cry baby clay: a community clay resource
cry baby clay is moving out of the basement and into a public studio.
Help support my journey to becoming a community clay resource!
Project Description
- cry baby clay will be a hybrid personal studio & community clay resource.
- Community members will have access to the wheel, hand building table, slab roller, extruder, and a variety of firing options during business hours. The studio will also be the home base for clay kits, as well as a place to host workshops, private events, and community skill shares. What makes this studio special is the range of services I'll be offering, no monthly membership fee needed!
- cry baby clay is a resource for any skill level, from someone who has never touched clay before, to the hobby potter, as well as the very experienced potter.
- My mission is to minimize barriers associated with working with clay. To be a potter is expensive and oftentimes requires a lot of additional, very specific equipment. cry baby clay kits were a great way for people to work with clay from home without having to worry about the cost of a studio membership or having their own kiln. To push the access even further, I have created a campaign within my business called Clay it Forward. Clay it Forward allows individuals to sponsor clay kits for community members with financial barriers who have expressed interest in working with clay. Clay it Forward kits, when purchased by a sponsor, will be available to anybody who visits the studio and would like to try a clay kit for free.
- I am seeking funding because my business is growing at a rapid rate, and unfortunately continuing to chug along self-funded is a limiting when trying keeping up with the momentum. I outgrew my basement studio in one year after starting to offer clay kits from my front porch. The need to expand was obvious, but the financial means to do so has been TIGHT! I'm grateful and excited to be in my new studio, and eager to get some funding to bring the space to its full potential.
- Who runs the show? It's just me! One woman with a love for clay and a passion to share the resources that I have with others.
- I appreciate your interest in what I'm doing- there's some true magic in this studio, and am so grateful for your support!
Updates
The Campaign FAQs
What will the money be put towards?
- Money raised from this campaign will be directly put towards the expenses of expanding into a public studio space, and offering a more robust list of services beyond take home clay kits.
When will the studio be open for use?
- I am prepared to open August 7th, 2021.
- I intend to roll with what I've got, and as more funding comes in I will be able to add more services and improvements as I go
What services will you offer?
- cry baby clay is a personal studio & community clay resource
- in addition to being where I create my own wares to sell, it will also be the new clay kit home base. Put together a kit with clay and underglaze, take it home, create at your own pace, then return it for firing
- I will offer workshops geared towards specific forms (mug making, planters, I'm hoping to get weirdly specific too- make your own ceramic frog, it will be super playful)!
- I will also have times set aside for people to book private events. Get a group of your friends together to celebrate birthdays, bridal showers, company retreats, whatever ya want!
- I will have a variety of kiln rental options: community firings with price by the kiln shelf, or partial/full kiln rentals. The goal is to offer a little something for everybody!
- Beyond my standard offerings, I plan to host pay what you can (or free) community events like Pinch Pots in the Park
- I plan to host other vendors for pop up sales throughout the year with either low or no cost entry fees
What is the turnaround time for receiving thank you gifts?
- Please plan to wait 6-12 months to receive your thank you gift. This is a one woman show, and in addition to opening the new studio space and keeping up with my own inventory schedule, I'll be folding in the making, sorting, and sending out of thank you gifts associated with this fundraiser.
- clay takes time, so if your donation has a custom clay element to it, I will need that time to not feel rushed and be able to create something high quality and full of love & gratitude.
- I like to think of it as a gift that present you is gifting future you! Isn't it fun to receive things that you forgot about ordering?! You'll receive the gratification of supporting a one woman business immediately upon donating, and then a lil somethin' special in the future as my way of saying thank you.
- you may not have to wait the full 6 months if your thank you gift is not clay related (example: blueprints and cyber thank you notes will be sent shortly after making your donation, handwritten thank you notes and discount codes will also go into effect quickly after a donation has been made, and clay inspired prints or tote bags may arrive much sooner than the 6 month mark).
- I appreciate your understanding, patience, and support!
Just Because I Care
I appreciate you and your support! Thank you for contributing to this journey!
My dad worked hard to custom build studio tables with wheels! There's a 2' x 4' design, and a 4' x 8' design. If you build multiples of the 2' x 4' design, you can come up with so many configurations around the larger 4' x 8' table!
We'd love to share his blueprints with you so you can utilize the design in your own space :)
for $15 you can sponsor a clay kit for a community member! for every Clay it Forward clay kit purchased, I set aside a pre-paid firing slip that includes one pound of clay and one underglaze. These will be made available to anybody who expresses interest in taking home a clay kit but may not have the financial means to purchase one themselves.
Thank you for contributing to making pottery more accessible to all!
Receive your choice of a cry baby logo pin or magnet, hand stamped into terra-cotta, fired, assembled, and sent to you. I will send you an email to confirm whether you'd like me to make you a magnet or pin.
Thank you for your support!
receive a eco friendly tan tote bag with the marbled cry baby clay logo. Thank you for your support!
receive both the tote bag and your choice of a logo pin or magnet.
I will send you an email to confirm whether you'd like me to make you a magnet or pin. Thank you for your support!
choose from the splattered good grip mug, or grid design bold mug. These mugs are special edition for this fundraiser!
I teamed up with Lora Hlavsa to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print. The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
I teamed up with Kristina Johnson to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print. The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
I teamed up with Kristina Johnson to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print. The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
I teamed up with Brian Smith to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print. The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
I teamed up with Ashley Mary to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print! The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
I teamed up with Ashley Mary to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print! The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
I teamed up with Max Green to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print! The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
I teamed up with Leah Monson to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print! The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
choose from a handmade beer stein form, OR 4" x 4" planter form w/ drip tray, and I will decorate it with a one of a kind collage style technique similar to the style shown on the beer stein. (I'll email you to figure out which form you'd like).
clay body, underglaze colors, and designs will vary. Your piece is guaranteed to be totally unique!
I will make up to a 12” clay sculpture of you. Full body or just the bust. You can request it to be understated or over the top. It’ll be playful and attempt to capture your ~essence~
I don’t normally make human figures out of clay- but let’s go for it! Worst case scenario, it’ll be a great conversation starter! No do-overs or refunds, ya gotta learn to love it or smash it for catharsis if you don’t.
I'd also be open to animals, or non-living forms as well. Send me an email at [email protected] if you're curious :)
You’ll receive a unique, one-time-use 50% off coupon code each month to use on anything cry baby clay!
Thank you for your support!
Rewards
Just Because I Care
I appreciate you and your support! Thank you for contributing to this journey!
My dad worked hard to custom build studio tables with wheels! There's a 2' x 4' design, and a 4' x 8' design. If you build multiples of the 2' x 4' design, you can come up with so many configurations around the larger 4' x 8' table!
We'd love to share his blueprints with you so you can utilize the design in your own space :)
for $15 you can sponsor a clay kit for a community member! for every Clay it Forward clay kit purchased, I set aside a pre-paid firing slip that includes one pound of clay and one underglaze. These will be made available to anybody who expresses interest in taking home a clay kit but may not have the financial means to purchase one themselves.
Thank you for contributing to making pottery more accessible to all!
Receive your choice of a cry baby logo pin or magnet, hand stamped into terra-cotta, fired, assembled, and sent to you. I will send you an email to confirm whether you'd like me to make you a magnet or pin.
Thank you for your support!
receive a eco friendly tan tote bag with the marbled cry baby clay logo. Thank you for your support!
receive both the tote bag and your choice of a logo pin or magnet.
I will send you an email to confirm whether you'd like me to make you a magnet or pin. Thank you for your support!
choose from the splattered good grip mug, or grid design bold mug. These mugs are special edition for this fundraiser!
I teamed up with Lora Hlavsa to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print. The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
I teamed up with Kristina Johnson to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print. The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
I teamed up with Kristina Johnson to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print. The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
I teamed up with Brian Smith to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print. The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
I teamed up with Ashley Mary to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print! The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
I teamed up with Ashley Mary to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print! The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
I teamed up with Max Green to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print! The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
I teamed up with Leah Monson to offer a limited edition clay inspired 8" x 8" print! The profits from this donation tier will be split 50/50 between cry baby clay and the participating artist.
choose from a handmade beer stein form, OR 4" x 4" planter form w/ drip tray, and I will decorate it with a one of a kind collage style technique similar to the style shown on the beer stein. (I'll email you to figure out which form you'd like).
clay body, underglaze colors, and designs will vary. Your piece is guaranteed to be totally unique!
I will make up to a 12” clay sculpture of you. Full body or just the bust. You can request it to be understated or over the top. It’ll be playful and attempt to capture your ~essence~
I don’t normally make human figures out of clay- but let’s go for it! Worst case scenario, it’ll be a great conversation starter! No do-overs or refunds, ya gotta learn to love it or smash it for catharsis if you don’t.
I'd also be open to animals, or non-living forms as well. Send me an email at [email protected] if you're curious :)
You’ll receive a unique, one-time-use 50% off coupon code each month to use on anything cry baby clay!
Thank you for your support!