If you’re looking for a way to get creative this year, BellyFire Studios might be the place for you. They offer everything from pottery painting to wheel-throwing lessons, and it’s only a five-minute drive from campus. 

Owner and LSU alumnus (‘20) David Rollins encourages all students to challenge themselves and try new things this year. He aims to help artists and beginners discover their inner creativity. 

“The main goal for BellyFire is to support artists,” Rollins said. “It’s important to support passionate local artists and provide growing artists with a space to explore their journey in art.” 

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When you first walk into the studio, the walls are lined with options for a “paint your own pottery” experience. Anyone can enjoy the opportunity to glaze a mug, figurine, plate or even a unique holiday pottery piece while letting their imaginations run wild with ideas. 

This experience is perfect for students looking for a quick break between classes, as it can be fun and therapeutic. You can even find decorations for your dorm or apartment with. 

We attempted to glaze some pieces of our own. The process takes around 10 days, and then you’ll have your very own pottery creation. My editor and I chose a llama and a leaf jewelry dish. 

There was a wide variety of colors available, but be careful with how detailed you make your design, because you’ll have to do three coats. 

The llama dish turned out lovely and detailed, but the leaf jewelry dish left much to be desired because the intended tie-dye look did not take effect. 

“Paint your own pottery” isn’t all the studio offers, though. Rollins mentioned he was most excited about the classes BellyFire Studios are offering. 

One of their more popular events is “Merlot and Mud” nights every Saturday, where participants spend two hours creating beautiful ceramics and sipping their favorite drinks. The studio also hosts “Clay Night” every Friday, where beginners and experts can create for two hours. 

“These classes are a great creative date, more than anything else going on in town right now,” Rollins said. 

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Rollins hopes the studio eventually grows to host these events every night.

For those looking for something more challenging, BellyFire Studios offers lessons from experienced instructors. These instructors educate on techniques and the skills necessary to form clay on a pottery wheel into spectacular pieces.

LSU student Ella King is a pottery instructor in some of BellyFire Studios’ classes. Just like Rollins, she recommends students start with one of their night classes and guarantees you will leave with a piece. 

“I absolutely love that I can put my passion into what I do now and that I can help other people create a new hobby,” King said. “I’m so glad I found the studio, because LSU doesn’t allow non-art majors to take ceramics classes, so without BellyFire, I wouldn’t be able to do pottery at all.”