The studio will offer both wheel-throwing and hand-building classes.
“In a fast-paced life so dominated by automation, screens and technology, the need for hand-made skills and creative outlets has never been greater,” Mollie Thorp told Dayton Daily News.
Reclaim Ceramics is hoping to offer 10 classes per week, plus workshops and special events that will be announced seasonally.
Students can come try out pottery or sculpture by signing up for a one-time class or receive more in-depth instruction by taking a six-week class.
The Thorps said they have also have plans to eventually offer memberships, visiting artists and community outreach programs.
A two-century history in Uptown Centerville
Constructed in the early 1800s, the building at 30 North Main housed various businesses over the decades, including a hardware store in the late 1930s, an ice cream shop sometime after that, a dry cleaner in the late 1940s and a barbershop from 2006 to 2023.
The city of Centerville purchased the site to enhance public accessibility and business development. The storefront recently was renovated in partnership with Dayton-based architecture, interior design and planning firm LWC Inc., according to the city.
Centerville City Council on Nov. 17 approved a lease agreement for the Reclaim Ceramics, one that the city said “marks another milestone in the Uptown Plan, which has successfully leveraged millions of dollars in private investment.”
“The district has seen the addition of improved parking facilities and attracted several new boutiques and restaurants, establishing Uptown as a regional destination for shopping, dining and creative experiences,” the city said in a statement.
Turning a dream into reality
Britt Thorp earned a bachelor’s of fine arts in ceramics from Ohio University in 2008 and a master’s of fine arts in ceramics from Syracuse University in 2021. His work has been featured in Ceramics Monthly and in galleries both nationally and internationally. He was previously the ceramics instructor at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin, Texas.
Mollie Thorp earned a bachelor’s of fine arts in studio art from Texas State University in 2012. She has been teaching art in the public school setting for 13 years.
The Thorps recently relocated from Austin to Centerville, where Britt was raised.
The couple said they enjoyed teaching in academia, but the thought of running their own business and sharing ceramics with a broader community became increasingly appealing and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
They said they fell in love with the storefront’s location in the heart of Uptown Centerville and with the space itself.
“Although it needed work, we could see the space had potential to become our dream studio,” Britt Thorp said. “The interior’s natural light and tall ceilings were also a major draw.”
Uptown Centerville is “evolving and transforming into a hub for dining, retail shops and the arts,” he said.
Centerville Development Director Erik Collins said Reclaim Ceramics is “exactly the kind of authentic, creative business that makes Uptown special.”
“Mollie and Britt’s vision perfectly aligns with what we’re creating in Uptown Centerville — a vibrant destination where people can shop, create and enjoy diverse dining options,” Collins said in a statement.
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