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Pop up Community Clay Golem Making Workshop with Ariana Stein
Join Ari Stein’s Golem Workshop on June 2! Explore folklore and make clay art to support Many Lands Mutual Aid.
About the Class
What are the stories we tell each other? What mythologies do we build to protect us? And how might we seek community and understanding through making?
Join Resident Artist, Ari Stein, as she teaches the 2nd iteration of her Community Clay Golem Making Workshop. Ari has chosen to donate her teaching fees to benefit Many Lands Mutual Aid in Palestine. Ari Stein, a Jewish and Hungarian-American Ceramicist, will share the history and lore of the Golem as the community works in wet clay to build their own creatures. Participants will create wet clay Golems, that will be recycled back into workable clay after the workshop is complete. Snacks and beverages provided during this community gathering and art making workshop.
Golems are protective humanoid figures sculpted from clay in Jewish Folklore, and brought to life through magic. Stories about golems have been passed down for thousands of years. Some say Adam was the first Golem. God sculpted him from clay, and Adam became a man once God breathed life into his clay body. Since then, many stories have been told about clay figures who come to life to protect or help the Jewish people. The most famous story about a Golem takes place in Prague in 1590. Read more about the Story of the Golem Here:
Ari Stein has chosen to donate her teaching fee to Many Lands Mutual Aid, a project that funds direct support to community members suffering in Gaza via food and water distribution, shelter building, and meeting other direct needs. Former Resident Artist, Melissa Weiss, has also worked directly with Many Lands Mutual Aid.
This workshop is free and donation based. You may fill out the registration form attached and choose to donate $15. Direct donation to the artist is also available day of the event. If you’d prefer to donate on the day of the event, please RSVP via email to [email protected] so we ensure we have a proper head count.
*The views and opinions expressed by the artist do not necessarily reflect those of the Sonoma Community Center staff or Board.*
About your Instructor
Ariana Stein
Ariana Stein (She/They) is a ceramic artist in residence at Sonoma Community Center in Sonoma, CA. They apprenticed in Seagrove, North Carolina, and learned traditional methods of woodfiring and vessel-making under Kate Waltman. Ari has a passion for big pots, and enjoys the physical challenge of large work paired with elaborate decoration. Her pots combine historic forms and woodfiring with Eastern European folkloric imagery. Ari is Hungarian-American, and received the first annual creative fellowship from NCECA to attend a residency in Hungary last spring. In 2025, Ari recieved the Studio Potter Grant for Apprenticeship to help build a woodfire kiln with Kate Waltman. She has exhibited her work across the USA and internationally.
https://arianastein.com/
Membership has its benefits
All Silver Memberships and above receive 10% off the registration cost for any class purchase over $40.
Materials fees are not discounted.
Become a member today and find community, connection, and creativity.
Class FAQ
We ask that you notify us at least 10 days in advance of a class if you need to cancel your registration. You may cancel by phone or email and we will gladly offer you a refund or credit toward a future class. If you cancel with less than 10 days’ notice, we will not be able to provide refunds, due to our contractual obligations and material purchases for each class.
Sometimes, the Sonoma Community Center has to cancel a class due to low enrollment or unforeseen circumstances, such as a natural disaster or health emergency. If this happens and we do not offer a reschedule date, you will be refunded 100% of your registration fee (minus the payment processing and services fee), or credit towards a future class. If we are able to offer a reschedule date but you are unable to make the new date, we will gladly offer credit towards a future class.
All credits must be used within 1 year.
You can view our full class policies and guidelines here.
The Sonoma Community Center is committed to creating an accessible learning environment. If you require any special considerations(medical, physical, learning) please share them with Sean Baskin, Program Associate, by emailing him at [email protected] so that he can forward them to the relevant Program Director and Instructor.
Late additions to any program, class, or workshop that has already begun will be allowed on a per-case basis depending upon the Program Director & instructors approval. Late additions will have to pay the full registration cost of the class, along with any materials fees, and will not be prorated for the time missed. You may reach out to the program directors directly, or the Program Associate Sean Baskin at [email protected] to request a late addition.
We are always looking for new instructors. You can fill out the form directly here.
Pop up Community Clay Golem Making Workshop with Ariana Stein
Join Ari Stein’s Golem Workshop on June 2! Explore folklore and make clay art to support Many Lands Mutual Aid.
Schedule
Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026
5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
This Session
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Location
Experience Level
All-Levels, Beginning, Intermediate and AdvancedAge(s)
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18-over and 21-overRSVP’s are closed for this event. If you are interested in attending, please reach out to Meg Billingham [email protected]
