Cambria, California
Amphora Gallery
Amphora is a fine craft gallery founded in 2012 by Peggy Vrana that showcases local art, ceramics, sculpture, paintings, woodwork, jewelry, and textiles.
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Practicing Ceramic Artist/Potter
Shachi Shah
Recent works
I make each piece by hand in small batches at my home studio. Most begin on the wheel and are altered or hand-built along the way. I fire my work in wood, gas, or electric kilns. My recent work is gas-fired to cone 6 in reduction.
Clay has taken me farther than I ever imagined…
It has introduced me to places I never thought I’d visit, and to people who slowly became mentors, collaborators, students, and dear friends!
I’m a practicing ceramic artist, based in San Diego, California, making and selling functional pottery for everyday living. Beginning with wheel-thrown forms, I explore subtle alterations that bring movement and individuality to each piece.
Alongside my studio practice, I teach beginner and all-level pottery classes, hold workshops, and continue learning through every community I become part of. Teaching reminds me where I began, keeps me grounded, and lets me share the joy of working with clay.
I’m most interested in making work that feels honest, useful, and quietly lived with.
More about my practice →
Find my work at:
San Diego, California
San Diego Potters’ Guild
The guild is a juried membership of more than 40 potters from San Diego, California. We are located in Balboa Park’s historic Village Arts Center, at Studio 29, where members make and sell their work directly to the public.
Directions →Markets & Shows
Upcoming
Oct 17–18, 2026
UCSD Craft Center Makers Market
UC San Diego Craft Center, San Diego, CA
Upcoming
Nov 14–15, 2026
San Diego Potters’ Guild Fall Patio Show
Spanish Village Art Center, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
Upcoming
Selected Past
Jun 13–14, 2026
San Diego Potters’ Guild Spring Patio Show
Spanish Village Art Center, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
Apr 25–26, 2026
Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail
Shelburne Falls, MA
Fellowships/Scholarships
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Publications
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Learn with me
Small groups, muddy hands, and practical instruction in making with clay. Current classes and workshops are listed below.
Learn how to make plates: Bread/Dinner Plates
A two-session wheel-throwing workshop for making bread and dinner plates that stay strong and flat.
- Location
- UC San Diego Craft Center
- Dates
- Summer 2026 · 2 Thursdays
- Time
- 4–7pm
Intermediate Wheel Throwing
Build confidence at the wheel while throwing taller cylinders, bellied pots, altered forms, and handles with greater consistency.
- Location
- UC San Diego Craft Center
- Dates
- Summer 2026 · 4 Thursdays
- Time
- 12–3pm
Summer Bowls & Seasonal Salads
Build and decorate a functional bowl, then return for a seasonal cooking session and shared salad served in your finished piece.
- Location
- UC San Diego Craft Center
- Dates
- Jul 23 & Aug 6, 2026
- Time
- 4–7pm · 4–5:30pm
Wheel Throwing for Beginners
Learn the fundamentals of wedging, centering, and throwing cylinders, then turn them into glazed cups, mugs, bowls, and more.
- Location
- UC San Diego Craft Center
- Dates
- Summer 2026 · 4 Wednesdays
- Time
- 1–4pm
4-Week Ceramic Wheel Throwing – Fridays
Build a foundation at the wheel through centering, cylinders, bowls, mugs, trimming, surface details, and a final glazing session.
- Location
- San Diego Craft Collective
- Dates
- 4 Fridays · Select a session
- Time
- 5:30–8pm · final until 8:30pm
Request a private class
Plan a one-on-one or small-group pottery class shaped around your experience, interests, and schedule.
- Location
- San Diego · arranged together
- Format
- Private or small group
- Schedule
- By arrangement
Journal
May 2026
Apr 2026
2026
06 Jan 2026
Wood & Salt Firing with Linda Christianson
Two weeks at Cider Creek Collective in Albion, California, returning to wood firing after two years away.
Apr 2026
Joining the San Diego Potters’ Guild
Becoming part of a community built on craftsmanship, generosity, and shared responsibility.
2026
Learning Beyond Clay
Sourdough, woodworking, and the pleasure of becoming a beginner again.
06 Jan 2026
On repetition
One hundred cups, and what they taught me about sameness, difference, and patience.