THE DISTRICT CLAY CENTER
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      • Smokin' Pots
    • Previous Shows >
      • 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
EVERYTHING NEW POTTERS WANT TO KNOW
with JILL ROSS MELTZER
Sunday, July 24, 12:30-5:30 PM

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Join us to augment your throwing skills as a beginning potter!

This workshop is specifically tailored for DCC’s Beginners who want to boost their basic skills at the wheel. Under Jill’s unique teaching style and guidance, you’ll learn foolproof ways to center and pull straight, even, and taller walls. You’ll learn strategies to avoid wobbly rims and thick, bumpy floors, and, perhaps that most dreaded of all outcomes…..a total collapse. You’ll get tips on how to trim without going through your floor and how to make handles that won't fall off. We’ll also discuss books and videos most helpful to beginners.

​After attending this workshop, there’s no doubt you’ll be making pots with newfound control and confidence!

The workshop is 5 hours long and will include a slide presentation & hands-on demonstrations.
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SQUARING THE CIRCLE:
ALTERED FORMS AT THE WHEEL
with REBECCA BARNEY
Sunday, July 10, 2:30-5:30 PM


​Join us to approach wheel-throwing from a new angle!

In this 3-hour workshop with DCC artist Rebecca Barney, you'll learn how to take your wheel-thrown forms from basic to boxy, bent, and beautiful!

Rebecca will demonstrate a wide variety of throwing and altering techniques during the workshop, including reshaping rims, altering floors, and modifying your pots' silhouette through darts & cutouts! Students will learn through hands-on work at the wheel with Rebecca's guidance.

By the end of the workshop, you will know several techniques for altering wheel-thrown forms, and have up to 3 of your own thrown and altered pots!
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Smokin' Pots
Now open June 3 - July 3!

For District Clay's first 2022 juried show, we are showcasing your best smokeware! Current District Clay artists, students, and teachers were encouraged to make smoking-hot pottery for the exhibition. Smokeware is interpreted in a broad sense including utilitarian smoking-ware (pots for smoking from) *and* smoke-fired ware (raku-fired pots).

Prizes were awarded for Best in Show, Best Smoking-Ware, and Best Smoke-Fired Ware.

Find out more!

Summer Camp Enrollment is Now Open!
Session 1: July 18-22  •  Session 2: July 25-29

Give the your kids the gift of clay this summer and perhaps send them on a lifetime adventure! During this one week camp, your kids will learn each of the fundamental techniques for making beautiful ware from clay. Try out some handbuilding fun for Kids Ages 8-12, or try out the wheel and handbuilding for Kids Ages 12+!
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Beyond Keeping the Doors Open in 2021,
DCC Created a Safe Space for Creativity to Thrive


We hope District Clay has been a haven for teachers, students and artists during these challenging times. 
Thanks to all our students, artists, work/study colleagues and our teachers for a fantastic year.

Here are just some of the highlights.....

From January 1 - December 19, 2021 we tracked 16,653 visits to DCC.

Workshops returned - and included Shino glazing, mastering decorating techniques, Science of Ceramics 101, making coffee pour-overs, carving and texturing clay, throwing perfect planters, creating oval serving dishes, building whimsical character busts, paperclay and the the fundamentals of glazing.  Plus a full roster of roster of beginner and advanced raku workshops.

Jon Kerr was promoted DCC Studio Director and Connor Czora became our first Creative Director.

Chad Gunderson redid our Cone 10 glaze palette, soliciting student input along the way.

Long time teacher Carol Herwig retired (congratulations!) and we said good-bye to Resident Artist Chad Gunderson & former Resident Artist and DCC teacher Sam Briegel.

We welcomed four new teachers: Ray Bogle (Raku), Hadrian Mendoza (Advanced Wheel), Amy Minish (Kids & Family) and Jenny Beech (Wheel).

We increased our class offerings to 32 per week and expanded our artist program to 84 community and associate artist spaces.

We offered 5 holiday open studio sessions at no cost.

We increased our drop in times for current students, including open studio, to 55 hours a week!

We turned an artist studio into a temporary gallery so that we could showcase student work in juried shows such as Vase to Vase and Tempest in a Teapot.

The District Clay Gallery re-opened with a Resident Artist exhibition City Upon A Hill, featuring Connor Czora.

We created a new wheel room & added 5 new wheels  - and re-opened our lounge.

We added a new large oval kiln, bringing us up to 3 electric kilns.

Our students and artists had record breaking Spring and Holiday Sales, selling over $40K for the first time.

Under Ara Koh's direction, our Community Clay created new programs with the Phillips Collection and the Wounded Warrior Project and continued to offer virtual classes to underserved kids at THEARC in Southeast DC.

DCC artists created ornaments for Vice President Kamala Harris' Christmas Tree.

We successfully instituted a Vaccination Only policy for entrance to District Clay.

We received an award from Local First Awards in the category of DC Makers. 


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Become a District Clay Artist!

For those who want 24/7 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 approximately 60 slots and are currently full.  We are maintaining a wait list for those interested.

If you want to see District Clay before making a decision, you can schedule a tour by going here.

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​For more info on the program,  go here.


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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 on Saturday and Sunday nights and get a coupon for a discounted 10 week class.


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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.


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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.


District Clay Covid Guidelines

Everyone Entering District Clay Must Supply Proof of Vaccination. 

Masks are Currently Optional While Inside District Clay.


Go here for more information.

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​

Subscribe to our mailing list to find out about our workshops, events, lectures, gallery openings and other fun clay stuff.

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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.   Click here to join our mailing list.
Leave us a voicemail (301) 615-1434‬.
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  • Home
  • About
    • Why Take a Pottery Class?
    • Calendar & Class Schedule >
      • Calendar of Annual Events
      • Schedule of Weekly Classes at District Clay Center
    • The Center >
      • What we do
      • Odds & Ends about District Clay
      • Center Location
      • Lodging Options
      • Studio Equipment
      • District Clay at Seven Years Old
    • Community Clay!
    • Contact Us
    • COVID >
      • DCC COVID-19 Guidelines/Procedures
      • DCC COVID-19 Timeline & News
    • Our Teachers
    • Our Team
    • Ceramic Resources >
      • DC/Md/Va Exhibitions & Workshops
      • DC/Md/Va Resources
      • Ceramic Resources outside DC
      • Community Craft Calendar
    • Student Resources >
      • DCC Learning Aids
      • DCC Recommended Videos
      • 2019 Student Survey Results
  • Classes & One Shots
    • Classes at District Clay >
      • 10 Week Adult Classes at District Clay
      • Kids Classes at District Clay
      • Schedule of Weekly Classes at District Clay
    • One Shot Classes
    • Online Classes
    • Raku Firings
    • SUMMER CAMP
    • Workshops & Intensives
  • Gift Cards & Private Events
    • Gift Cards
    • Private Parties & Corporate Events >
      • Private Parties
      • Corporate Events
    • Raku Firing at Your Place
  • DCC Artists
    • Artist Program >
      • Community Artists
      • Associate Artists
      • Resident Artists >
        • Past Resident Artists
  • District Clay Gallery
    • Upcoming Shows >
      • Smokin' Pots
    • Previous Shows >
      • 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