It started with a cancer diagnosis: “I had to reassess my life and learn to be more patient,” says Community Clay owner Roxane Ambrose. “Thinking pottery would help with this, I tried it out as a new hobby and was instantly hooked.” She traded in her 20-year software career to open a pottery studio that catered to a community environment. Ambrose’s shift from the digital to the physical has allowed her to sculpt not just clay but a new, fulfilling chapter in her life. Swapping tech for tactile, Ambrose now molds her dreams into tangible art at her RiNo and Congress Park studios, where she also teaches others the trade during Community Clay’s popular classes. Eager to learn more, we sat down with Ambrose to play with a pile of clay while getting acquainted. This is what she had to say:
On being “Denver’s friendliest pottery studio”: “I can say from experience that learning pottery as an adult can be hard, especially if you are a total beginner. Everyone is learning to throw clay in front of one another, and it can embarrass people if they do it wrong or their clay goes flying. So we really stress kindness and respect here, from both the instructors and the students. We want everyone to feel comfortable learning a new skill and art form.”
On mental health benefits: “I was not a patient person when I first started doing pottery, but it was a great thing for me to practice and learn. Working with clay can be really therapeutic and allow you to detach from outside stresses since your hands will literally be covered in clay and you won’t be able to touch your phone for an hour or so. We could all use more time to unplug.”
On classes and memberships: “We offer a six-week wheel class that is really popular. We cater to beginners and intermediate skill levels there. We book up quickly, and the best way to secure a spot in one of those classes is to sign up for our newsletter for updates and announcements. We also offer hand-building classes, which tend to be more open. Everyone is intrigued by the wheel, but even throwing a bowl can be tricky. With hand-building, you can immediately make more things like a pitcher, a lamp, or a decorative mug.”
On private parties: “Even though our classes can be tricky to secure, there is still another way for people interested in pottery to hang out at the studio and learn the art form. We offer private parties, for both the wheel and hand building. We have even had groups bring in their own bartender for the events, which is always so fun.”
On what’s trending: “For Pride this June, we came up with this rainbow-throwing idea that has really taken off. You use different colors of clay and spin them together. People are also very into bubble vases, teapots, and ring holders with a protruding center to organize their jewelry.”
On what’s coming up: “We are super excited to share that we recently purchased a building near our Blake Street location in RiNo, which we will slowly roll out for both classes and memberships.”
