Pottery Palooza: Clay for Kids

We love pottery and we want to share it with everyone!

When Maggie sat down with Krista (Krista Cameron Pottery) in the fall of 2025 to talk about running pottery classes for kids at the Clay Studio Collective, she had no idea that in six short months they would connect 128 children with the joy of creating with clay. She had no idea that the pilot class in November 2025 would evolve into 35 hours in the classroom, and an additional 20+ hours managing more than 225 unique art pieces from start to finish. She had no idea it would involve the help of seven volunteers and more than 62 volunteer hours. She had no idea that it would bring so many smiles to so many faces, or that she would get so many hugs from so many little people. She really had no idea what she was getting herself into.

With the aim of encouraging youth in the arts, a desire to give back to the community, and the fierce vision of our Community Director, Maggie, Pottery Palooza was born.

The intent of Pottery Palooza is multi-fold – to inspire creativity through art, to introduce clay as a creative medium, and to make art education more accessible.

Pottery Palooza is a two-session class where students experience the process of handbuilding, decorating, and glazing their own unique pottery pieces. The primary goal is to encourage children to explore and discover their own creativity, to give them a space where they can be free to express themselves through art. Clay is a tactile medium and provides a sensory experience that children respond well to. And clay is a very forgiving medium – you can build it, break it, fix it, and then change your mind and do something completely different. Pottery helps children develop motor skills, teaches patience, focus and problem solving, and boosts self esteem by helping them develop a sense of pride in their work. 

We've yet to meet a kid who doesn't like clay.

In fact, they LOVE working with clay! Alexa Knapp, a teacher from Pineview Public School, commented one day "the kids were literally vibrating on the walk over, they are so excited to be here today." And when they’re at the studio, creativity is through the roof!

To date we’ve taught students ranging in age from 5 to 14 from Athens Christian Academy, Pineview Public School, Meadowview Public School, and the 1st Athens Embers and Guides.

This would not be possible without the unwavering support of our volunteers, and donations for materials from our members, Krista Cameron Pottery, and several caring artists.

We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Krista Cameron. Without her passion, inspiration and mentoring, Pottery Palooza would still be a distant dream.

Our aim is to keep the cost of classes as low as possible so that this program remains accessible to all schools and youth groups. If you'd like to support our Pottery Palooza program, we welcome donations! Proceeds go towards materials and subsidizing registration fees for students and parents. Thank you!

Donate

To donate please click the link about and include "Pottery Palooza" in your message so we can allocate our donations accordingly.

Check out this fun video showcasing amazing student creations. It totally captures the spirit of playing with clay!