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Pottery enthusiasts on the Peninsula have something new to get fired up about: Spiffy Pottery Studio, located in the Willows neighborhood of Menlo Park, is a community pottery studio and ceramics teaching space that is set to open its doors in February. Jeffrey Liang, the 29-year-old founder of Spiffy, is hoping that the space will function not only as a pottery studio, but also as a place for a local ceramics community to bloom.
While the studio’s initial offerings include wheel throwing and handbuilding classes, studio memberships and workshops, Liang says he is eager to expand his offerings based on community feedback. In particular, he hopes to roll out additional youth classes and specialized workshops as demand grows.
One of the driving forces behind Spiffy Pottery Studio is Liang’s desire to develop a strong, friendly ceramics community on the Peninsula.
“I want people to (enjoy) being here because they feel the feeling of belonging,” said Liang, a Mountain View resident. “Through this collective ceramic environment, we can create something that’s original and really cool.”
Located just steps from Palo Alto, Liang describes the spot as a “magical corner.” Spiffy is located just next door to Cafe Zoe, La Hacienda Market and other local businesses along Menalto Avenue; Liang says that foot traffic and close-knit atmosphere in the area is great.
“(This location) is extra special because it is located in a dense residential area,” he said. “Unlike a lot of studios, we are just next door to our customers.”
After talking with neighbors and Menlo Park residents, Liang says he has discovered that there is clearly very high demand for ceramics studios on the Peninsula, as there are not many other pottery studios nearby. He has already sold out of almost all of his classes before the studio has even officially opened its doors.
Owner Jeffrey Liang sets up ceramic spinning wheels at Spiffy Pottery Studio in Menlo Park on Jan. 7, 2025. The studio will be offering classes and memberships starting in February. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney. 
Owner Jeffrey Liang unpacks and arranges supplies at Spiffy Pottery Studio in Menlo Park on Jan. 7, 2025. The studio will be offering classes and memberships starting in February. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney. 
Owner Jeffrey Liang unpacks and arranges supplies at Spiffy Pottery Studio in Menlo Park on Jan. 7, 2025. The studio will be offering classes and memberships starting in February. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney.
“Due to the demand in this location, we are already looking to launch additional workshops for adults or kids,” he said.
Liang, who has been teaching ceramics for half a decade, first threw himself into the ceramics world after taking a ceramics class at City College of San Francisco. He had previously worked as an industrial designer, but says he quickly realized that ceramics was a path he wanted to pursue once he got his hands on the clay.
Within a semester of taking his first ceramics class, Liang was working in local pottery shops as an instructor and studio manager. A few years ago, he also began selling his own line of handmade ceramics. He says this experience has prepared him well to run his own pottery studio, and he is excited to have a space where he can teach and share his love of ceramics with the community.
“I’ve always wanted to do my own thing,” he said. “I believe I can improve some aspects of what I see on the current market. But most importantly, I am hooked on inspiring people. As a teacher, I really like the feeling of people getting inspired by ceramics. … So that’s my motivation for all of this.”
Opening Spiffy Potter Studio has been a labor of love for Liang, who has done most of the renovations himself. Luckily, the space already had the electrical hookups required to run kilns, but Liang needed to repaint the walls and move all of the heavy ceramics equipment into the studio on his own. However, the studio is truly a community endeavor, and Liang says he has received a lot of help from his family, and especially his wife Joanne, to help get the business going.
Liang said he is going to have to put his personal ceramics projects on hold while he works to get the studio up and running, but that he is excited to be able to continue making ceramics in the space he has built.
“For the next one or two years, I want to establish this physical space to a really efficient working condition,” he said. “But eventually I will still need my own time to make pottery, because that is, to me, therapeutic.”
Liang’s ceramics practice is informed by his prior work as an industrial designer.
“I really care about the functionality and the comfort of the users. I like to design my pieces in a way that the users can be very comfortable and enjoy it,” he said. He hopes to pass off this philosophy to his students.
Liang says if the launch of Spiffy goes well, he hopes to expand to other locations on the Peninsula.
Learn more about the studio and view class and membership offerings as thespiffystudio.info.
Spiffy Pottery Studio: 1919 Menalto Ave; will be open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
