Reimagined Space Helps Build a Regional Center for Ceramic Arts

Article by Christine Diaz

At The Umbrella Community Arts Center, winter ceramics classes are back in session in a newly redesigned studio space. The pottery wheels are spinning, additional kilns are firing, and the energy is buzzing in this modern space for ceramics artists.

When renovations began in November 2017 at the former Emerson School building at 40 Stow Street, Mike Roche, ceramics program manager, had the opportunity to reimagine the space for ideal function, flow and safety. Working from the ground up, his mission was to offer extra work space and open studio time, provide more comfortable working conditions, expand the options for creativity, and address the safety needs of the studio artists, teachers, and approximately 90 students of The Umbrella ceramics community.

Ergonomic Improvements=Decreasing Backaches

At the Winter Market in early December, students got their first look at the new space. An immediate hit in the bright and fresh main studio is the end-to-end wall of wooden shelving for students to safely store work in progress. Along with improved storage, Mike made some significant ergonomic changes for students and artists. The new hand-building tables, stools and glaze carts are set higher off the floor than in the old studio. This was a deliberate change to ease the back tension that is common in pottery work. He also invested in a stand-up potters wheel that adjusts to the artist’s preferred height for those who would like to try throwing clay for small projects while standing.

Open Studio Time=Flexibility Around Students’ Schedules

The ceramics wing of The Umbrella is located on the ground floor of the building, offering a total of 16 wheels and 16 hand-building tables across two rooms. The second room is a new addition with the redesign, built specifically for independent work and smaller, niche classes. Artists can drop in and work anytime the building is open, 9am-10pm, and have the run of the space when classes are not in session. Mike’s hope is that artists will take advantage of the extra space and equipment, coming in when it works for them.

“If there’s a free wheel,” Mike says, “it’s theirs to use. Ceramics is an art that takes practice. I want to give the community at The Umbrella as much free time as possible. Our doors are always open.”

Well-being First

Mike and the crew refurbishing the space ensured that everyone will be creating their pieces in a healthy, safe environment. Mike knows firsthand what’s it’s like to work in a studio with poor ventilation, or one that is difficult to keep tidy, so this was a primary focus of the redesign. The new space is vented to circulate fresh air, easy to clean from top to bottom, and won’t kick up a lot of dust while clearing up that same dust. Also, specifically for the young students in the studio, Mike has sourced glaze materials that are non-toxic. This is especially important as glazes have a tendency to get on everything when small children work on their pieces.

Expanded Options for Artist Expression

Ceramics is a progressive craft, one that offers the artist incremental progress that keeps one motivated to return and try new things. To that end, Mike sought to expand what the studio provides to its students so they can continue finding new ways to express their creativity or move in more challenging directions. There are a total of 22 glazes available, many of which are unique to The Umbrella. For firing, there are eight kilns, three fueled with gas and five electric. Of those kilns, one is what is referred to as a “Soda” kiln. Artists use this kiln by spraying soda ash into the firing chamber when the wares are red hot. As a result, the ash vaporizes, and forms a glaze leaving a translucent sheen on every piece throughout the kiln. For further creative reach, The Umbrella has developed relationships with studios throughout New England to give students exposure to every type of process known to the medium.

A New Vision for Clay at The Umbrella

With The Umbrella’s substantial investment in its ceramics studio redesign, the organization is setting its sights on becoming a premier regional center for ceramics education. According to arts education director Jason Springer, the first priority in the renovation was to better support the existing studio artists, the exceptional teaching faculty, and the student body of working artists and ceramic hobbyists. Jason says that over time, they will look for new avenues of growth, saying that they want to, “engage all levels of interest, from the newly curious about clay, to the people actively pursuing skills, to the advanced artists looking for high-caliber, specialized instruction, demonstrations, and visibility in the larger regional ceramics community.”

Beginning with the Winter 2019 session classes, students have been eagerly getting messy and creative in the new space, and the department has expanded its outreach and planning events to give interested neighbors an opportunity to visit the studio. During renovation, the new studio was selected to host a major statewide grant awards event with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. The public is also invited to see the space and join in a communal clay sculpture project at a family-friendly Building the Arts Open House to be held on Feb. 2, 2019.

More Information

To learn more about Ceramics instruction and independent studio work at The Umbrella, see https://TheUmbrellaArts.org/Education or call 978-371-0820.