Liz Proffetty holds Eddie in the retail area of her new clay studio, Neighborhood Clay. (Christine LaPado-Breglia photo)
Ceramic arts in the ‘hood: As readers of this column know, well-known local potter and ceramics teacher Liz Proffetty recently opened Neighborhood Clay, the new clay studio and retail space on upper Main Street in Damariscotta. The last time I was at Neighborhood Clay was before it opened, when Proffetty was taking much delight in the expansive, well-lit space still under construction.
Last Wednesday, I stopped by Neighborhood Clay to catch up with Proffetty since her studio opened and she started teaching classes on Sept. 11.
“It’s been great!” said Proffetty, who was accompanied by Eddie, her adorable white Westie-mix dog. (“He’s decided to be a shop dog,” she told me.)
“Classes are well-attended,” she said. “It’s such a good space. The lighting is great and there’s plenty of table space.”
Proffetty is gearing up for Neighborhood Clay’s grand opening on Saturday, Nov. 4, “on Early Bird special day, but I will call it ‘Late Riser,’ because we’re opening at 8 a.m.” The grand opening will run until 4 p.m.
Proffetty is also busy creating her own ceramic pieces – cups, bowls, plates – to sell in the studio’s retail area, which also features work by Jefferson watercolorist Rachael Richmond and woodturner John Coppola, who is also a dispensing optician at Damariscotta Eyecare, next door to Neighborhood Clay. Fragrant soaps from Waldoboro’s Long Winter Soap Co. are also available, and coming soon are elegant wire-wrapped pottery-shard necklaces from Fairyland Jewelry artist Sarah Koelbl.
Neighborhood Clay’s retail hours are Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Classes at Neighborhood Clay tend to take place in the evening, with the exception of Sunday, when the clay studio is closed, although there are some morning and afternoon classes for children. Coming up on Saturday, Oct. 14 is the Halloween Candy Bowl Workshop for Kids from 3-4:30 p.m.
The glazing area at Neighborhood Clay in Damariscotta. (Christine LaPado-Breglia photo)
Proffetty is starting up a new event called Ladies Night, a BYOB “try-the-wheel” night for women, from 7-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20. She also hosts pottery-making children’s parties for $16 per child (minimum of six kids; maximum of 12), with the help of her new apprentice, Sarah Simmons, a 2017 Lincoln Academy graduate and ceramicist. Parents can bring food, cake, decorations, presents, and so on and make use of the Neighborhood Clay space, indoors and out.
Neighborhood Clay’s next round of eight-week class sessions began on Monday, Oct. 2. Late joiners need not worry, however. Proffetty said she can prorate the remaining seven weeks. “I’m really pretty flexible,” she said. “I can help the new person get started and teach to the others at the same time.”
Neighborhood Clay is located at 590 Main St., Damariscotta. Go to neighborhoodclay.com to learn more and to register for classes.
Liz Proffetty stands in the retail area of Neighborhood Clay, near a rack of ceramic mugs she created. (Christine LaPado-Breglia photo)
Read-aloud club at Skidompha: I got an email from Skidompha Library in Damariscotta recently, announcing its new Read-Aloud Book Club on Wednesdays at noon in the library’s atrium. “Bring a work of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or song to share and speak, and hear other works as they roll off the tongue,” the email said. “No experience necessary – come and experiment in an open, fun environment!” It does sound like fun. I may just have to spend my lunch hour there one of these Wednesdays!
(Email me at clbreglia@lcnme.com or write me a letter in care of The Lincoln County News, P.O. Box 36, Damariscotta, ME 04543. I love to hear from readers.)
