LIBRARY
** The Feet of Clay Ceramic Lending Library official opened on Thursday, April 28! To view a copy of the press release, click here **
what it is
The library is a community-based free lending library of ceramic mugs at Feet of Clay pottery studio. It is a collection of functional mugs created by our studio members and is an attempt to connect to the wider community outside our studio walls, echoing the words of Ayumi Horie that, ‘a desire to make good pots is a desire to make connections and to create community among people through pots.’
how it works
Pieces from our library collection are accessible whenever the studio is open and by appointment. If you are interested in becoming a library member, read the contract and then fill out the application at the bottom of this page.
Once you are a member, you will receive a library card and you may borrow any mug in the library collection for a 2-week period for free. In return for the use of a handmade mug, each borrower is asked to create – and donate to the library – a digital photograph of the mug in use. You will also have the option of purchasing the mug after your borrowing period. If you have further questions about how the library operates, please see the library Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheet.
The collection is displayed at our studio for students & guests to view & hold. We encourage you to come by, choose a mug, make a cup of tea & try it out!
the current collection:
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- Jane Simon
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- Megan Leary-Crist
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- Joan Schwartz
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- Jeremy Ogusky
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- Jenn Wymann
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- Frank Caro
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- Richard Gilson
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- Richard Garrity
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- Christine Shadic
what inspired the library
Resource sharing is alive & thriving in communities around the globe. Car collectives like Zipcar are successful here in Boston and CSAs are another example of a return to collective ownership strategies as solutions to scarcity and resource management. While mugs may not be scarce, unique handmade mugs created by neighbors might be, and our library aims to rectify this! This project was also inspired by the Artstream Lending Library and other community supported art projects such as Boston Artchives.
Each mug in our collection is made by a Feet of Clay studio member (to see bios of library contributors click here) and has been juried into our library using criteria that judge the mug on functionality, creativity & craftsmanship. They are examples of our studio’s best work and we hope that you enjoy using them!
contact: Jeremy Ogusky jeremy@oguskyceramics.com
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Library Contract & Membership Application
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Ceramics Lending Library by Feet of Clay Pottery is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.