ELLSWORTH — Heart of Ellsworth is announcing the launch of Summer of Clay, a new creative workshop series at the Makerspace at 16 State and an important next step in building regular, hands-on programming for the downtown creative space.
The Makerspace at 16 State, a program of Heart of Ellsworth, has long been envisioned as a place where people can gather to learn, create, share skills and build community through the arts. With the launch of a clay workshop series, that vision is beginning to take shape in a new and tangible way.
The inaugural program begins July 28 with The Handbuilding Series, a six-week experience designed for beginners and returning makers alike. Participants will explore a new handbuilding technique and project each week while creating functional and decorative ceramic pieces.
Each session is designed to stand on its own, giving participants the flexibility to register for one class, selected workshops or the full six-week series. The same weekly project will be offered twice each week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, making it easier for community members to choose the schedule that works best for them.
“During the community engagement process, ceramic arts consistently emerged as one of the most requested programs,” said Karin Otto, president of the Heart of Ellsworth Board of Directors. “This series represents the power of collaboration and our commitment to expanding meaningful creative opportunities for people of all ages. We hope it’s the first step in building a vibrant, lasting ceramics program for our community.”
The launch of Summer of Clay also marks a broader moment for the Makerspace at 16 State. Continuous creative programming has been a long-standing goal for the space, and clay was chosen as a starting point because of the strong community interest identified during Heart of Ellsworth’s Makerspace planning process. The series reflects the organization’s continued work to grow 16 State into a welcoming creative hub where artists, residents, students, families and visitors can connect through making.
“All of this stems from our Makerspace Feasibility Study Report released in 2022 after a process that asked artists, residents and local partners what they wanted to see in a shared creative space,” Cara Romano, executive director of Heart of Ellsworth, said. “Summer of Clay is exciting because it shows what the Makerspace can become when community input, creative leadership and thoughtful planning come together. This series is the first step toward building the kind of regular, accessible programming people told us they wanted to see in downtown Ellsworth.”
The Handbuilding Series is open to ages 12 and up. All levels are welcome, materials and firing are included.
Community members can learn more about Summer of Clay and register for upcoming workshops at www.makerspaceat16state.org.
The Makerspace at 16 State is part of Heart of Ellsworth’s broader efforts to strengthen downtown Ellsworth through arts, culture, entrepreneurship, historic preservation and community engagement.
Heart of Ellsworth is a nationally accredited Main Street America 501(3)c organization dedicated to fostering a vibrant downtown through economic development, arts and culture, historic preservation, outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship, and community engagement. Through collaborative initiatives and community-driven programming, Heart of Ellsworth works to strengthen downtown Ellsworth as a thriving place to live, work, visit, and invest. For more information, visit https://heartofellsworth.org or contact Heart of Ellsworth’s Assistant Director Chesnee Barney at chesnee@heartofellsworth.org.