Places to Go: Pottery Painting Studios
Looking for a unique teacher gift? Date night destination? Screen-free activity for teens? A pottery painting studio could be your answer! Painting pottery is fun for all ages — from selecting your ceramic piece and glaze colors, to plotting out your design, to picking it up after it’s been fired to see the finished product! Here are three locally owned pottery painting studios to visit:
Nichole Ralls and Cassy Brown, owners of Gracefully Glazed. Photo courtesy Gracefully Glazed.
Gracefully Glazed Pottery Barn
Sisters Nichole Ralls and Cassy Brown first opened Gracefully Glazed Pottery Barn in Coweta in 2023. Today, Gracefully Glazed is a thriving business located in Broken Arrow’s Rose District.
“We started this business because we both have daughters who share a deep love of art,” says Ralls. “Our goal was to create a community-based, family-oriented, hands-on experience that could be shared by children, families and couples alike.”
The studio space is bright and inviting, with plenty of tables for walk-in guests as well as a private party room that seats up to 16 people.
Two things in particular set Gracefully Glazed apart from other painting studios: Their build-your-own-bear station, Bear Necessities, and their shop axolotl, Bubblegum!
“Our favorite part of the business is hearing customers share childhood memories. of painting ceramics with their great-grandparents,” says Ralls. “We are truly grateful to provide a home for an art form that many feel has been lost over time.”
The studio fee is $5 per painter; ceramic pieces start at $5. Gracefully Glazed is open 4-9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; Saturday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday from 1-7 p.m. Keep an eye out on Facebook for extended hours during school breaks.
206 S. Main St, Broken Arrow
gracefullyglazed.com
Purple Glaze Studio
Purple Glaze Studio has been facilitating Tulsa creativity since it opened as “Paint’n Place Studio” in 1994, thanks to founders Jim and Jeff Stunkard. The family-owned company now has two convenient locations: one in South Tulsa, near 91st and Sheridan, and the other in Brookside.
Due to high demand, the Brookside location has expanded into a neighboring storefront; if the main area is full, a staff member will lead you up a flight of stairs to “The Loft,” which is supplied with all the glazes and painting supplies you’ll need.
According to their website, Purple Glaze stocks thousands of paintable ceramics items — most of which are manufactured locally — including animal figurines, travel mugs, holiday décor, and so much more. The studio fee is just $4, with the average price of an unpainted item being around $15. Ask about their take-and-make options, as well as party rentals, which start at $99 plus a “per painter” fee.
The Brookside location is open daily, with the exception of Monday; the South Tulsa location is open 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Groups and parties will be booked outside of usual operating hours.
Brookside: 3303 S. Peoria Ave.
South Tulsa: 6528 E. 91st St.
purpleglazestudio.com
The Copper Kiln
Located in Owasso’s Redbud District, The Copper Kiln has been serving local families since 2012. Wendy Gonzalez, who purchased the business in 2023, says she and her children were customers of The Copper Kiln dating back to its early days and still enjoy “paint dates” together.
“Painting pottery is more than just an activity—it becomes a keepsake, a moment in time you can hold onto forever,” says Gonzalez.
Most of The Copper Kiln’s pottery pieces are made locally in Sand Springs or Owasso. The Sand Springs pieces, in fact, are made by a mother-daughter team in their 90s and 70s, respectively.
“We’re especially known for our collection of vintage-inspired pieces, locally made designs and meaningful keepsakes,” says Gonzalez. One of their newer designs is a Route 66 mug, created just in time for the centennial.
Photo courtesy Brandi Moore
Owasso resident Brandi Moore says her family loves Copper Kiln. The staff is friendly, helpful throughout the process and “always tell my kiddos that they love their finished piece.”
This sense of community and support is at the heart of the business. “At The Copper Kiln, our mission goes far beyond pottery,” says Gonzalez. “We truly believe in creating a space where people can gather, laugh, slow down and be present with one another.”
122 S. Main St., Owasso
facebook.com/thecopperkiln
