Recap: October Clay Club at West Union Art Studios

Thanks to Adam Mackay for hosting Clay Club at West Union Art Studios in Morganton! Adam did a demo of throwing a large platter. He shared a number of great tips, including the way he puts his clay in a large tub with water so that it softens up before he throws with it.

Adam also led a really thoughtful discussion of running and participating in a group studio. (He did this while throwing the platter - impressive!) He raised a number of issues, from the pros and cons of working in a group studio to legal and tax concerns that group studio owners and participants should be aware of and take into consideration. We also talked about the need for potters to have healthcare coverage and to plan for retirement - clubbers shared some interesting stories about these issues from their own careers.

There are currently nine potters and a total of 14 artists at West Union Art Studios. The second floor of the building has been refurbished for use as a studio space along with a music studio with a piano that provides space for music lessons (and another income stream). The work in the gallery from all of the artists is wonderful and my photos don't do it justice. Check out the West Union Art Studios Instagram feed and if you're in Morganton, definitely check out West Union Art Studios in person.

We don't currently have a host for November Clay Club. I know this is a busy time of year for a lot of us. Let me know if you're interested in hosting in November or have any other ideas or suggestions for upcoming Clay Clubs.

Thanks again to Adam and his wife Molly, too, and everyone at West Union Art Studios, and to everyone who came!