Ceramic students of the Carbondale Clay Center will have a chance to show, and sell, their pieces during an upcoming pop-up at the center, Sept. 19-21. The unique thing about this sale is that the designs and the modes of creation are dynamic and abundant, each student having explored a plethora of techniques.
The styles of four of the featured artists The Sopris Sun had the pleasure of previewing were certainly distinct, and with up to 20 featured artists, the sale is sure to have a robust blend.
“Each piece that I have in here demonstrates something I was working on,” Gail Mathieson told The Sopris Sun, “what I’ve been studying.” There’s a lot of variety, echoed Sara Lenart, who’s been dabbling in pottery since high school, “because you’re exploring, you’re learning, you’re trying new things.”
“We’re all looking for our voice,” summed up longtime-local Denise Moss, who has been searching for her own under the guidance of the Clay Center for five years.
After 12 years with the Clay Center, and eight as a board member, even Claire Green is still figuring out her style. She’s in a “sets” class now, challenging her to make cohesive pieces that stack and match.
Students have ample opportunities to learn from experienced local potters as well as internationally known ceramicists who pop in for workshops, broadening their own horizons. From sculpting to tea pot classes, the Clay Center is not short of talented instructors who come with varying specialties.
This isn’t to say, in the least, the student pieces are mediocre. Every one is beautiful and the care that goes into each is apparent. The teachers, of course, help students manifest these creations, but the students also inspire one another, exchange ideas and give honest feedback — as true friends do.
Before Lenart even moved to the Valley in 2019, she signed up for a class at the Clay Center, in no small part because she wanted to find a sense of community. “I would say community is more than just an element,” chimed Green. “It’s almost central.”
And there are lots of people, of all ages, being reached by the nonprofit. Moss, who does some grant writing for the Clay Center, said it serves 6,000 people a year. “We have all kinds of classes and 21 other organizations that we work with,” she stated. These organizations bring in young people, the disability and recovery communities, women in transition and so on.
There’s a psychological benefit, added Mathieson, who happens to be a psychiatric nurse practitioner. “There is a big mental health piece,” she said. “It comes down to: You can’t create something unless your clay is centered” — c’est la vie.
And the center doesn’t turn anyone away, Moss assured. Scholarships are available for students as well as a work-exchange program in trade for shelf space. “It’s busting at the seams,” said Moss. Which is why the center is fundraising to build a space that can eventually accommodate the ever-increasing demand.
Green brought up that students don’t typically create to sell, and Mathieson conceded it can feel vulnerable. But Lenart added that it can be empowering, too, when she generally considers her stuff as a “work in progress.”
While their and their families’ home cabinets are filling up, this is the chance for students to pass on some of their loved pieces.
So here’s the chance to get out there and support these budding artists, who take home 80% of their profits — the rest being kicked back to the nonprofit. The sale takes place at the Clay Center on Sept. 19 (noon to 8pm), Sept. 20 (11am to 6pm) and Sept. 21 (11am to 2pm). Folks can pay with cash or card.