MEET THE POTTER

The Potters’ Studio is pleased to share our Meet The Potter series, where we feature interviews with members of The Potters’ Studio community.

WHAT THE FLUX!

Welcome to What the Flux! an in-depth series where we explore glazes, what makes them run, how they are created, and how they interact with the clays and other glazes. 

FAQs FROM THE QUESTION BOX

We’ve collected your questions about our new home and shared the answers here. Thank you for your continued patience and flexibility as we fine-tune the space and create the best possible experience for everyone!

A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL

Eighteen months after we closed escrow on February 15, 2024, and approximately six months after the contractors began renovating and remodeling the former machine repair shop and recent marijuana grow farm into a potters’ studio, we officially opened our doors, welcoming Members, Students and the Berkeley community to our new forever home.

MEET TODD PLETCHER – DIRECTOR OF STUDIO OPERATIONS & FACILITIES

If you have seen a sweet and friendly black haired dog walking around the Studio lately, that would be Nolan, and Nolan’s human is Todd Pletcher.  We hired Todd in September, right before we opened the new Studio to fill the new position of Director of Studio Operations and Facilities.  Todd is an experienced potter who also brings years of experience as an operations and facilities director to TPS.

GOODBYE 8th STREET…HELLO 4th STREET!

On June 30th, we said goodbye to the Studio on 8th Street that had been our home for the past eleven and a half years.  At 1221 8th Street, The Potters’ Studio increased its membership, and the classes offered, including both six week and twelve sessions, became a non-profit organization and introduced the Maija Williams Scholarship for BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+ people.

CHIP HARLEY

An Extraordinary Builder

Prepare to be delighted when you enter the doors of our new Studio at 722 Camelia Street, Berkeley.  Guided by the vision of our architects, Stromberg & Associates, our contractor, Holland & Harley (“H&H”) turned a former machine factory and marijuana grow house into our new beautiful Potters’ Studio in less than eight months.

MEET THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Four new Members recently joined the Board and have already hit the ground running in numerous ways to help the Board develop creative fundraising ideas and provide general support to the Studio. You may already know them as they are all Members of the Studio but in case you do not, please introduce yourself and welcome them to the Board.

THE POTTERS’ STUDIO COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUP

In times of uncertainty, we look to community for stability. We are fortunate at The Potters’ Studio to have a large and diverse community that comes together around our shared love of clay. As a strong community, we can work and play together while honoring our differences. Group activities and one-on-one engagement provide opportunities to foster a positive environment in which to practice our craft — when we ask questions, share concerns, engage in conversation, and laugh together we can support each other. 

WHAT’S AHEAD IN 2025

We are excited about what is in store for The Potters’ Studio for the upcoming year. There are new and exciting Workshops and Demos scheduled and there will be new Classes offered during the upcoming sessions. A few other changes are planned for the year so stay tuned and be sure to read future newsletters and the monthly Member News.

COMMUNITY CERAMICS COLLABORATION CAMPAIGN:

Ceramics for Our Afghan Refugee Neighbors

An important priority of The Potters’ Studio is to share the appreciation of ceramic artistry with the broader community, and recently, we were able to do so in a tangible way. The Community Ceramics Collaboration Campaign provided a couple of hundred pieces of well-crafted ceramics from our studio to 75-100 Afghan refugee families at their food pick-up site at the Afghan Center in Fremont.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN UPDATE

To find out the latest information about The Potters' Studio Capital Campaign, and how you can get involved, read this update from campaign co-chairs Sandy Sherwin and Sue Meinke.

THE POTTERS’ STUDIO’S NONPROFIT JOURNEY

In the early 1970s, The Potters’ Studio was more than just a place to learn ceramics—it was a vibrant community hub that provided students and hobby potters with all the tools and resources they needed to dive into the art. The Studio also extended its reach to the nearby Blind Skills Center, offering weekly classes to teenagers.

Over the decades, The Potters’ Studio evolved, welcoming not just hobbyists but also professional potters. In 2020, we reached a significant milestone when the Board voted to convert the organization to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. This decision was driven by a deep commitment to expanding the Studio’s mission and impact. As part of this transition, the Board developed a strategic plan informed by a comprehensive survey of current members. This process solidified the Studio’s mission, vision, and values, incorporating new goals focused on increasing diversity and inclusivity within the community.

GOT DAMN, WE BOUGHT A BUILDING YA’LL!!

On behalf of the Board of Directors at The Potters’ Studio and Executive Director Bobbi Fabian, I’m delighted to announce that TPS now has a permanent studio home! Our journey to this exciting position began in earnest early last year, when our current landlord said he would not be renewing our lease in 2024. At first, we didn’t know where to begin. While we’ve enjoyed much success on Eighth Street, we have also clearly grown out of the space. With a growing number of enthusiastic students and members — and a long membership waiting list — the studio has become crowded. We’ve been bulging at the seams, and sometimes we all struggle to find enough space to create. We have known for some time that we need more space to accommodate our growing community!

MEET THE POTTERS’ STUDIO’S NEW DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION - TALI REICHER

Tali Reicher, our inaugural Director of Finance & Administration, brings a rich background in education, finance, and operations to The Potters’ Studio. Tali began her career as a classroom teacher and later became a teacher educator with the Department of Education at Mills College in Oakland. She eventually leveraged her economics degree from UC Berkeley to help businesses run more effectively and efficiently. At Envelope Architecture + Design, she was instrumental during the pandemic in guiding the firm through a transformative period that aimed to eliminate barriers to housing access. She demonstrated leadership in conceptualizing strategies to increase suburban housing density and provide well-designed emergency housing, exemplifying her adaptability, innovation, and purpose-driven leadership.

SILICA DUST - HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Silica dust is an unavoidable hazard in every ceramics studio, posing significant risks to the health and well-being of members and students. Silica, a naturally occurring mineral found in clay, sand, and other materials used in ceramics, becomes airborne during various studio activities such as mixing clay, shaping pottery, sanding dry clay, glazing, and firing kilns. Inhaling silica dust can lead to severe health complications, including respiratory diseases such as silicosis, lung cancer, and other respiratory ailments. This essay will explore the dangers of silica dust exposure in ceramic studios, its health effects, preventive measures, and the importance of creating safe working environments for artists.

CERAMICS AS A PATH TO PERSONAL DISCOVERY

This fall, Ahn Lee’s “Home Sweet Home Hand-Building Inspired By the Seemingly Mundane” ceramics class not only involved eight weeks of learning how to construct large clay pieces, but also was the impetus many students needed to explore some very personal emotions from delightful childhood memories to the challenges of becoming empty nesters to discovery how the mundane in our lives have intense deeper meaning. Ahn guided us all on our individual journey of personal discovery; whether it was learning how to sculpt, build bigger, or simply convey an emotion.

FIRING SLIPS FAQs

Based on our recent change to requiring firing slips for every piece that Members wish to fire, we discovered there is some misinformation about firing and why we have implemented this new system. We have therefore gathered these frequently asked questions and provide them here with the answers so that everyone has a better understanding.

THE RACK OF DOOM

There is a process at TPS to keep work moving through and out of the studio to make room for more work that is constantly being created each and every day. The process is called “Doom.” To some the word alone evokes a negative connotation and the fear that if they do not act with alacrity their hard work will be forever lost. If that is your understanding of Doom please keep reading because that is not the purpose of Doom nor how it is meant to be used. Even if you think you know how Doom works, please keep reading because there are many misconceptions and there is a different rule for each phase of your work depending on whether it is greenware, bisqueware or finished glazed pieces. This article will explain the process for each phase and what you need to do to keep your work from being doomed and if doomed how to rescue your work.

A SUSTAINABLE STUDIO

The occasional twinkling of the bell followed by that loud and annoying industrial sound occasionally heard in the studio alerts us that the clay recovery and water-saving process is about to begin.  While the booming machine sound may be disturbing and an unwelcome assault on our ears, it represents a very important process of creating a sustainable studio.  For more than two years, the studio has been on a journey to establish systems and processes to conserve water and recycle clay...

WE GOT BOOKS

Five years ago, the campaign began to find a permanent and more suitable home for the varied and diverse collection of books from around the studio. Last year Dina Gewing and Andrea Segall spent many hours sorting, cataloging, and arranging the Studio’s collection of books and ceramic magazines. Through this labor of love, we now have a well-organized library full of creative and inspirational resources to enhance our personal pottery journeys…

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF POTTING

Birth. In 1971, Federal Express started, Disney World opened in Orlando, Florida, the 26th Amendment was ratified lowering the voting age to 18, the average cost of a new home was $25,250 and the cost of a first class stamp was $.08. Carole King, John Lennon and Three Dog Night all had hit songs, the popular toys were Operation and Etch a Sketch, the New York Times began publishing the Pentagon Papers revealing the U.S. Government had been lying to the American people, abortion was illegal and Jules Seitz founded The Potters’ Studio (TPS) in Berkeley…

MAIJA WILLIAMS SCHOLARSHIP ANNUAL UPDATE

In 2023, The Potters’ Studio awarded 33 class scholarships and 4 two-month membership scholarships to 18 different recipients by way of the Maija Williams Scholarship Fund. Currently, six recipients are enrolled in classes and one recipient is finishing their second two-month membership award! Recipients have been dipping their toes in the variety of classes that The Potters’ Studio offers.

EXPLORING DEI: STAFF & BOARD WORKSHOP

In August 2022, the staff of the Potter’s Studio and members of the Board of Directors met for an all-day Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awareness Training facilitated by Peer Advocates Training and Consulting.  Our trainers for the day, Carlo Gomez Arteaga and Hilary Roberts carefully and firmly guided us on an exploration of implicit and unconscious biases, stereotyping, micro-aggressions and privilege to help us all identify the barriers to diversity, equity and inclusion.  Hilary and Carlo also facilitated discussions about how these concepts affect our work at the studio and the ways we can work towards eliminating bias and stereotyping in our daily lives and especially in our interactions with others at the Studio...

MAIJA WILLIAMS SCHOLARSHIP

The Maija Williams Scholarship was created in the name of TPS's former long-term manager, Maija Williams, and is intended to support the goals and objectives she cared about.  Specifically, to increase diversity and support BIPOC and LGBTQA+ young people interested in exploring ceramics and provide opportunities for diverse populations to explore all aspects of ceramics.  We encourage BIPOC and LGBTQA+ people who are 16-21 years old to apply. This scholarship funds a class, tools, or a two-month membership.  If you are interested in making a donation to support the Scholarship please go to the scholarship page and make a tax-deductible donation. Maija’s legacy is important to us. 

If you are interested in applying for this Scholarship please visit the scholarhsip page for more information and fill out an application. Scholarships will be offered on a rolling basis. Please apply or share this information with young BIPOC and LGBTQA+ people you know who have an interest in clay but perhaps are not in the position to afford a class or membership fees.  We look forward to increasing the number of Maija Scholars in 2023!

REQUESTING PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING FOR THE APPI COMMUNITY

The Board of Directors and Staff of The Potters' Studio extend our condolences to everyone affected by the horrific shootings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay.  We recognize that these senseless acts of violence repeatedly undermine our feelings of safety and are especially disturbing when they target specific communities.  The Lunar New Year should be a time of celebration for many Asian families, and these acts of violence brought grief and despair during a time of celebration and hope…

THE NEW BOARD

At the recent Annual Board Meeting, The Potters’ Studio Board elected two new Board members, DeAnna Dalton and Suhail Chander. Suhail and DeAnna have committed to assisting the existing Board in further establishing the Studio as a respected arts environment and have already identified strong ideas for the organization to consider in the coming years. We are very excited that they have agreed to join the Board and support the Studio’s objectives. Please welcome them when you see them in the studio and let them know you appreciate their dedication and commitment.

WOOD FIRING IN SETO, JAPAN

On October 10, 2023 nine TPS Members began a two-and-a-half week experience in Seto, Japan organized by TPS Member Tomoko Jarrell. Also joining the group as translator and knowledgeable ceramicist was TPS Member Sachiko Campe. The two-plus week intensive pottery workshop was hosted by former TPS Instructor Hiroshige Kato. Seto has been one of the most pivotal places in the Japanese ceramics industry for more than 1000 years and many ceramic festivals are held there throughout the year. In fact, a generic word for ceramics in Japanese is known as “setomono” which means products of Seto. TPS Board Vice President, Zoe Thorsland was one of the lucky 9 gakusei (students) to participate in this amazing workshop and she has shared her insights and beautiful photos from that trip.

CAMBODIA

Member, and new Board President, Cheryl Stevens shares her impressions of her recent trip to the Khmer Ceramics Studio in Cambodia.

Located close to the historic temples of Angkor – the cultural, spiritual, and artistic heart of Cambodia – Khmer Ceramics blends a passion for ceramics and Khmer history with a desire to create opportunities for the local community of Siem Reap.