In February 2014, we opened in a 2,000 square foot studio in northeast DC, an area that had no clay classes. We had 4 teachers, 6 classes and 42 students. Within a year and a half, we had 145 students and had run out of space for student shelving. In August 2016, we got a chance to move into a 6,400 square foot space directly below our studio. We grabbed it. And as of June 2018 we had filled up again.
How did this all happen? It took a pottery village - or perhaps we created one.
We have only one full time person - me - and the rest of the work (which is most of it) is done by our teachers, our artists and our work/study colleagues who have given and given to make District Clay a success.
For me, that is the humbling lesson - that people really want to give and they want to create - and I think that is the main reason that District Clay has become a success.
SEIZE THE CLAY!
Cass Johnson
Executive Director
- We now have 20 weekly classes, 275 students, 44 artists (with 24/7 access), 3 resident artists, a gallery, a workshop program and a lecture program . . . and we have no room left. DC loves clay!
- Our newest initiative is Community Clay, which will bring the joy of making pottery to underserved kids in the DC region.
- Everything we buy and make is made in the US. From our kilns to our wheels to our clay, we source locally. (We also buy beer made in NE DC.)
- We recycle all our clay. When a box of clay comes in, the only way it goes out is as a piece of pottery, hopefully one that someone is proud off. We also make all of our own glazes.
- We use 3,000 lbs of clay a month and our kilns turn out approximately 950 pots.
- In the past two years, we have done various projects with the Smithsonian, the USO, DC public schools, the Episcopal School, the Japanese Embassy and the Hill Center. We have also hosted potters from Afghanistan, Cambodia, England and Pakistan.
- We want to promote ceramic venues and events across the DC metro. Check out our listings of fellow studios, workshops and exhibitions by going here.
How did this all happen? It took a pottery village - or perhaps we created one.
We have only one full time person - me - and the rest of the work (which is most of it) is done by our teachers, our artists and our work/study colleagues who have given and given to make District Clay a success.
For me, that is the humbling lesson - that people really want to give and they want to create - and I think that is the main reason that District Clay has become a success.
SEIZE THE CLAY!
Cass Johnson
Executive Director
