Hands on clay, hearts for strays
As workshop guests shape their creations on the potter’s wheel, resident rescue dogs and cats softly pad around the room. Pawterry Studio & Arts, at first glance, is similar to any creative workspace. However, once you step inside the studio nestled in the mountains of Antipolo, Rizal, along Sapinit Road, every wad and lump of clay thrown at the wheel carries a much larger purpose.
From animal shelter to cafe to pottery studio
The birth of the studio traces back to 2016 when founder Christianne Cruz started rescuing strays. The property operated first as an animal shelter, then evolved into a café called Pawtion Café in 2021. The Hows of Paws is an animal rescue organization directly integrated with the pottery studio. Also founded by Cruz, it was formerly part of the Pawtion Café Foundation.
“Actually, we want to bring back the café,” pottery assistant Quillah Ruiz says, with the hope of boosting funds for food and medical expenses of their rescued animals.
That’s because the coffee shop ceased operations during the pandemic. Cruz then repurposed the space in 2023 to bring the pottery concept, which originally started in Mandaluyong City. Moving to Antipolo in 2024 allowed the studio to expand its services and install its own kiln to host larger workshops.
Anne Paghid, studio caretaker for two years, shared that their largest booking to date was a group of 20 call center agents seeking a creative reset during a teambuilding activity. Today, the studio’s clients mostly comprise young couples, newlyweds, and friend groups taking “hobbymaxxing” to heart.
“Everything here in the studio started really as an animal shelter,” studio manager and pottery mentor Quinna “Q” Ruiz says, emphasizing their core mission. “For all of our workshops, 100 percent of our net profit goes to all of the animals.”
Meet the furry (and feathery) companions
The studio currently has seven dogs as well as cats that are too many to count. Ruiz shares that despite her frequent sessions with clients, the cats’ names are yet to be memorized. Some of the dogs have backstories of how they got their name.
Happy and New Year, or “NY” for short, are sisters who were taken out of harm’s way on New Year’s Eve. Meanwhile, Heaven was found outside the entrance of Heaven’s Gate Memorial Gardens, a cemetery in Antipolo. Today, Heaven is wearing a cone while she is currently on medication to heal from a blood parasite condition.
One of the pack survivors is Toffee, a Golden Retriever liberated from an illegal breeding facility as a puppy. Most dogs in the shelter are two years old.
The studio’s humble sanctuary extends far beyond tailwags and felines; it is also home to two turtles, Toby and Tabby, and a duck named Spike, whom Cruz rescued along the highway in Cavite.
The team aims to sculpt a connection between visitors and stray animals, moving beyond the technical aspects of pottery. Resident rescues are free to roam the studio, acting as gentle “supawvisors” to make the pottery experience more enjoyable.
The deep bond between the team and clients with the rescue animals is evident in how they run the studio. As Ruiz puts it, “deprived sila of love, kaya they give it para ma-reciprocate sa kanila. That’s why we also let them roam around here kapag mayroong mga workshop. And, of course, we do everything that we do here for them.”
“There’s a big taboo that strays are just strays, but they can be the most affectionate,” Ruiz adds.
A space to slow down
The pottery studio is built as a dual refuge as well to contribute to animal welfare and ease burnout.
Niqui Matteo-Piñon, a graphic designer from Pasig City and participant in the day’s workshop, notes how the hands-on session fulfills a quiet need to unwind. “It’s nice to slow down because everything is hectic nowadays, and having a hobby where you can just enjoy what you make and learn a skill without the pressure of targets or a boss hovering over you is important,” Matteo-Piñon shares.
Pawterry Studio & Arts’ impact isn’t defined by its remote setting or the art of pottery alone. Booking a pottery session is not just picking out a new hobby, it is also about contributing to a meaningful cause.
“I think people are finally seeing the importance of these types of hobbies. And I found na dahil they support and donate to animals, mas may purpose or intention ’yung sa pag-sign up ng class dito,” she adds.
The studio is planning to release four new collections in the next month: the Swirl, Magnet, Shapes, and Animal Collections. Currently, the Alon, Luntian, Tara, and Kape Collections are available.
For Ruiz, what truly puts the studio on the map is the visibility and care given to their rescue animals. “People can feel through the screen that these animals are loved and taken good care of here. That’s why people realize this isn’t just another studio. It’s somewhere you should really visit.”
“There’s a big taboo that strays are just strays, but they can be the most affectionate.”
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