Our Mission
To develop, sustain and promote a nonprofit art-centered community that provides outstanding educational, artistic and collaborative programs in the ceramic arts to its Resident Artists and to the general public.
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Our Story
A non-profit clay arts studio providing a home for a growing clay arts community. We offer ceramics classes and host workshops by nationally and internationally recognized visiting artists.
ClaySpace NFP was conceived by a small group of people who formed a bond while taking continuing education ceramics classes. They envisioned a studio where one could study and work free of the constraints of the traditional college model. Their divergent backgrounds and educational disciplines came together in a shared desire to cultivate their learning in the ceramic arts. Pooling their talents and resources they created a studio that addressed their wishes, founding ClaySpace NFP in 2006 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Illinois corporation designed to provide a rich learning and working environment to its members, as well as offer ceramic classes to the public at large.
Our Vision
There is great joy in creating a new work in clay, starting with raw material headed towards a desired outcome. The process of building the new work teaches patience, eases anxiety, and can show us a new way of being. Each creation in clay sets in motion the maker’s energy which is then made permanent through fire. The end result is a physical memory that can last for generations or break into pieces if dropped. Even broken, there is much to be learned. Children and adults build on life skills by working in the arts. Communication, problem solving, fine motor, social, and emotional skills are all honed as the person enters the world of creation, learning at each step of the process lessons not taught in their daily routine. This is a process as opposed to a product, it is not necessary to create a masterpiece to have a meaningful experience. ClaySpace endeavors to provide this experience on multiple levels for all those involved in the mission.
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ClaySpace Facilities
Studio
- 9,000 square foot studio space
Other Resources
- Gallery
- Dedicated small group classroom
- Computer and presentation screen
- Shelving for Resident Artists & students
- 7 private studio units
- Office with copier, computer, etc.
Ceramics Firing
- 1 front-loading gas kiln for Cone 9
- 1 front-loading gas kiln for Soda/Salt firing
- 5 top-loading electric kilns for clay
- 2 test kilns
- 1 raku kiln
Wheels and Clay Tools
- 122 various electric potters wheels, Brent & Shimpo
- 3 slab-rollers
- 1 extruder
- 1 clay mixing pug mill
Glazing and Finishing
- Fully equipped glaze area
- Various Cone 5-6 glazes
- Various Cone 9 glazes
- 3 spray booths
- Auxiliary tools (grinders, etc.)
Glass Fusing
- Dedicated area for Glass work
- Various glass cutting, grinding and shaping equipment
- 1 top-loading electric kiln for glass fusing