Artist in Residence

Three months. Your own shelf. A window in our studio

The Pottery Artist in Residence program invites clay artists to spend three months making, showing and selling work at one of our three Central Coast studios: The Pottery Atascadero, The Pottery Grover Beach or The Pottery Baywood.

We host residents four times a year. You get round-the-clock studio time and a community of makers around you. We get a storefront window full of your work and a chance for our students to learn from you.

Apply now

What you receive

• Level One membership for all three months: up to 10 personal pieces fired each month and your own storage shelf

• 24-hour studio access at your host studio

• 5% off clay, glazes and tools

• Free clay and firing to build your window display

• A shelf to sell your work. You set the prices and keep 60% of every sale.

• Promotion across our social media, newsletter and advertising

• A paid teaching opportunity. Lead a workshop in your technique or specialty.

What you create

Every resident designs and builds a storefront window display. It can be all clay or multimedia, as long as clay is part of it.

Think bold, playful and larger than life. Picture oversized botanical shapes, saturated color, painted paper, fabric or found materials, with your ceramic work placed at the heart of the scene. Your window should stop people on the sidewalk and make them want to come inside.

You'll build your display during your residency and install it at the end. It stays up for three months, welcoming visitors during the next resident's session, and then you come back to take it down. It's a chance to have your work seen by everyone who walks by.

Sessions

Who should apply

We welcome emerging and mid-career ceramic artists working in wheel-thrown, hand-built or sculptural clay. You should be comfortable working independently in a shared studio and excited to connect with our members and students.

Please note: The residency does not include housing, travel or a stipend. Applicants should live within commuting distance of their chosen studio or be able to arrange their own lodging for the full three months.

How to apply

The online application asks for:

• Your artist statement, bio and résumé

• 10 to 15 images of recent work

• Your idea for the window display

• Whether you'd like to teach a workshop

• One professional reference

We review applications after each deadline, interview finalists, and notify all applicants by email.

Start your application

Questions

Can I choose which studio I'm based at? Yes. You'll rank your preferences on the application, and we'll do our best to match you.

Can I use the display clay for my own work? The free clay is for your window display only. Clay for personal work is available at a 5% discount.

How are sales handled? Your work sells from your shelf in the studio. You set your own prices and receive 60% of each sale.

Do I have to teach? No. Teaching a workshop is optional, and if you choose to, you'll be paid.

Still have questions? Email us here