Throw Clay LA entered the ceramic scene of downtown Los Angeles in March 2020, during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite emerging in a time of isolation and empty streets, Throw Clay LA has become a pillar of connection in the ceramics community.
The studio offers a range of beginner-friendly classes that advance skills in hand-building, glazing techniques, and wheel throwing. They also offer memberships for experienced artists who want full-time access to the studio. The studio has about 160 members who come from all walks of life.
Originally from Brooklyn, N.Y., Marisa Gonzalez became a member 2 years ago. After leaving the Marine Corps, she moved from Las Vegas to L.A. in search of a home studio. In her search, the welcoming energy of Throw Clay LA immediately grabbed her attention.
“I think [that] as an artist, we move and gravitate towards good energy. A place that feels safe and comfortable to explore our creativity, and that’s what I felt when I came here,” said Gonzalez.
To Gonzalez, the atmosphere of the studio helps bring people out of their shells.
“Having the clay here to discuss can start a conversation, and all of a sudden you make friends,” she said.
Kat Rhee began her ceramics journey in a wheel-throwing class at Throw Clay LA five years ago. She has been a member ever since.
“Within a month, I kind of became a member right away,” said Rhee.
Rhee originally wanted to craft ‘onggi’, a traditional Korean pot used for fermenting kimchi. She’s since refined her style into “Korean traditional pottery techniques with an American flair.” She hopes to create an art show called “Ode to Onggis,” which would feature onggi pots with miniature landscapes on the inside.
Although Rhee was born and raised in L.A., the studio has helped her feel even more connected to the city through ‘member sales’, in which members sell their work to the community.
“It was nice to connect to the community and see some of my friends and strangers like my work,” said Rhee.
Compared to other studios, she appreciates the open aspect of Throw Clay LA.
“I really enjoy that at this studio, we’re very supportive of each other and very uplifting of each other and able to communicate and share techniques,” said Rhee.
She mentioned that other studios could be more secretive.
“Its nice to be around a place where you can build off of each other and uplift each other,” Rhee added.
Rhee shared that she’s come a long way as an artist over the past few years.
“I feel like I’ve come miles at this place, and I love that I can keep growing here,” she said. “It’s a place to grow. It’s a good soil.”
John Prescott, the owner of Throw Clay LA, fell into ceramics 13 years ago at a studio in West Hollywood. He shifted from a performing arts career to a ceramics instructor once he returned from New York to his home state of California. Prescott said he thinks the DTLA ceramics scene has expanded since the studio was built.
“This is a good location for a studio of this size downtown,” He said. “The other studios are on the other side, so we’re the only large studio in the south half of downtown.”
Prescott also said he believes the community aspects of Throw Clay LA make the studio different from others in the area.
“We have our members’ sale, which is a way to bring people together. Once a week we do clinics, where one of the people on the staff will teach for about an hour, and that’s a good way to bring people in,” said Prescott.
He said community was a core value of the studio from early on.
“Community, education, teamwork. All of those things involve other people.”
He added that the studio offered coffee and donuts on Sundays, and that his studio team recently took a trip to a Monster Truck show at Angel Stadium.
Prescott shared that his time with the studio gave him a renewed sense of purpose.
“Its fun to be one of the leaders of this community, and to interact with people, and to watch people on their ceramic journey,” Prescott continued. “We’ve had people who have been here since day one as members, and they started off for the first time in a class with me. Now they’re members doing stuff that I can’t do and it’s really cool to see.”