Where clay meets community: Athens studio giving back through art
The weather recently might be grey and dreary, with heavy rain showers, yet inside Clay Studio Collective (CSC) in Athens, the atmosphere is bright, inviting and purposeful.
The unique non-profit group, consisting of ceramic artists from Westport, Smiths Falls, Kemptville, Brockville, Prescott, Athens and areas in between, shares more than a love for their art; they share resources and offer support in the ceramic arts while also making a difference in the community.
Early this spring, CSC members and Krista Cameron Pottery (KCP) students selflessly created 85 beautiful bowls (sanding, glazing and firing them) to donate to Brockville’s Loaves and Fishes Empty Bowls event. Over the last three years, CSC has donated 235 bowls to the Loaves and Fishes fundraiser to help alleviate hunger in the area.
The studios’ skilled potters, ranging from those with years of experience to beginners, are gearing up for their own spring fundraising efforts again this year as they prepare to welcome guests Sunday, May 3, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for their Plant Kindness – 3rd Annual Pottery Sale and Tea Social. Lynda Behenna, CSC membership director, and Sarah Hamelin, studio manager, reported that 15 members and students gathered recently for a ‘planter workshop’ to handmake approximately 120 items (50+ plant pots and 50+ pretty vases) specifically for the Plant Kindness fundraiser.
The event is the group’s biggest fundraising event this year, intending to raise funds to help the clay studio become more sustainable, upgrade water and clay recycling and establish a tool-sharing library. Tickets for the event are $40 and include a choice of a planter complete with a plant or a vase with a floral arrangement, as well as tea or coffee and some delectable baked goods during the afternoon tea. Lynda notes that tickets for the popular event are already 50% sold, so those interested are encouraged to purchase their tickets as soon as possible to avoid missing out. Email claystudiocollective@gmail.com or check out the website at www.claystudiocollective.com to purchase tickets or for more information on becoming a member.
Lynda notes that additional pottery creations will be available for purchase as part of the fundraiser, along with a silent auction table. A couple of “pop-up” smaller sales events will be held later this summer at the Tipped Ship in Elgin in June (date TBA – watch for details) and the new lavender farm, Aflori Acres in Athens, on July 11.
Currently, Lynda states that 43 CSC members and 200+ students from KCP use the studio, located at 17 Church Street, Athens, in the church’s lower level. CSC has implemented a Pottery Palooza initiative, overseen by member and community director Maggie, that began in November 2025 to introduce kids in the area to pottery. Thus far, CSC has had 97 students, ranging in age from 6 to 14, from Pineview Public School, Athens Christian Academy and the local Girl Guides unit, at the studio, enjoying time creating with clay.
Maggie says that she has “never met a kid who did not like clay. Kids LOVE working with clay. Clay is a tactile medium and provides a sensory experience that children respond well to. The three-dimensional aspect of it is also very appealing; it’s tangible. 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.”
Athens High School student Ella M. has also been enjoying an inspiring co-op placement at the studio. The young student has even created some lovely pieces of pottery that will be part of the Plant Kindness fundraiser in May.
Krista Cameron Pottery will be hosting a special Masterclass Series: Advanced Throwing with Ed Vanderbaaren and Imaginative Handbuilding with Chandler Swain.
The Clay Studio Collective continues to work with local organizations, schools, businesses and community members, strengthening the region’s creative landscape and sharing a passion for clay in ways that truly make an impact.