Claymakers

This is your reminder: Saturdays are a great day for ceramic art.

Claymakers Gallery is open today from 1–6 pm--stop by and check out 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦!

Session 6 classes begin next Sunday, August 30, but there’s still time to join us!

We have plenty of spaces across our schedule, including some popular classes like Beginning Wheel on Wednesday and Saturday mornings and shinos withGeekPots.

If you’ve been thinking about taking a class, now’s the time to grab a spot!

Belly Planters: Your Body is Art is a special workshop is geared towards folks who identify as plus size. ✨

Learn to throw & alter a belly planter using your own body as reference. With instructor Kaylin Tsukayama, this class will provide a safe space to explore your body from the perspective of body neutrality. ✨

This is a wheel class, and participants must be comfortable throwing a 2-4 pound cylinder. Students are invited to bring their own reference photos or Kaylin, who is a professional photographer, can assist participants in taking a reference photo during class. ✨

Kaylin has the following to share about making belly pots:

“As a self-identified fat person, I have a particular interest in working with fat folks as this exact technique has made a huge difference in my own attitude towards my body. However, I think this kind of work could be beneficial not just to fat folks, but to anyone who has body image issues…the internal work of analyzing your own body and providing a safe space for folks to do that is important.”✨

Sign up today at www.claymakers.org/classes ✨

🧪 Glaze chem in action!🧪

In Part 2 of 'sGlaze Chemistry class, students put what they learned in Part 1 to work, creating mosaics with self-formulated glazes ranging from glossy greens to matte, lichen-textured surfaces. This past weekend, they assembled their pieces with Marie’s guidance—and just look at how good they turned out!

Are you ready to fall in love with clay? Session 6 classes are almost here! Registration opens this Friday, August 14th at 12 pm sharp.

Choose from 18 classes in wheel throwing, handbuilding, and sculpture at all levels, including special topics like:

• Sculpting scary monsters with Anna
• ~Spooky intermediate wheel~ with Katie
• Carbon trapping with shinos with Liz

Check out the full lineup at claymakers.org/classes, and set your alarm—classes fill fast! We can’t wait to welcome you back into the studio 🍂

Are you interested in trying out clay? Our One-Time Workshops are the perfect opportunity to dip your toe into the world of pottery. Grab a friend or loved one (or join solo and meet some cool new folks!) and hop on a pottery wheel under the guidance of an experienced instructor. Our next 1x "Intro to Wheel" workshop is coming up on Friday, August 14th from 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Sign up at www.claymakers.org/classes ⚱⚱⚱

We're thrilled to welcome the Claymakers Gallery back with 𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚, a collaborative exhibition curated by Anna Schroeder.

Featuring 40 ceramic artworks created through collaborations between 14 potters and 20 tattoo artists, the show brings together the distinct artistic practices of ceramics and tattooing. Each piece is the result of a unique creative partnership, exploring what can emerge when artists work across disciplines.

All artwork will be available for purchase, with proceeds benefiting the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

Join us for the opening reception on Friday, August 7, from 7–9 pm. Meet many of the artists, enjoy light refreshments, and enter raffles for a Claymakers pottery class or tattoo credits with participating artists.

For more information about 𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 and the Claymakers Gallery, visit claymakers.org/current-exhibition.

A lot can happen in a week...

While the studio was closed between sessions, our crew was hard at work transforming part of our building into the new Claymakers Gallery, along with much-needed staff office and storage space. After years on pause following our 2020 move, we're so excited to bring gallery programming back to Claymakers.

While we had the tools out, we tackled a few other studio upgrades, too:
• New shelving and work tables in the sculpture and handbuilding studio
• ❄CLIMATE CONTROL❄ in the glazing area

Thanks to our incredible volunteers--Annie, Jane, Ronnie, and Tam--for lending your time, skills, tools, and muscle. And an extra-special shoutout to Bec, who led our crew through the build—we truly couldn't have made this happen without you!

The Claymakers Gallery is almost ready, and we can't wait to share it with you. Stay tuned for more information about our first exhibition, opening August 7th 💫