items, expect to get more clay!

I had my bachelorette party at Funke Fired Arts this past weekend and we were so lucky to have Laurie as our host. Laurie was extremely responsive and helpful via email when the event was being scheduled, and she was an absolute doll in person. I think maybe 1 — 2 of my group of 8 had any art skill, and the rest of us were a little nervous. I had painted pottery at another Cincinnati-​area pottery painting studio before where they show you where the glaze is and set you free. My piece turned out terrible without guidance, and I ended up throwing it out.
Funke’s is COMPLETELY the opposite of that. Laurie set up a private area for us in the back of the studio for us to set up champagne and snacks. She brought all of the fans over towards us (it’s very hot in the studio on hot days), and she was with us the entire 3 hours helping all of us with the piece we wanted to design. She went over techniques that seemed so far out of our league and made them seem attainable for novices.
I would definitely come back to Funke Fired Arts in the future for an event — what a spectacular day.

Great place for groups. Not your standard pottery painting can be for kids but good for adults. Just make directly contact them in advance for large parties.

The art in this place is really cool. The staff is super friendly. It has a huge selection of tools for those interested in making their own pottery. They offer classes for all age groups. I would suggest checking this place out!

I am glad I was able to get the chance to play and create here. The staff is very experienced, friendly and passionate about their art. They have large studio and shop. They multiple wheels and large tables in the studio. They also have pieces you can buy and just paint if you like. The staff will help with demos and suggestions if you are stuck on what to create or paint. They have classes as well. The studio has multiple ways to fire up your art in kilns. The most exciting was Raku. They offered much more than I imagined when it came to Fired Art.

I came to Funke Fierd Arts for a Unilocal event and honestly thought it would be a three star kind of event for me– boy was I wrong!
First I’ll say that I am not artistically minded at all. I feel like I am making beautiful art when my handwriting is legible.
What makes «art» achievable for people like me is the kind of people that staff Funke Fired Arts. They are full of excitement, tips and ideas and will literally hold your hand if that is what you need– and if you know what you are doing it seems they will let you go on your merry way until you ask them for help. I would have thought that explaining the basics over and over would make the staff a little sick of the process but the passion to help you love art too is unstoppable– three cheers for this awesome group.
This is definitely the kind of place I would recommend for my art inclined friends, and perhaps is a place I would take my niece for an activity afternoon. I’m not sure if I’ll go back to hone my skills but I will likely go back to add to my collection of pottery from the retail side of the store (they have fantastic pieces from local artists).

Funke Fired Arts you forever have my heart!
I used to be a nanny back in the day and I would bring my toddler here and we would paint pottery all the live long day. No one bothered us like those other pushy studios and get this the studio fee is FREE! I’ve been to other places where we had to pay upwards of $ 10 an hour just to be in the store? How does that even make sense? Not here. The only thing you pay for is your piece that you choose to paint. Pick it out, paint it, use any of their cool tools, paints, and stencils. They fire it, and then you take it home. Voila! Your own custom piece of Art and a memory that will last forever.
This is not the only thing they have going for them. If you go on their website you can see all of the different types of classes they have to offer. You know those ones you always see in movies but never know where to find? They do clay wheel classes here! I haven’t done them but have seen people doing them and they look like so much fun!
My favorite part about Funke Fired Arts is they treat everyone the same. Since this space is huge warehouse, they also use the space for professional artists to work and also show their materials for sale. But when you’re in here working, you could be working next to a professional artist and you wouldn’t even know. The staff is friendly and helpful whether your a beginning or a master.
Overall, this is a great place for any occasion. Like I said I used to take my toddler to paint piggy banks, I’ve been with my boyfriend on a date, and my mom as a girls day. The times we spent here laughing and painting will be forever burned in my mind.

Great place to learn pottery! Their instructors are very good, and are helpful whether you’re a beginner or advanced potter.
I recommend taking their 8 week classes. Those are best for learning. The groupon deals are not as helpful to learn the art of pottery since it’s difficult to learn and retain info in 3 hours.
When you take the classes, you can come in at any time and practice. Any additional clay you need may be purchased from their store. The prices are reasonable for all materials.

Over the course of 5 years here in Cincinnati i’ve taken a handful of classes as well as a few functional saturday get togethers. The studio is great and there are plenty of wheels/​table space and classes include unlimited practice time, which is pretty much awesome! The staff is extremely helpful and someone is always in the studio if you have questions or need a demo if you come in to practice. Ive taken a few of the wheel classes with Jon and just finished up a lithography course with Chrissy, they always have something new going on! If you dont need a class but need supplies their store is pretty much badass… or even if you arent creative, you can pick up some beautiful pieces from other studio artists.

I’ve been taking classes here for a few weeks and so far I love it. I started off with wheel one, an eight week class that provides recycled clay and teaches you the basics of wheel throwing. I’ve since moved on to wheel two which is more about becoming comfortable and honing your skills at throwing. There is a diverse class list that ranges from off-​wheel sculpture, glass forms, and even a class dedicated to making the appropriate glasses for many different beers and alcohols.
The best part of taking formal classes is that you can come in any time they are open in addition to your scheduled class time and the firing and glazing is included in the class. Basically do as much as you can in that 4 – 8 week class and you’ll get your money’s worth.
Funke is an adult ceramics studio and they encourage you to BYOB and make the experience fun.
They are revamping their studio now and will soon have an awesome dedicated space for children’s classes and programs.

I’ve been here twice so far, once for an open wheel class and once for a functional class. The atmosphere is very laid back, and the instructors are helpful. You do your own cleanup, but I guess I can live with that. You shouldn’t expect to get something that looks decent out of either class, as they are mainly about having a good time with friends. That said, BRING FRIENDS. Depending on the event, they may even allow alcohol. That certainly makes it an enjoyable evening, but don’t expect good pieces the first time. Also, wear clothes that you don’t mind getting really dirty. Clay creates a lot of fine dust. It should come out of clothes in the wash, but why chance it (you’ll probably be covering them with an apron anyway). They also offer many «upgrades» to the classes for additional charges.
If you enjoy doing artsy stuff with friends, it’s worth giving it a try. Especially if they offer a Groupon again.

Funke fired Arts was a great experience — initially. I came to town for a Valentine’s Day adventure, and Funke Fired Arts was apart of my boyfriends surprise. They held a BYOB weekend event which consisted of making ceramics or decorating premade ceramics. It was a pretty relaxed environment, despite the fact that there were breakables, paint, and children of varying ages.
I chose to decorate a premade travel mug, and spent the next hour or so painting and chatting. When I was done, I was pretty proud of my mug. Upon paying, we were told that our items (he chose a mask) would be ready by Friday, and we bought a couple of their sweat shirts to remember the day. As we walked out, we toured the gallery, and made plans to return for their classes and to buy some of the mugs and other ceramic items throughout the store.
I extended my stay so that I could pick up my mug (which was was to be a gift). On Friday afternoon we received a call from one of the employees who informed us that there had been an accident in the kiln, and that my mug had fallen and was damaged. She said that they would have to re-​glaze it, and that it would be ready in another week. After telling her that I was from Chicago and that it was a gift, she was extremely friendly and said that they would fix it that night, and that I would be able to pick it up the next day. I was thrilled, and thanked her.
However (and here’s where the one star comes into play), we received a call a few minutes later and were told that it was more cost effective for them to simply mail my item in a week. We asked to speak with the manager, pointing out that it was not our error that caused the damage and that we should not be inconvenienced. The manager was extremely rude when speaking with us. She told me that pottery wasn’t a science, that my boyfriend hadn’t listened to her and that this was the reason that she frequently interrupted me during our conversation. She also raised her voice throughout, and insisted that repairing my item could not be done before next Friday because it would break her kiln. She then offered to mail the item and return our money, and although I should have left happier, my interaction with the manager left me quite sour. I have never, as a customer, had to tell a manager that they were being rude, to please allow me to finish a sentence, and to please not yell. In fact, I signed up just to write this review. The customer service and professionalism of the management is extremely poor, and although I really enjoyed my original experience, I can’t say that I would ever return. You’ve been forewarned, and Funke Fired Arts has lost a customer for life.

Funke Fired Arts is fun. It’s primarily a ceramics studio and gallery. We were contacted to perform at an event last autumn. It was great timing because we were winding down for the season and doing a gallery show seemed like a great idea. The owners were easy to work with even though they were sometimes a little difficult to reach. We were able to arrive early and plan our space and they went out of their way to make sure there was a comfortable place for our musicians and our dancers to perform.
Behind the performance space they created for us in the middle of the parking lot was a homemade fire pit made from railroad ties. The plan was to have a huge fire but luckily it didn’t happen because the main fuel were old pallets and who knows what types of compressed wood is found in those.
The gallery and studio space was incredible, large and well organized. When we walked in it was filled with artists, appreciators and spectators enjoying wine and various appetizers. This really seems like a great studio to be a part of. We hope to work with a few of the artists in the future and with any luck will return for another show
this coming autumn.