Matt Smith Ceramics

Booked in for a 4 hour introductory taster session with my husband.. Something new for both of us & we both throughly enjoyed it! We didn’t think there would be much hope in achieving a pot however Deborah had the patience of a saint & talked us through every step whilst being laid back & having a sense of humour.. We achieved quite a few pots between us & had a lot of fun along the way! Will be back to try out some weekly courses to see if can improve these new skills. ♥️ Thank you for a brilliant experience & inspiring the love of this craft!

In a nut shell; an incredibly beautiful, functional and inspiring studio, set within the stunning south downs countryside, ran by an incredibly knowledgeable artist and teacher, with a great support team and frequented by supportive potters with a range of experience. I've dipped in and out of ceramics over the past 3 years, and it has been great taking instruction and guidance from Matt, as well as from Anne who specialises in glazing. My ability to centre has greatly increased and I feel excited to build on what I've learnt so far. An outstanding studio to participate in. Would highly recommend - if you can, sign up for a course and you won't regret i!

I've been doing pottery at Matt Smith ceramics for four months. I've found his help and encouragement fantastic. He will demonstrate different techniques which are amazing to watch but then be there with you when you are struggling with your little pot! Annie the glacing specialist is there to advise and demonstrate this alchemistic art. The studio is a superb space full of pots and potters- a lovely friendly atmosphere with a wood burning stove and delicious coffee and biscuits.

I recently attended Matt’s beginners 2 hour Throwing Clay session as a surprise birthday present…..and wow, I loved it Matt creates a really relaxed atmosphere in his studio. His teaching methods were perfect for me….relaxed, quite informal and with enough demonstration and explanation to allow me to get in with learning the skill itself. What was really nice was the way he demonstrated each stage then was available for me to check in with him before I went in to the next. And at the end, after at least 12 attempts🤣, I managed to make a small bowl I was proud of….even if it was meant to be a vase/pot 🤣🤣 I really can’t recommend Matt enough and I will definitely be going back in the New Year for more lessons and practice Thanks Matt

I spent a very enjoyable fours hours on Matt Smith's "introduction to hand throwing" pottery course at Charlton Barns. Both he and Brian, his assistant were excellent instructors and were encouraging and friendly. There were seven students on the course, so plenty of one to one support. Apart from a basic introductory demo, it was pretty much all hands on, with an endless supply of clay balls to play with. The coffee was very good and the atmosphere was relaxed, good humoured and supportive. A very pleasant and enjoyable way of spending a Saturday. Highly recommended.

First time potting. Booked a 4hr taster session and it was great! Hand built for the first 2hrs, then onto throwing pots for the rest of the afternoon. The instructors were friendly, knowledgable and encouraging. Between the morning and afternoon session, we visited the pub close by, where food was delicious with lots of gluten free options. The studio was delightful with a serene atmosphere. I would highly recommend.

We took part in one of Matt’s 4 hour courses and had a great day. Matt’s a great teacher with a wealth of knowledge. I can honestly say that after 1 lesson we are 200 per cent better potters. You can’t beat 1 on 1 tuition to correct your simple errors. I would advise anyone to take a lesson with Matt rather than look on YouTube.