District Clay

Love this place! Love the people, love the space, love the supportive and collaborative atmosphere. Cass has created an awesome studio and believes in fostering creativity rather than stifling it. And Toby the studio dog is the best.

District Clay is a place for any age level and skill level can experience the joy of creating your own stoneware pots. The classes are very relaxed and flexible, yet challenging as well. Awesome people, community feel, and clay clay clay! Can’t go wrong!

I wish I could give more stars! I’m just finishing up my first ten week session with Jon and can’t wait to sign up for another! Such a knowledgeable and welcoming group of instructors and students.

District Clay has become a home away from home for me over the past couple of months. I am finishing my last semester of a graduate program and started to feel really burnt out and creatively stifled, so I decided it was time to find a creative outlet and seeing as I’ve always admired beautiful ceramics, I wanted to give it a shot.
I really couldn’t be happier with my experience at District Clay. Prior to my first class I’d never done pottery before, but I thought it might be something I’d be good at. The learning curve turned out to be quite steep, but I’ve kept at it and have seen a lot of progress in just eight weeks. Much of that progress is thanks to the amazing Open Studio policy, which allows students to come in and sit in on a class whenever there’s an open wheel. Since starting the class I’ve come in at least 2 or 3 times every week, and all of that extra time (with no extra cost for using the clay, glazes, tools or getting instruction!) has been invaluable. There’s no other studio in DC that offers anything remotely close to such an amazing deal, which sold me on the studio in the first place, and given that there’s currently almost always an available wheel, the deal has been a gift that keeps on giving. I can’t imagine the policy will be around forever, since it really is almost too good to be true, so I encourage people to get at it while it lasts!
All of the instructors are fantastic — wonderful people who have obvious passion for both pottery and teaching. The other students are great as well; I’ve met so many really sweet people, who often bring in drinks or food for everybody to share, and now hang out with some of them after classes end.
This studio has given me the desire to keep on creating pottery for the foreseeable future, as well as something to look forward to on a regular basis over the past few months.
Thanks Cass and District Clay, I wish you tons of continued success!
They’ve also recently started an instagram (DistrictClay) filled with students’ and instructors’ art!

My partner and I are in the Sunday wheel class with John. We’re three weeks in and really enjoying it. It’s early but I anticipate signing up for future classes. Teachers and students are nice and generous with their knowledge. Relaxed environment (except when the kids’ class is tearing around but that’s okay). It’s really a great place and I am so grateful and happy to have found it!

I started taking classes here in spring 2014 (total beginner!) and can only say positive things about it. I’m now wrapping up my 3^rd 10-​week session and planning to sign up for a 4^th.
There are incredibly talented people both teaching AND attending classes here. Everyone is very accessible and the instructors are always willing to show you how to do something new or walk you through something tricky. They also do demos, hold special workshops (like raku), invite guests to do pottery «jams,» etc. Cass (the owner) + Toby (resident basset hound) are extremely nice. All of the tools and equipment is relatively new, all in good condition, and you have unlimited access to clay and glazes. Cool space, although not metro accessible or super walk-​friendly… but there is a bus line that goes directly from Rhode Island Ave. station over here in about 10 minutes!
I’ve learned so much so far and can’t wait to start my next session. You really start to develop an appreciation for the craft, and the people there are awesome. If you’re not sure about it, try a class on Tuesday nights.

I can’t say enough about how awesome District Clay is! I started taking classes there a couple months ago, and it’s so fun. I’ve had a chance to work with two of the instructors, both fantastic, and Cass the owner is really nice. This is my first time taking ceramics classes, so I don’t know how this compares to other studio policies, but District Clay is an incredibly good value in terms of the cost. Everything, literally everything is included in the cost — as much clay as you can throw, glazing and firing for as many pots as you want, and all the tools you need are there. You can also come to open studio as much as you want during any of the other class times. If I lived closer, I’d be there every day. :)

Stumbled on this gem just a few short weeks after its initial opening while looking for a studio in the city. I’d taken classes long ago (in high school and at a community center well over 8 years ago) so I was looking forward to more instruction.
Classes are reasonably priced and include all of the materials, both for throwing (tools, clay, etc…) and glazing. All of the equipment is brand new (wheels, kilns, etc) and Cass (the owner) and all of the instructors are personable, knowledgeable, and friendly. I’ve sat in on classes outside of my regular time and find the range of style and willingness to instruct invaluable. It’s cool to learn different techniques from different people.
In addition to the classes, they have flexible open studio time and have been working to expand their offerings (Raku workshop coming up in September), along with slowly expanding the glazes, ranges of times for classes, and getting an enormous gas kiln for glaze firing.
I’m part way through my second 10-​week session and expect to continue taking classes for the foreseeable future.
The space is gorgeous, parking is easy, and I look forward to class every week. If it was closer and easier for me to get there after work I’d be there all the time.
A welcome addition to the city and a wonderful place to work with ceramics for anyone interested at any skill level.

Great energy from a great group of people! I have hand building experience and am enjoying the freedom to pursue my own projects as well as being pushed to try different sculpture techniques.
So happy to have District Clay in the city!

Took the «Tuesday try it!» class with some coworkers and had a great time. We had about 10 people in our class and we got plenty of 1 on 1 attention from Mike, the instructor, and Cass, the owner. The studio is tucked away in a residential area of north east but is very easy to find. There’s plenty of street parking and a small parking lot, too. The class is designed to get you interested in signing up for additional classes, so don’t expect to go home with a beautiful vase. That said, there was no pressure at all to sign up for additional classes… just a coupon that put your «try it» class cost toward your future classes.
As far as the actual lesson goes… It was my first experience with a wheel and I was impressed at how well the instructions translated to my «creations». Mike and Cass taught all steps prior to letting us go and were right beside us to help along the way. I walked away having made 2 bowls which exceeded all expectations. A+ on instructions!
In conclusion, if you want a fun thing to do on a Tuesday, take this class! If you want a good starter class, take this class! All I would recommend is definitely bring a towel. Cass emailed the suggestion prior to the class but I completely forgot. And then completely regretted it.
Oh, and Cass brings his adorable bassett hound, Toby, to classes. He’s adorable and so friendly… but you should definitely know this if you are allergic to dogs. If not, Happy throwing!