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Verified Maven · Ceramics & Pottery

Sofia Renard

Wheel Throwing · Raku Firing · Glaze Chemistry

Lyon, France
French · English · ASL
Beginner-friendly

About Sofia

Twelve years at the wheel, and the clay still surprises me.

I grew up in Lyon in a family that cooked together, repaired things together, made things with their hands. Ceramics found me in my early twenties through a weekend class I took on a whim — and I never looked back. What started as a hobby became a vocation, and then a practice I couldn't imagine living without.


I trained formally at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, then spent two years apprenticing with a wood-fire ceramicist in rural Japan. Those years changed the way I understand patience, imperfection, and what it means to make something by hand.


I teach because I believe there's something that happens in a person when they first feel clay center on a wheel — something quieting, something real. My workshops are slower than most. I'd rather you leave with one bowl you made with full attention than five you rushed through. I teach in French, English, and ASL, and welcome all experience levels.

Specializations

Wheel Throwing Hand Building Raku Firing Glaze Chemistry Wood Firing Wabi-Sabi Aesthetics Beginner-Friendly Functional Pottery Sculptural Forms

How to Work with Sofia

Choose the format that fits your needs.

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Private Workshop

One-on-one session at my studio in Lyon. Tailored entirely to your goals — wheel throwing, hand building, or glazing. All materials included.

From €150 / 3-hour session
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Group Workshop

For groups of 4–10. Great for team events, birthday gatherings, or creative groups. I bring the clay, you bring the curiosity.

From €55 / person (min. 4)
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Virtual Session

Online glaze chemistry, design consultation, or critique session. Ideal for potters who want guidance without travel.

€80 / hour
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Retreat Residency

Available to join retreat programs as a ceramics facilitator. I've worked with wellness retreats, artist residencies, and corporate offsites.

Contact to discuss
4.9
★★★★★
38 reviews
5★
88%
4★
9%
3★
3%
2★
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1★
0%
Photos from reviews
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Maya L.
🫙
James K.
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Priya S.
🎨
Tom R.
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Annika B.
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Wei C.
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Léa M.
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Maya Lindström
★★★★★
· Private Workshop · March 2025

Sofia is extraordinary. I came in as a complete beginner — genuinely nervous — and left with a bowl I'm proud of and a completely new relationship to slowness. She doesn't rush you. She watches how you work and meets you exactly where you are. I've booked my next session already.

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🫙
12 found this helpful
J
James Kowalski
★★★★★
· Group Workshop · February 2025

Booked Sofia for our team offsite — 8 people, mixed experience levels. She handled the chaos gracefully and somehow made everyone feel capable. Three of my colleagues have now booked individual sessions with her. The work she produces herself is also stunning — her studio is a beautiful space.

🏛️
8 found this helpful
P
Priya Sharma
★★★★★
· Virtual Session · January 2025

I reached out for a glaze chemistry consultation — I'd been struggling with a specific ash glaze for months. Sofia diagnosed the issue in about 20 minutes and gave me a clear reformulation path. More than that, she explained the why behind every decision. Worth every euro.

5 found this helpful
A
Annika Berg
★★★★☆
· Private Workshop · December 2024

Wonderful experience overall. Sofia is patient, knowledgeable, and clearly loves what she does. Taking one star off only because the studio was a bit difficult to find — no signage from the street. But once you're inside, it's a magical space. I made my first successful bowl and she helped me glaze it beautifully.

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3 found this helpful
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12
Yrs Experience
Reviews
Availability ● Open
Available
Booked
Offered in
In-person workshops (Lyon)
Virtual sessions
Group workshops
Private 1-on-1 lessons
Retreats & residencies
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