Clay Studio Offers Opportunities For Hands-on Art

Damian Grava will tell you that pottery changed his life. He was a scientist in school, studying geology, but a dirt bike crash led to lots of time off his feet — where he discovered ceramic art.

Five years of artistic exploration and medical recovery later, he was on a new path.

“I got into making pots, and my world changed,” he said.

Grava, director of the Redmond Clay Studio inside the , believes pottery is an unintimidating way for people to explore their creativity. All ages can participate, and the studio offers a variety of classes for both children and adults. Currently, the studio has about 25 adults and 30 kids signed up for classes.

Grava wants to see more of prominent arts scene develop in Redmond, and working with clay is an excellent introduction to appreciating art, he said.

“This stuff is like the gateway to understanding what artists’ work is,” Grava said. “It’s easy to understand for everyone — the ability of anyone to create using their hands.”

Pottery created at the clay studio ranges from abstract sculpture to functional dishware. The studio introduced high fire capabilities earlier this year, which allows pottery to become durable and dishwasher-safe when fired, Grava said.

Eating out of handmade dishes creates more of an experience than just using mass-produced products, he said.

“It’s better than that dead, lifeless thing we get in the store,” Grava said.

Kelly Neu has been taking classes at the studio since its inception about two years ago, and as a mom of three, she said it’s been a therapeutic experience.

“I was a grumpy mom,” Neu said. “I needed some escape. This is like my time. It’s very relaxing.”

Making pottery also helped her return to a passion for art that she cultivated in high school and had mostly left behind since, she said.

Creating a culture of art is Grava’s next goal with the studio. He’s looking to move into a larger space where he can have an open studio with resident artists, in addition to teaching classes. In his plan, artists would pay a fee to have complete access to the studio space.

“It’ll be a positive influence for the students to see all the working artists doing their thing,” he said. “We’re just expanding art into the community as much as we can. All communities need it. Redmond definitely needs it.”

Those interested in signing up for spring classes at the clay studio can visit its Facebook page for links to registration.

Grava also recommends people who are interested in pottery attend an upcoming presentation by artist Drew Nicklas about building a wood kiln. The free event takes place at 7 p.m. April 22 at Pottery Northwest in Seattle.