Letter to our Community from James Pastore

August 8, 2020

I had just gotten to Clay Art Center and was starting to introduce myself to everyone when we had to close. Besides the occasional virtual wheel lesson or seeing students in-person during clay pick-up or drop-off, I spent most of April and May in the Studio by myself. During this time the studio became just a big project with an unknown deadline, a time capsule of our collective ideas and goals. Spending my whole adult life in ceramic studios, seeing a communal studio like ours with no people was odd and a bit sad. But this experience has made me reevaluate our relationship with the studio as an environment, not simply a physical space. What makes the classroom here different than a wheel at home in the garage? Where does the excitement and energy in the studio really come from? How do we feel about our work when we are separated from it for five months?

While our Virtual programming and curbside opportunities are great ways to keep our community connected and engaged with clay, it is not the same as being in the same space, connecting together with clay in hand. These moments are truly magical and not immune to life’s challenges.  

Now ready to welcome even more of you back to the Studio, registration for our Fall term will begin next week. You’ll see many of your favorite classes alongside some new Special Topic courses like Mold Making and Slip Casting, and our new Handmade Home series of classes and workshops. While the Studio might look a little different, there still are opportunities to learn, connect, and create. I am looking forward to continuing to get to know you and creating together.

James Pastore 
Program Director

*Originally published in our weekly email newsletter August 8th, 2020. Sign up for our newsletter here.