2024 at Rain City Clay
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Let’s take a look back through the last year at Rain City Clay!
We’ve loved every moment of teaching classes, hosting events, starting youth clay programming, and welcoming students into our vibrant clay community this year. Seeing our community grow, with new and returning students, each bringing their unique creativity, curiosity, and energies into the studio has been amazing. Whether you’ve joined us for a one-time class, a 10-week course, or a special event, we’re so grateful to have shared the joy of clay with you. As we reflect on the past year, let’s take a look back at some of our favorite moments and milestones.
Thank you for being part of the journey!
2024 Stats
45 sessional classes taught
660 sessional students
123 independent study participants
34 ‘Sip ‘N Spin’ events
48 private lessons
3 workshops
23,000 lbs of clay used
7,900 lbs of reclaim recycled
Youth Clay Programming at RCC
A big highlight of 2024 was starting youth clay programming at Rain City Clay! We welcomed Brooke Hanson as our Outreach Coordinator. Brooke has created thoughtful lesson plans for onsite youth clay events at RCC, one-day classes, and multi-day clay camps, providing engaging and accessible experiences for kids of all ages. She also put in tremendous effort to connect with a local school and launched a weekly clay club, allowing her and another RCC instructor to bring hands-on clay classes to even more students. Thanks to Brooke’s hard work and passion, our youth program has grown immensely, and we’re thrilled to offer even more youth clay classes and camps this summer!
Workshops at RCC
We had 3 spectacular workshops hosted at Rain City Clay in 2024!
In June we cleared out all the wheels in the studio, set up tables, and welcomed 39 eager students for an immersive glaze testing workshop with John Britt. Working in pairs, they explored variations of a base glaze, leading to an incredible collection of 1,700 test tiles - a treasure trove of insight and inspiration!
In August, founder Deb Schwartzkopf led a dynamic Cut ‘N Paste workshop, blending wheel throwing and hand-building techniques. Students learned how to cut, alter, and assemble components into refined, elevated forms. Deb shared some of her signature shapes, and students got the chance to experiment and refine their own creations with hands-on clay time.
In November, we had the pleasure of welcoming John Britt back for a highly anticipated second workshop! Demand for his first session was immense - complete with a massive waitlist - that we knew we had to run it again. 38 students dove deep into glaze testing and explored insights from John's renowned book, The Complete Guide to Mid-Range Glazes, leaving with new knowledge, plenty of inspiration, and a ton of test tiles.
John britt glaze workshop in June
Deb Schwartzkopf’s “Cut ‘N Paste” workshop in August
John britt glaze workshop in November
Cups Galore!
The Rain City Clay and Rat City Studios communities exhibited hundreds of handmade cups at two fantastic cup shows in 2024!
Rain City Clay’s “Pints in Pots” Show at Jellyfish Brewing Co.
1st year of the show
48 participating artists from the RCS/RCC communities
396 cups shown
Save the date for our 2025 show “Making Waves”! Learn more & check out the participation details online now!
Rat City Studios’ Community Cup Showcase at Dubsea Coffee
7th year of the show
41 participating artists from the RCS/RCC communities
284 cups shown
Rain City Clay’s 2nd Annual Holiday Show & Sale
Another exciting milestone was hosting the 2nd Annual Rain City Clay Holiday Show and Sale. The staff transformed the space into a stunning display community ceramic talent, featuring work from 78 artists. The event drew an incredible turnout from the neighborhood and beyond, with a packed house on opening night! Local artists, students, and staff all contributed to making the show a vibrant and memorable celebration of clay.
Holiday Show Stats
78 participating artists
2,421 items shown
864 items sold
224 cups sold
223 ornaments sold
99 bowls sold
59 plates sold
39 sculptures sold
27 jewelry items sold
193 miscellaneous items sold
Grand Total of $30,392 of ceramics sold
Kiln’ It in 2024: Our Incredible Staff & Instructors
Our RCC crew keeps the wheels turning, mug slingin’, reclaim processing, and knowledge flowing at the studio - and SO much more. The team wears many hats that help keep the studio in tip-top shape while creating a welcoming environment for creative clay endeavors of all kinds.
