ABOUT THE VANCOUVER POTTERY STUDIO

We recognize and acknowledge it is an honour and privilege for us to operate our business and to live, work and play on the on the unceded, ancestral, occupied and stolen traditional lands of the SKwxwú7mesh (Squamish), xwməθkwəyəm (Musqueam) and Səílwəta (Tsleil-Watuth) Nations of the Coast Salish peoples. Our humble Vancouver BC based Pottery Studio is located in one of the most creative areas of Vancouver, Kitsilano!

 

Our Mission
Our mission at Café au Clay is to share the joy and camaraderie of creating pottery, whether beginner or pro, in a peaceful, respectful and happy studio space where everyone is welcome!
 
Started by two lifelong friends, Michelle and Peter wanted to form a vibrant community of potters in a great local Vancouver Pottery studio. Cafe au clay is designed to be a special place with easy access and inclusive opportunity for potters and students to learn and practice the art of pottery together. Come meet our fun, vibrant and caring community and find your happy place!

 

 

The Nerdy Truth

Pottery, (if you have not already heard) has the magical ability to nurture us, release stress and prevent burnout. It is a way to get back in touch with yourself and with the earth, rediscover your state of flow, revive your passions, and to express yourself through your innate artistry. Theoretically, yes, we are going there. According to Self Determination Theory by Richard Ryan and Edward Deci, we all require a sense of autonomy, belonging and competence to have our innate psychological needs met. This is our way of bringing that into the world. Meeting and nurturing our own needs allows us to participate more fully and wholeheartedly in the world. Our well being is contingent on getting our physical, social and psychological needs met to prevent burnout and stress and that’s where Café au Clay comes in! But how? What a great question, I’m so glad you asked. Research has shown that some of the most effective ways to maintain our well being is through mindfulness, play, nurturing your own passions, being in the state of flow, being creative through art and honouring downtime. At Café au Clay, we want to be a part of your well-being plan and welcome people into a supportive community where we can support each other in this pursuit.

 

 

Café au Clay and Bauhaus

It seems fitting that Café au Clay is launching at the centenary of the bauhaus movement. The Bauhaus school and style was originally an early modernist movement in arts and crafts from 100 years ago. Bauhaus has influenced us in our approach to the art of pottery and in particular, to what we hope Café au Clay will become for you.

Bauhaus is literally translated as “a building house.” We want Café au Clay to provide our local community in Vancouver a warmhearted, communal, artistic home that will motivate and inspire, encourage creativity, embrace internationality and imbue an openness and an eagerness to experiment with form - a home from which you can build up and practice your own artistry, whether you are a master potter, a new beginner or someone in between. A place to belong. We hope our studio will become your studio, that our teachers and craftspeople will inspire and excite you, and that together we make manifest a space that is filled with mindfulness, kindness, friendship, love and endless creativity.