Stolen Bagel started off as a cafe and slowly become much more! When the owner, Li started hosting pottery classes, what was before just a regular cafe became a pottery studio out of Li's passion for ceramics and our amazing customers. After a couple of years break, we have reopened in a brand new studio in central Christchurch. We offer a great variety of classes, private sessions, membership and pottery services. Our goal here at Stolen Bagel is to become a community where everyone feels welcome to create.
Effy Cho
Effy hails from South Korea and has always had a passion for drawing and making things with her hands from a young age. She pursued her love for the arts by attending a fine art craft university in Seoul, Korea. Her career began in visual merchandising design in Seoul. She later relocated to Singapore where she taught floral arrangement.​In 2016, while living in Manhattan, NYC, Effy discovered her true calling in pottery. This newfound passion had a profound impact on her life, becoming the highlight of her varied career and experiences. Now based in Christchurch, Effy is excited to share the magic of pottery with others, bringing her diverse background and deep love for the craft to every class she teaches.
Mido Yu
Mido began studying ceramics in Jingdezhen, porcelain capital of China, in 2012 and received his Bachelor's Degree in Art Design from the Jingdezhen Ceramic University in 2016 before joining the Jingdezhen Tung Yao Ceramics Studio to take on the position of director. And joined in Stolen Bagel as a teacher in Jan 2024. Mido has been working with clay for over 11 years. During this time, she has completed her studies and her ceramic works have been collected by Jingdezhen Ceramic University; she has created her own ceramic brand, exhibiting and selling her handmade tablewares and small decorative objects, and she is good at using new materials in ceramic production and design, with a delicate and whimsical style; she has set up a ceramic service studio, and she has led a team to offer ceramic courses, and has grown up from operating and teaching. These experiences have made her an independent ceramic artist. Ceramics has been one of Mido's lifelong career and exploring New Zealand's ceramic culture is something she is doing.
Isabella Hardy
Isabella is an Otautahi local, growing up and living nearby. She started her pottery journey in 2021 by enrolling in classes with the passionate and knowledgeable team at Ata Ceramics. Since then she has continued to work on her own personal ceramic style and discovered a love for supporting people starting their own pottery journey. Previously tutoring in 2024/2025 at Pottery Capital, she is excited to be rejoining the tutoring space at Stolen Bagel, helping others to discover their own style in a supportive and fun environment. Isabella has a passion for art in all its forms and exploring crafts all over the globe. After a short break to travel, she has goals to continue perfecting her own style and is looking to expand into the commercial space, eventually joining the Christchurch market circuit.
