Have you ever experienced the joy and play of creating, painting and/or playing with clay? Play with Clay, a family-run business in the heart of downtown Guelph,
provides just that opportunity. Mario and his wife Nina opened their doors in Guelph 9 years ago, and have built their business with community, accessibility and fun in mind.
There is a sense of excitement as you walk in the doors and you can’t help but feel inspired to create something beautiful and unique. If you’ve ever walked by the studio you’ll know that it’s often busy, full of happy painters of all ages. The Guelph location has been such a success that Play with Clay has recently opened a second location in Cambridge. Both locations provide accessible entry, are open 7-days a week and cater to all age and experience levels.
The studio space(s) are filled with a variety of long tables, perfect for a party, team building activity or for making new friends and the walls are lined with pre-fired pieces for easy painting and glazing for a fun and quick experience (~2 hours). There are new pre-fired pieces added to the collection weekly, which currently include holiday themed pieces, making it a great place to return to time and time again.
For those seeking a more in depth experience, Play with Clay also offers pottery workshops and 7-week pottery lessons where you’ll learn more about the art of
throwing, moulding, firing and painting or glazing your pieces. These sessions are designed to teach the new beginner the basics of pottery making, but can also be a nice refresher for those with past experience or those wishing to access a studio space.
Not only for the creative and artistic types, Play with Clay is accessible to all and promotes creativity in all its forms, and as Mario shares “whatever you create, it will be the only one of its kind”. In addition, there are staff on location at all times to provide ideas and tips or tricks to assist your creation.
Beyond the workshop and pre-registered pottery series, Play with Clay offers a great space for birthdays, workplace team building, and dates with friends. The beauty of Play with Clay is that it speaks to all ages and all levels of experience. Information on featured workshops occurring this winter, including the ‘Blind Valentine’s Day’ event can be found on the website, www.playwithclayguelph.com. These events are certain to provide a fun and entertaining day or evening!
To further increase the accessibility of its services, Play with Clay also offers a take home package, where you can purchase your clay pieces and all glazes and brushes will be provided at no extra charge so that you can host a party or get together from the comfort of your own home!
It also has to be said that it is certainly a great sign when even the staff choose to make their Christmas gifts in store! Featured is Isabelle Bisnaire, a Guelph location staff member painting a beautiful mug.
If you’ve ever considered making pottery, painting pottery or are simply open to new and fun experiences, this is just the space to find them!
You can find Play with Clay at its two locations:
Guelph - www.playwithclayguelph.com
Cambridge - www.playwithclaygalt.com