2025 at Rain City Clay
/A Year of Connection, Creativity, and Community at Rain City Clay
As we look back on 2025, one theme rises above all the rest: connection.
Clay has always been about more than pottery. It is a way to gather, learn, share stories, and create something meaningful with our hands. Throughout 2025, Rain City Clay continued to grow not just as a ceramics studio, but as a community hub where artists, students, families, and neighbors came together through clay.
April is our anniversary. Rain City Clay turned four years old this spring.
What began in 2022 as a vision for an accessible and welcoming ceramics center has grown into a thriving creative community. Over the past three years, hundreds of students have taken classes, attended workshops, received scholarships, rented studio space, participated in exhibitions, discovered a lifelong connection to clay, and made new friends.
Community Cup Showcase at Jellyfish Brewing Company
Rain City Clay’s Cup Show at Jellyfish Brewing Co.
3rd year of the show at Jellyfish
45 participating artists
310 cups shown
One of the highlights of the year was our annual Community Cup Showcase. Hundreds of handmade cups filled the exhibition, showcasing the incredible creativity of artists from the Rain City Clay and Rat City Studios communities, as well as the greater Seattle ceramic community. More than an exhibition, the Cup Show celebrated one of pottery's most beloved forms—the humble cup—and the daily rituals, conversations, and connections that handmade objects help foster.
We celebrated the show with an artist reception, and also hosted “Clay Play”—an opportunity for folks of all ages to try clay.
Learning, Growing, and Sharing Knowledge
Throughout 2025 our classrooms were full. Beginning students discovered the joy and challenge of their first bowls and mugs. Returning students refined their throwing, handbuilding, glazing, and surface-design skills. Workshops and special events introduced new techniques and fresh perspectives while helping build connections between makers across the region.
Expanding Access
One of the accomplishments we are especially proud of this year was continuing our commitment to making ceramics more accessible. We gave 10 scholarships each quarter.
Scholarships helped reduce barriers to participation, and a generous donation allowed us to install an adaptive pottery wheel, creating new opportunities for people who use mobility aids to comfortably participate in classes and studio activities. These improvements reflect our ongoing belief that clay should be available to as many people as possible.
Building Community
We started a new tradition, hosting a Community Clay Day at RCC at the end of each quarter.
Community Clay Days welcomed neighbors into the studio to try the pottery wheel for free, tour the facility, and see what RCC is all about. Staff highlights, instructor spotlights, youth programs, community exhibitions, and countless informal conversations around worktables all contributed to the culture that makes Rain City Clay unique.
This year also saw continued growth in projects designed to share handmade ceramics beyond the studio walls. Whether through exhibitions, donations, community partnerships, or the development of new sharing initiatives, RCC members continued finding ways to connect handmade work with the broader community.
RAIN City Clay Takes on summer fest
One of the highlights of the summer was Rain City Clay's group presence at West Seattle Summer Fest. With two booths and eight participating artists, we transformed a corner of the festival into a vibrant showcase of local ceramics. Thousands of visitors stopped by to admire, purchase, and learn about handmade pottery while meeting the artists behind the work.
For many participants, it was an opportunity to share their creations with a wider audience and experience the energy of one of West Seattle's largest community events. We were proud to see our artists represented so strongly and grateful for the enthusiastic support from festival-goers throughout the weekend.
2025 Stats
39 sessional classes taught
803 sessional students
144 independent study participants
35 ‘Sip ‘N Spin’ events
29 private lessons
3 workshops
22,000 lbs of clay used
Growing Youth Clay Programs
2025 marked the second year of Rain City Clay's expanding youth ceramics programming, and it was inspiring to see so many young artists discover the possibilities of clay. Our instructors brought ceramics directly into local schools through partnerships with West Side School and Arbor Heights Elementary, giving students the opportunity to explore creativity, problem-solving, and self-expression through hands-on making.
At the same time, we welcomed even more young people into the studio through programs and events with Summit Atlas, Parent 'n Pup, and Community Clay Day. These partnerships helped introduce new families to ceramics and created opportunities for youth to experience a professional clay studio in a welcoming and supportive environment.
Watching students gain confidence, develop new skills, and proudly share their creations has been one of the most rewarding parts of our work. We are excited to continue growing these programs and connecting even more young people with the joy of working with clay.
Exploring New Ideas Through Visiting Artists
One of the most exciting additions to Rain City Clay in 2025 was our Exploratory Workshop Series. These workshops brought nationally recognized ceramic artists to Seattle, giving our community the opportunity to learn new techniques, discover fresh perspectives, and connect with makers from beyond our local clay scene.
This year, we were thrilled to host three outstanding artists: Jen Allen, Marty Fielding, and Austin Coudriet. Each workshop offered participants a deep dive into the artist's unique approach to making, from functional pottery and creative assembly to innovative surface treatments and design processes.
These events not only expanded the technical skills of our students but also introduced new ideas, conversations, and sources of inspiration into the studio. Watching our community engage with artists from across the country reminded us how valuable it is to continue learning, experimenting, and exploring together.
Jen Allen talking about templates
MArty Fielding Building a Teapot
Austin Coudriet Building a bench
Other Fun Stuff Around the Studio
2025 was also filled with moments that didn’t fit neatly into a class, workshop, or exhibition—but captured the spirit of Rain City Clay just as strongly.
Founder Deb had the opportunity to present at a national ceramics conference, sharing RCC’s story and community-based approach with educators and studio leaders from across the country. Our crew also represented Rain City Clay at NCECA, connecting with the broader ceramics community and bringing fresh ideas back to the studio.
Back at home, the studio itself became a place for gathering and creativity in unexpected ways. We shared stained glass nights with the crew, restriped the parking lot, made a decorative walkway for neighbors, and even paused to enjoy the unexpected beauty of “roof rainbows” after a series of storms rolled through. We silk screened ourselves Studio T-Shirts. And we all got new overalls and shoes care of RCC.
We also stepped outside the studio for inspiration and connection, including a group tour of Pike Place Market with Wander NW—an opportunity to explore Seattle’s history, food, and creative culture together as a team.
These moments—small, joyful, and sometimes spontaneous—are part of what make Rain City Clay more than a studio. They reflect the relationships, humor, and shared experiences that continue to shape our community.
2025 Holiday Show Stats
87 participating artists
3,044 items shown
1201 items sold, including:
251 cups
158 ornaments
124 plates
Finishing the Year Together
We closed the year with our Holiday Show & Sale, transforming the studio into a celebration of local creativity.
Artists filled the space with pottery, sculpture, jewelry, and ceramic artwork, while visitors gathered to support local makers and find meaningful handmade gifts. As always, the event was a reminder of the talent, generosity, and creativity that exists within our community.
2025: Our Incredible Staff & Instructors
Behind every class, firing, exhibition, and successful studio day is the incredible RCC Crew and Instructors who make Rain City Clay what it is.
Our RCC Crew keeps the wheels turning, the kilns firing, the reclaim processing, and the shelves organized—but their contributions go far beyond the day-to-day tasks that keep a community studio running. They answer questions, troubleshoot problems, welcome new students, process thousands of pieces of pottery, maintain equipment, support events, and create the warm, inclusive atmosphere that makes RCC feel like home to so many people. Their dedication, flexibility, and good humor are woven into every corner of the studio.
Our instructors are equally essential to the RCC community. They share not only technical skills, but also curiosity, creativity, and a genuine passion for helping others learn. From first-time clay explorers to experienced makers refining their craft, students benefit from instructors who generously share their knowledge, encourage experimentation, and foster confidence through every stage of the creative process.
Together, our staff and instructors create the foundation that allows Rain City Clay to thrive. We are deeply grateful for their hard work, talent, and commitment to building a vibrant and supportive clay community.
Looking Ahead
The story of Rain City Clay is about people.
Every student who took a first class, every returning member who helped a newcomer, every instructor who shared their knowledge, every volunteer, staff member, scholarship donor, artist, and supporter helped shape Rain City Clay in 2025.
2025 was a year of growth, connection, and creativity at Rain City Clay. We celebrated our fourth anniversary, expanded youth programming both in local schools and at the studio, welcomed visiting artists from across the country, showcased community artwork through exhibitions and festivals, and continued building opportunities for people of all ages and skill levels to engage with clay.
From Community Clay Days and Summer Fest to street fair, classes, crew adventures, and the Holiday Show & Sale, the year was filled with meaningful moments both inside and outside the studio. Most importantly, 2025 was a year shaped by the generosity, enthusiasm, and creativity of the students, artists, instructors, staff, and supporters who make Rain City Clay such a special community.
Thank you for being part of the journey.