Why Dan Pearce Started The Clay Hole
I didn’t start The Clay Hole because I wanted to run a business.
I started it because I needed something real. I needed clay. I needed connection. I needed to feel alive again — and I didn’t see any space around me that felt like the kind of place I needed. So I made it.
Grief, Clay, and a Very Ugly Mug
Years ago, I sat down at a wheel after a brutal chapter in my life. I’d lost people. Lost faith. Lost parts of myself I thought were permanent. I didn’t know what I was doing with clay, but for once, I didn’t care. That first bowl? It was terrible. And it saved me.
Because for the first time in a long time, my hands were doing something that wasn’t about survival — it was about creation. I realized: this is what clay does. It lets us rebuild. Quietly. Slowly. With texture.
Studios Weren’t Built For People Like Me
I tried other studios. They were fine. But they weren’t made for someone like me — someone neurodivergent, sometimes loud, sometimes quiet, sometimes dealing with way too much to follow someone else’s structure.
I wanted a space where people could come as they were — anxious, joyful, grieving, quirky, beginner, expert — and feel like they belonged just as they are. Not just tolerated. Celebrated.
What I Wanted Didn’t Exist. So I Built It.
I found a building. I scraped together money I didn’t necessarily have. I started building. I bought tools I knew potters deserved but couldn’t access. I filled it with color, coffee, softness, music, and clay. Lots of clay.
And when people started walking through the door, I realized I wasn’t the only one who needed it. People were craving what I craved: a place that felt like healing — even when you’re not here to be “healed.”
Conclusion
The Clay Hole isn’t perfect. But it’s real. It’s weird and welcoming and wildly overstocked with tools because I want you to have everything I never had when I started. I didn’t create a studio. I created a second chance. For me. For you. For anyone who loves clay and doesn’t want to do it alone.
Try the Studio Dan Built from the Ground UpCome join us — and let us knock $100 off your first month while you’re at it:
- MYNEWSTUDIO – Get $100 off if you’re switching from another studio. Just bring a little proof when you arrive.
- NEWMEMBER30 – Not switching? Take 30% off your first month instead.
These codes are just for first-time members — because starting again should feel like a celebration, not a gamble.
FAQs
Yep. Every week. In classes, at the wheel, or just hanging out helping people find their flow.
Of course. Come to a tour night or just ask if he’s around. He's always happy to say hi.
Yes — he rotates between wheel, handbuilding, and community-led nights depending on the week.
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Find Us in Draper, Utah
Written by Dan Pearce, ceramic artist, author, and founder of The Clay Hole—a 10,000 sq. ft. community pottery studio in Draper, Utah. With nearly 3 million followers across platforms, Dan is known for his expressive pottery, inclusive studio culture, and commitment to creative connection.