THE DISTRICT CLAY CENTER
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      • Friend of The Friend - L.H. Griffin
      • El aliento de vida - Álvaro Alejandro López
      • Moments from Eternity - Sergei Isupov
      • Accumulate - Jon McMillan
      • Stoked!
      • Earth and Fire Talk
      • Into the Abyss - Nicole Ponce
      • Painted with Fire - Kit Ruseau
      • Contemplated Commotion - Madeline Rothman
      • Transience - Barbara Stauffer
      • Bottoms Up!
      • Smokin' Pots
      • City Upon A Hill - Connor Czora
      • Teachers on Display
      • Subversive Nature - Russel Biles
      • Vital Breath - Vicki Lynn Wilson
      • The Space Between
      • Past Tense - David DaSilva
      • Alleviating Quiet - Adero Willard
      • Blush - Sam Briegel
      • Fusion - Joe Hicks
      • Lies
      • Veiled
      • Floating Islands
      • Us - Emerging Voices
      • Totemic Raku

District Clay Center

Passover Pottery:
Make a Ceramic Seder Plate
February 15 - March 1, 2026

In this special 3-week intensive, Laurel Schwartz will guide students through the process of creating hand-built ceramic seder plates for Passover! Laurel will discuss different formats for seder dishes, including a compartmental dish or a matching set of individual dishes. Students will also discuss the benefits of each format and the importance of ceramics in cultural traditions.

By the end of the intensive, students will have experience making large serving dishes, their own homemade seder plate(s), and new knowledge in Passover traditions!
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New 8-week Intensive:
Level Up Your Surface Design
​with Karlee Yurek

Bringing your ideas to life in clay doesn’t have to be hard! Join the 8-week surface design intensive and explore new, fresh ways to generate ideas while learning a variety of versatile surface decoration techniques on all types of clay surfaces - from soft clay through glazing.

Students will choose from different surface design techniques to learn, including:
•   Sgraffito   •   Incising/Mishima   •   Sliptrailing and slip application
•   Sprig-molding   •   Slip transfer of images with newsprint   •   Stamps - bisque, wood
•   Underglaze   •   Stencils - newsprint, vinyl, Tyvek   •   Water etching - wax and Tyvek 
•   Latex resist and wax resist during glazing


​Wheel-Throwing for Raku
with Alex Bellay
​Sunday, March 8, 1-4 PM

Join us to learn pottery techniques for raku firing!

In this 3-hour workshop with DCC raku instructor Alex Bellay, students will learn how to optimize their ceramics for a successful raku firing. Drawing from historical context, scientific explanation, and hands-on throwing, students will create pots that best capture the textures and glazes of raku.

 Alex will demonstrate 4 different forms at the wheel: bud vases, larger vases, bottles, & altered forms. With Alex's guidance, students will put these techniques to the test with our special raku clay!
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Spring Raku Dates Now Online!

Dreaming of warmer weather and even hotter pottery?

Our spring dates for Raku and Naked Raku firings are now online! Join us to operate our raku kilns, handle the reduction chambers, and reveal your glowing,
​one-of-a-kind creations.


Click here to learn more!
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Now on YouTube: Art Across Borders with Sergei Isupov

District Clay Center and the Embassy of Estonia are proud to present an artist talk with internationally renowned artist Sergei Isupov. Hosted at the embassy in Washington, DC, Isupov is joined by Aari Lemmik (Counselor for Press and Cultural Affairs).

Viewers may learn more about the show at our exhibit page.

To learn more about Isupov's work, visit SergeiIsupov.com.

To learn more about the Embassy of Estonia, visit Washington.mfa.ee.

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Become a District Clay Artist!

For those who want further access to District Clay, plus expanded shelving and discounts on advanced classes (among other benefits), check out our Community Artist program.

* Best for those with significant clay experience who are also interested in Independent Study. 
* Free drop-ins for regular wheel classes included.  


We have 119 slots and are currently seeking applications.

If you want to see District Clay before making a decision, you can schedule a tour by going here.
​
​For more info on the program,  go here.


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Private Parties, One on One Instruction & Corporate Events

Create the perfect birthday, anniversary or friends and family Private Party Event using our socially distanced wheels and handbuilding stations.   Or take a private lesson with a District Clay teacher.
​

Or plan a Corporate Teambuilding Event for your staff and use our Teambuilding Guides to enrich your work experience.

Either way, you'll have fun.  Just let us know how many people and what format you would like.  Find out more here.


Give us One-Shot!

Brand new to clay and want to take one of our potter's wheels out for a test ride?
​

Try a One Shot! class held on Friday, Saturday & Sunday nights at 5:30 pm & special Federal Holiday Mondays at 10am & 12:30pm.  For $85, you get a wheel, clay, a nice instructor and around two hours to try your hand at throwing some clay.   

You may be mesmerized . . . or not.  The wheel looks easy but it can seem to have a mind of its own. 

​We do promise you'll have fun. 
 ​
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Want to Check out District Clay?  

We are now offering 30 minute private tours during weekdays and weekends. 

Come and see the largest clay studio in the DC area, see our kilns and wheel rooms and hear about all the ways we are making District Clay a safe place to play with clay.  
 
Sign up for a private tour here.


Why Take a Pottery Class?

The Best Places to Take Ceramics Classes Across the US, Artsy, 6/2018 (District Clay made the list!)
94% of District Clay Students Give DCC a Good or Excellent rating, 1/2020

 Local Company Changing the Pottery Scene, WUSA9 Feature on the District Clay Center: 8/18
District Clay Center Provides Holiday Shoppers with Pottery Bonanza, OnTap, 12/10/2019
Pottery is the new Pilates..., the New York Times, 11/2018
Creating Ceramics Can Help Combat Depression, Artsy, 9/2017
25 Reasons to Take a Pottery Class, Amaranth Stoneware, 7/2015​
Where is the District Clay Center?

The District Clay Center is located at 2414 Douglas St NE in Washington DC on the first floor of the Off the Beaten Track Warehouse.  We are minutes from Brookland, Union Market, and Catholic U. 

Our doors are on the left hand side of the building facing the street. Parking is available directly in front of the building.
 
Click here to contact us. Leave us a voicemail (301) 615-1434‬.
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  • Home
  • About
    • Why Take a Pottery Class?
    • Calendar & Class Schedule >
      • Events Calendar
      • Schedule of Weekly Classes at DCC
    • The Center >
      • What we do
      • Accessibility >
        • DCC COVID-19 Guidelines
      • Center Location
      • Odds & Ends about District Clay
      • Studio Equipment
    • Our Teachers
    • Our Techs
    • Contact Us
    • Work with DCC >
      • Studio Technician Application
      • Teacher Application
      • Workshop Proposal Form
    • Community Clay!
  • For Students
    • DCC Learning Aids
    • DCC Recommended Videos
    • Schedule of Weekly Classes at DCC
    • Sign In
  • Our Classes
    • 10-Week Classes
    • Kids & Teens
    • Workshops
    • One Shot Classes
  • Gift Cards & Private Events
    • Gift Cards
    • Private Parties & Corporate Events >
      • Private Parties
      • Corporate Events
  • DCC Artists
    • Artist Program >
      • Community Artists
      • Associate Artists
      • Past Resident Artists
  • DCC Gallery
    • Previous Shows >
      • Friend of The Friend - L.H. Griffin
      • El aliento de vida - Álvaro Alejandro López
      • Moments from Eternity - Sergei Isupov
      • Accumulate - Jon McMillan
      • Stoked!
      • Earth and Fire Talk
      • Into the Abyss - Nicole Ponce
      • Painted with Fire - Kit Ruseau
      • Contemplated Commotion - Madeline Rothman
      • Transience - Barbara Stauffer
      • Bottoms Up!
      • Smokin' Pots
      • City Upon A Hill - Connor Czora
      • Teachers on Display
      • Subversive Nature - Russel Biles
      • Vital Breath - Vicki Lynn Wilson
      • The Space Between
      • Past Tense - David DaSilva
      • Alleviating Quiet - Adero Willard
      • Blush - Sam Briegel
      • Fusion - Joe Hicks
      • Lies
      • Veiled
      • Floating Islands
      • Us - Emerging Voices
      • Totemic Raku