May at Staunton Clayground: New Classes and a May Day Sale on Workshops
New Classes and a May Day Sale on Workshops
Now that the calendar has turned to May, we wanted to highlight our May class offerings! (Please note that some classes will have off for Memorial Day weekend. Please check out the class posting on our website for full details.)
Beginner Wheel Classes:
Other Classes:
Workshops open to youth and adults:
Monster Mugs (Ages 7+), Saturday, May 17 and 31, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Fairy Houses (Ages 12+), Saturday, June 7 and 14, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Adult only workshops (Ages 14+):
Butter Dish, 2 OPTIONS - Wednesday, May 14, 5:30 - 8:00 pm OR Thursday, May 22, 1:30 - 4:00 pm
Modern Pitcher/Vase, 2 OPTIONS - Thursday, May 15, 5:30 - 7:30 pm OR Tuesday, May 27, 1:30 - 3:30 pm
May Day Sale!
Reduced prices for the following workshops:
Napkin Holder & Sponge Caddy now costs $75
Butter Dish now costs $75
Modern Pitcher/Vase now costs $50
Happy Holidays From Staunton Clayground! Wishing You Joy
Thank you so much for all that you have shared with us during these first months of our existence! Since we opened our doors in April, seeing your interest, your curiosity, your joy and your successes as you have played, learned and created in our studio has been such a gift. The community you have helped us to build is rich in ideas and inspiration, warmth and care, and it could not exist without you. Thank you for helping us, through your friendship and support, to make our dream of the Staunton Clayground into a reality!
Dear Friends of the Staunton Clayground,
Thank you so much for all that you have shared with us during these first months of our existence! Since we opened our doors in April, seeing your interest, your curiosity, your joy and your successes as you have played, learned and created in our studio has been such a gift. The community you have helped us to build is rich in ideas and inspiration, warmth and care, and it could not exist without you. Thank you for helping us, through your friendship and support, to make our dream of the Staunton Clayground into a reality!
Let there be light!
Wishing you light and joy during this holiday season. We can’t wait to clay with you in the New Year!
Warmest wishes,
The Staunton Clayground Team (Cary, Jennifer and Abby)
Instructor Showcase at Hotel 24 South until June 27! Plus, Studio Membership applications open Saturday, after the Open House!
Don’t miss the Staunton Clayground Instructor Showcase display, in the lobby at Hotel 24 South until June 27! Learn about our staff and teachers and enjoy this display of their work. And don’t forget our Open House on Saturday, June 22, from 11am–3pm, where we’ll answer all of your questions about our new Studio Membership program!
Well, it’s officially summer! I love this season here in Staunton, when Beverley Street turns into a pedestrian zone on weekends and you can stroll from shop to shop, dine al fresco, see kids making chalk murals in the middle of the street, eat gelato, go to outdoor plays and concerts, enjoy live music great shopping at the farmers’ market and, of course, retreat to our lovely cool Staunton Clayground studio to play with clay!
Our town gets plenty of visitors who enjoy downtown, but even if you’re a local, you might want to try and pop into Hotel 24 South sometime in the next few days, because you only have until June 27 to check out the Staunton Clayground Instructor Showcase display in the lobby!
We’ve put together a display window where you can learn about our staff and instructors and their work, and everyone lent us some pretty cool pieces to exhibit. So, when you’re walking around downtown this weekend enjoying Staunton’s very own seasonal pedestrian promenade, stop by Hotel 24 South and see who your teachers might be when you sign up for a class!
Speaking of which, there are still a couple of spots left in our Pottery Wheel For All-Level Beginners class startingthis coming Tuesday!
Or would you rather join us in our nice cool studio this summer and play with clay whenever the fancy strikes you? We’re launching our Studio Membership program next month, so you could do just that! We’re hosting a special Open House dedicated to answering all of your questions about becoming and being a member tomorrow, Saturday, June 22, from 11am–3pm (read the original blog post about it or check out the Facebook Event page for more details), so stop in if you can! The membership application form will open to the general public at 4pm the same day (which is when this link to the Membership Information page and its embedded application form at the bottom of the page will start working). Initial spaces will be limited as we get the program up and running. Applications will be evaluated in the order they are received, so click the above link Saturday at 4pm if you’re interested! Members will be able to start using the studio 7 days a week, 7am–10 pm, starting on Saturday, July 6!
Come and see us!
Is that all? I think so… oh, boy, we've sure got a lot going on around here! We are so excited, and hope that you are, too! 😃
Enjoy the weekend downtown, stay cool, and we’ll see you soon at the Staunton Clayground!
A Great Weekend at the Staunton Clayground… With Our First Handbuilding Workshop and Garden Stake Pick-Up!
The studio was a hive of activity as we kicked off our first weekend workshop, Slab Geometric Vases, taught by Nicole Hill of @eyerman.art, and welcomed visitors for our second Open Door day on Sunday afternoon. It was also a chance for attendees of our original April Open House to pick up their completed garden stakes, an activity we definitely intend to repeat, since everyone had such a good time painting them.
Visit the post for shots from the Saturday and Sunday sessions of the workshop!
What a great weekend we had at Staunton Clayground.
The studio was a hive of activity as we kicked off our first weekend workshop, Slab Geometric Vases, taught by Nicole Hill of @eyerman.art, and welcomed visitors for our second Open Door day on Sunday afternoon. It was also a chance for attendees of our original April Open House to pick up their completed garden stakes, an activity we definitely intend to repeat, since everyone had such a good time painting them.
Here are some shots from the Saturday and Sunday sessions of the workshop!
Day 1: Students pick out the vase they want to make, choosing from 4 sets of stencils. They then roll out slabs of clay, add textural designs to their surfaces and use the stencils to cut out the shapes they’ll need to assemble their pieces. These sit overnight, pressed so they won’t warp, to firm up enough to work with.
Day 2: Students assemble their slabs into the final shapes of their vases using clay coils, slip (that’s very watery clay, that works kind of like glue here), tools and…. very muddy fingers (we weren’t kidding about the whole playground-clayground thing)!
Wrapping up our second day, the final slab pieces go into place, the edges get cleaned up, then the vases get wrapped to dry slowly for a few days before they go into the kiln for their first firing. After that, they’ll be ready to glaze!
Stay tuned for photos of glazing day and of the finished products in June!
Meanwhile, if this looks like good fun to you, there are still spots in our next slab building workshop, coming up next week: Sculptural Slab Creations, taught by our very own Cary, where you can try your hand at making purely decorative or highly functional pieces over the course of three mornings (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) + one morning in early June for glazing!
An example of some of the types of things you can make in our upcoming Sculptural Slab Creations workshop!
Come and clay!
The Colors of Giotto and Springtime: Our Third Glaze Sneak Peek
The two glazes featured in our third sneak peek are inspired by the Tuscan countryside and the colors favored by Proto-Renaissance artist Giotto, architect of the Florence Cathedral’s famous bell tower. Come read more about it in our latest blog post!
When I was studying art history in Italy, it was clear to see how the colors of the Tuscan landscape were reflected in the art produced by the land’s native artists.
Before the Renaissance had quite begun, there was Giotto, famous for his frescoes that adorn the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi and many others, but also for his architecture. Most know him, if for nothing else, for his graceful bell tower, or Campanile, that stands next to Florence’s famous Cathedral, il Duomo di Firenze (seen here to the right of the cathedral’s façade).
The colored marble used to decorate the outside of the Campanile (and of so many other famous buildings of the time) is a green that reminds me very much of the hues of Tuscan olive groves and cypress trees, along with a warm pink, reminiscent of some seashells’ coloration.
(My little sister used to love combing the beach at Pisa for choice shells. I still have some of the ones that she collected for me).
So often do these particular shades of pink and green appear in this Proto-Renaissance artist’s frescoes and architecture that my first art history teacher used to call them “Giotto colors.”
It is a combination I have had a special fondness for ever since. When I see those two colors together, I can’t help but think of gentle Tuscan springtimes. How, then, could I resist pairing these two glazes for our Studio’s palette, when I saw that they were available?
So, here they are! Bellissimi! The glossy Mottled Green Transparent and matte Mottled Pink glazes, both mid-fire glazes from the Standard company out of Pennsylvania, like all the rest of our palette.
Standard 1225 Mottled Green Transparent and 1234 Mottled Pink mid-fire glazes against a backdrop of Tuscan countryside and the outline of Florence’s Cathedral, or Duomo, with its famous dome by Brunelleschi and its bell tower, or Campanile, by Giotto
Evviva! We can’t wait to try them out and, dare I say, breathe a little of that Renaissance spirit into our Studio.
Stay tuned for more news and for the last installment of our glaze sneak peek series, coming soon!
The Staunton Clayground Is Coming!
Whether you are just hearing about the Staunton Clayground, or you have been patiently anticipating our opening, I'm excited to tell you that we are moving into our space! We are a membership-focused pottery studio in Downtown Staunton that offers tools, workspace, equipment (12 wheels, 3 kilns and 2 slab rollers!) glazes and kiln-firing for members, as well as an array of classes and workshops for beginners through seasoned potters. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay tuned for announcements about an open house and first introductory class!
Building Community Through Clay
Whether you are just hearing about the Staunton Clayground, or you have been patiently anticipating our opening, I'm excited to tell you that we are moving into our space and working hard to create an environment that allows you to be creative and productive, whether on your own or in classes. Stay tuned for announcements about an open house and first introductory class!
So, what are we? We are a membership-focused pottery studio in Downtown Staunton that offers tools, workspace, equipment, glazes and kiln-firing for members, as well as an array of classes and workshops for beginners through seasoned potters. We have 12 pottery wheels, 3 kilns, and 2 slab rollers, so there is plenty of room to spread out and get creative.
So, where are we? We are located under the Frederick Street Post Office in a space called the Cellar. Among other businesses, we will be sharing the floor with a sewing school, so members will be surrounded by creative energy!
So, why are we? Officially, we founded Staunton Clayground in order to “Celebrate Clay, Creativity, and Community”. But honestly, if you are like me, you are tired of creating art in solitude; we all had enough solitude during the pandemic. So I see the Clayground as being a place to work and play side by side with other people having fun, sharing ideas, and growing together. As we say on our homepage, “building bonds one joyful creation at a time”.
We believe in…
the power of art to improve the world, one life at a time, the joy of creating to foster personal expression, self-exploration, personal growth and self-confidence.
We believe in…
forging relationships and collaborations with local non-profit organizations to help them fulfill their missions.
If you are interested in taking classes, becoming a Studio Member, or simply want to stay informed, please sign up for our newsletter (if you haven’t already) and come and clay with us!
Clay covered hands, “Building community through clay!”
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