Why We Love Hosting Visiting Artist Workshops

One of our favorite things about running a community ceramics studio? Hosting visiting artists. These workshops are more than special events—they shake things up in the best possible way.

Every artist brings a fresh perspective to the studio. A new way to approach form, surface, or firing. A clever tool trick. A mindset shift we didn’t know we needed. Suddenly, familiar processes feel exciting again, and curiosity spreads fast.

Workshops aren’t just about technique (though we love a good demo moment). They’re also about hearing how artists built their practices, learned through mistakes, and kept going. Those stories matter. They make the long, sometimes messy creative path feel a lot more human—and a lot more doable.

There’s also something magical about learning together. Gathering around a demo table, asking questions, troubleshooting side by side—it builds connection. These shared moments ripple through the studio long after the workshop ends (remember that huge piece that Justin Paik Reese?).

Hosting visiting artists is our way of supporting the larger ceramics community, too. Teaching helps artists sustain their practices, and we’re proud to be part of that ecosystem.

At the end of the day, it comes down to curiosity. Clay is ancient, but there’s always more to learn. Inviting new voices into the studio keeps things fresh, open, and inspiring—and reminds us why making together is the best part.

Check out the 2026 workshops series: from luster firings to Nerikomi, our list of artists and prcatices this year is exciting!