I really enjoyed my workshop at The Art Department. I loved the way the clay felt in my hands - it was all squishy and very relaxing. The teachers were really friendly and helped me out whenever I needed it. I can’t wait to do another class when I visit Newcastle. - Leo (10 yrs old)
We had a fabulous time for our Christmas party at the clay and sip class. 2 of us had never worked with clay before, but the teachers and facilities had us confidently experimenting with our own creations. We would absolutely do this again!
My work team and I did the Clay and Sip class for our team Christmas Party. We had a fabulous time and thoroughly enjoyed our experience. Our fantastic teacher Cameron was so nice and so helpful. She explained all the basic sculpting techniques so we were well equipped to begin our sculpting. We appreciated that she was supportive, helpful and very encouraging. The setup was fantastic and we enjoyed being free to create whatever we wanted. We will definitely be back again.
Nestled in the heart of Newcastle, Australia lies a creative space like no other. The Art Department is more than just a studio, it's a vibrant community of artists with a passion for clay.
The vision for this unique space is simple - to build upon the small, yet thriving local artist community that has been growing in Newcastle over the years.
The founder's love for clay began while attending an evening course at Sydney Uni during a particularly hectic period at her day job in an advertising agency. She was instantly hooked on the creative outlet that clay provided - the shape, form, touch, smell, movement, and organic natural matter that it offered, especially during the unknown process of glazing and firing.
It was after being diagnosed with stage-4 breast cancer that her passion for clay was truly ignited. Throughout her treatment, even when she had zero strength, the messiness and organic feel of her weekly classes kept her grounded and sane. Now cancer-free, she has returned to Newwy with her German husband and two children to be closer to family and to focus on her creative endeavours.
The name of the studio, The Art Department, is not only a nod to the founder's 19 years of experience working in the hectic environments of ad agencies' art departments but also a homage to the Newcastle University Art department that unfortunately closed down as this business idea came to fruition.
At The Art Department, patrons can experience the meditative, rejuvenating, and uplifting feeling that the founder discovered during her own journey. The studio offers a variety of classes and workshops, from hand-building to wheel throwing, led by experienced pottery teachers. It's a place where artists can come together to create, connect, and be inspired.
