Meet Antonia Lara Sanchez

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Step into one of Antonia Lara Sanchez's workshops and you'll immediately sense the vibrancy of community that fuels her work. Whether she's selling art showcasing the Latinx community of Providence at craft fairs or working as a design educator, Antonia has always been driven to share the positive impact of creativity with others. Now, as a full-time craft workshop instructor across the Bay Area, she has found the perfect intersection of her career and passion.

Often hosted in the peaceful enclave of a local plant store, nf!Antonia starts her workshops by reminding students to relinquish expectations and embrace play. Surrounded by lush greenery and craft supplies you’ll have the chance to learn macrame or get curious with clay hand building. And more importantly, take some time to connect to yourself and build your very own creative community.

Students in Antonia's macrame class in Oakland, sit around a table surrounded by plants as they work on their projects.

Getting creative will help you…

“It's a way to express ourselves beyond words and oftentimes can dig deeply into our subconscious mind. Being creative, regardless of the medium, is an act of vulnerability and extremely personal. When we allow ourselves to fully engage in the present and let the creative process guide us, we learn about ourselves.”

Antonia molds a ball of clay as she stands behind her booth at a craft fair.

Pottery feels good…

“I took a wheel throwing class during the fall of 2022 and instantly connected with the medium. I saw it as a way to stay rooted in the present and with my body. I wanted to share this feeling with others, which led to me reaching out to local plant stores to teach in their space.”

A group of students in a pottery hand building class sit around a table in front of clay and supplies as their teacher Antonia stands above them.

Hand building classes are one of a kind…

“My favorite class to teach is hand built ceramics. There have never been two students whose work is even close to being alike. I love seeing people connect with themselves and laugh!”

Three students in a macrame class in Oakland hold up their finished macrame plant hangers.

My top tip for beginners…

“Let go of any expectations, any worries from your day-to-day life, and any fear. Give yourself the grace to fully experience the creative process and let yourself be guided by it. I verbalize letting go of any expectations and self-criticism while also mentioning that this is a time to have fun and relax. This sets the tone for the class! I also like to remind people that creating is an iterative process and that there is always room for improvement along the way.”

A group of students in a hand building class in Oakland sit around a table in front of clay and pottery supplies.

My favorite part of the workshop is…

“As an educator, I love to learn alongside students. I believe it helps me deepen my practices and stay curious. Taking workshops helps us connect to ourselves and also build community. One of my favorite things is noticing that during workshops, people are mainly off of their phones, enjoying the present, and being intentional about how they are interacting with the medium they are working with.”

See their classes