Ceramics is among the least accessible art forms to individuals due to the cost of space and equipment. Often, it’s only possible to engage in clay art through an institution, such as a university. Yet out of thousands of universities and schools, Brown is one of the few that lacks any capacity to work with clay and ceramics. Consider our neighboring institutions: Rhode Island College, Johnson & Wales University, and Providence College. They all have ceramics resources, studios, and programs. Universities similar to Brown have extensive recreational opportunities for ceramics, such as studios in residential halls, since ceramics is the foundational 3D art form and moreover, it is creative, relaxing, and builds community.

While it is understandable that Brown, given its proximity to RISD, would prioritize differentiating itself by focusing on the performing arts, excluding entire forms of visual arts is a disservice to the Brown (and RISD) community. Brown students do not have access to RISD studios or classes unless under extremely rare exceptions, and RISD students themselves do not have access to ceramic studios unless they are both majoring in ceramics and taking ceramic classes. Effectively, for those outside of RISD’s ceramics program, there is no access to ceramic arts anywhere on College Hill. This is the way things have been for decades.

Pottery @ Brown (also known as Brown Pottery Club) has partnered with studios in Providence, Brown Arts Institute, and the Brown Design Workshop to fill the void by establishing recreational access to ceramics for anyone in the Brown-RISD community.

Currently, Pottery @ Brown’s on-campus studio is located within Brown Design Workshop, where they host studio sessions throughout the week for all experience and commitment levels, overseen by experienced members of Pottery @ Brown. By offering students the opportunity to engage in ceramics, Pottery @ Brown aims to fill a critical gap in Brown’s artistic offerings and provide a creative outlet long missed on campus.