Community Celebration: Matt of Clay Art Center
/Rain City Clay is lucky to have a wonderful local clay supplier, Clay Art Center in Tacoma! We have been a loyal customer since the studio’s opening in 2022 (and RCC founder Deb Schwartzkopf was a customer long before that). We typically receive a clay and materials delivery 4-5 times a year; in 2025, we received approximately 22,000 pounds of clay!
This month we are highlighting the wonderful Matt Anderson, our reliable and hilarious delivery driver who is celebrating his 20th anniversary working for Clay Art Center. Matt’s first day at CAC was October 5th, 2006!
We interviewed Matt on a recent rainy day delivery while he helped staff unload from CAC’s new truck, newly featuring a lift gate! This particular delivery included more than 6000 pounds of clay (mostly Whitestone and Idaho Buff) in addition to dry materials, pyrometric cones and a few other items.
This interview has been transcribed from audio recording, and lightly edited for clarity.
How long have you been driving?
I’ve been driving trucks since I was just out of high school.
How did you get started at Clay Art Center?
Clay Art Center had an ad in the paper, and I drove by and saw they had a flatbed and thought, “I don’t want to drive a flatbed,” so I kept going. And a week later, the ad was still there, so I threw my resume through the door. I wrote on the envelope “If you want the best, you need to hire me” and Kim called me the next day and had me come in.
Do you do ceramics yourself at this point?
I was teaching myself the wheel, and I made some pretty nice bowls and cups. And I’ve done some slipcasting, and made some boxes… I just don’t have time. I do 43-45 hours a week delivering clay. Once I retire I’ll probably get back into it, but right now I don’t have time.
Do you have a favorite ceramic material?
I’m going with no, I don’t!
What’s your favorite part of the job?
Probably driving.
Is it relaxing, or what do you like about it?
Relaxing? [laughs] I have to continually watch out for idiots. I see a lot of people doing crazy stuff, and driving badly.
Do you listen to anything while you’re driving?
I’ve got Apple music on my phone and sometimes I’ll listen to that, usually on my way back from Portland.
What are the farthest deliveries you do? Do you go on the ferries?
I used to go to Port Townsend, Friday Harbor, but I don’t anymore [they use island freight companies now]. I go as far north as Blaine, and I go to Portland every Thursday. I’ve actually gone to Portland in one year 54 times. I’ve gone over to Pasco a couple times.
Any stories from all these years of driving?
I’ve broken down in Portland and Quinn [CAC owner] had to have one of those big semi-truck wreckers drive down from Tacoma. They hooked up the truck and I rode with them all the way back up here to Tacoma. It had clay on it still that I couldn’t deliver ‘cause it broke down. The old delivery truck lasted 29 years. Joe and Kim bought it brand new in ‘97 and it just died this year. I put probably close to 600,000 miles on it.
I was talking to Quinn and if you go back five years, only Thursday - my trips to Portland - say I go down there an average of 48 times a year, and every time I go down there I take at least 13,000 pounds… so you take 48 times a year times 13,000 pounds and it comes out to around 3,200,000 pounds. And that’s not counting the other 15 years and the other 4 days of the week. Just think about how many tons and tons of clay I’ve moved! I should have the world record for clay moving or something.
Clay Art Center’s a great place to work. Obviously, I guess, I’ve been there for so long. Clayton pulls all the orders, along with Ralph, and Clayton’s been there the longest. He’s probably been there like 25 years. And Drew - Drew’s the guy that makes the clay - he’s been there for longer than me, so 21 or 22 years.
I’m sure there’s more stories out there but I just can’t think of any of them right now. It’s a lot of days out delivering clay to think about!
