Clay Club studios map update and answers to some frequently asked questions

March 2019 update: we're currently in the process of updating the map. Some of the information here is outdated, but if you have a studio in Western North Carolina (specifically in one of the 25 counties served by the The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area) that is open to visitors and you would like to be included, contact Amy Waller at amy@amywallerpottery.com.

Thanks to everyone who has contacted me about the Clay Club studio map. I've been adding studios and you can see how it currently looks here:

Clay Club studios map

View Clay Club studios in a larger map

This is a work in progress, and I am still adding studios. If you've sent me your information and you're not listed, it may be because I haven't gotten to you yet. But I've also gotten a lot of questions about what the map is and who can be included, and I wanted to try answering some of them here.

What is the Clay Club map?

Here's the map description. It's included at the top of the list of studio names.

The North Carolina Clay Club formed to connect potters and ceramic artists of Western North Carolina. We exchange ideas, share information and form friendships.

This map shows the locations of many of our studios. Use it to learn more about what we make and plan your own studio tour. All the studios listed here are open to the public, but contact studios first to avoid disappointment.

Who can be on the map? Can I be included if I'm not in North Carolina?

Clay Club has always operated on a very inclusive basis, and we've never really established any membership criteria. We're still not doing that, but, for this map, we're limiting studios to the 25 Western North Carolina counties that are served by Handmade in America and The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, two organizations that promote craft in this region. (You can see a map of these counties here and a list here.) We're doing this because the map is meant to help people plan studio visits in Western North Carolina.

Can any studio be on this map? What about related businesses, like galleries?

This map is for operating pottery and ceramic studios that are open to visitors in the 25 Western North Carolina counties described above. We're not including other businesses at this time.

What is a Google Places listing?

You need to register with Google to have your studio business listed on Google Places. Once you do that, your studio will be findable when people search for your business name or related key words in your local area. (For example, here are the results of a Google Maps search for "pottery Bakersville NC." All of the studios in the results have Google Places listings. These results have nothing to do with the Clay Club map - anybody searching for pottery near Bakersville will see results like this.)

If you have a Google Places listing, Google will automatically provide all of your listing information when your studio is added to the Clay Club map. If you don't have a Google Places listing, I would encourage you to consider registering to get one - it may help people find your studio (and buy your pottery!). Registering is free.

You can register with Google Places here:

Google Places for Business

What if I really don't want to register with Google Places?

For studios that aren't on Google Places, I am listing the studio name and/or potter's name, address, phone number(s) and website(s). I would encourage you to include as much of that information as you're willing to share. If you don't have a website, consider sharing another place on the web where people can see your work. For example, if you have a public business facebook page for your work (a page that anyone can see without having to log in to facebook), that would let people see what you make.

I don't like how my listing looks on the Clay Club map - can I change it?

If you have a Google Places listing, your map listing is generated automatically by that information. You can edit your Google Places listing and the changes will show up automatically in the Clay Club map. If you don't have a Google Places listing and you want something changed and/or I've gotten something wrong, just let me know and I'll change it.

When will this map be printed?

This map is intended to be an online resource and there aren't any plans to print it at this time.

What if my question isn't answered here?

Leave a comment on this post or feel free to contact me at amy@amywallerpottery.com

Thanks everyone!