At Clay Cafe Studios, we see new trends in art all the time. Some stick around for a while. Some have a shorter life span. Four current trends in the pottery world seem to have staying power.

Pineapples

We see pineapples in both dinnerware and decorative art. In fact, the word “welcome” is often symbolized by a pineapple.

Cactuses

Cactuses aren’t just a southwest trend, but a nationwide one.

Sea Life

Whales, octopuses, seahorses, crabs and lobsters are popular, especially on coffee mugs.

Quotes

Inspirational, uplifting and funny quotes are everywhere, including on our coloring book pottery.

Come by Clay Cafe Studios anytime to check out all our new and trendy offerings!

Mother’s Day will be here soon! We all know motherhood is demanding, exhausting, humbling and, of course, rewarding. Why not show Mom how much you appreciate everything she does by painting her a one-of-a-kind pottery thank you?

Here are a few ideas for Mom:

Come to #ClayCafeStudios so we can show you more! For information about our latest products, check out our website at www.claywire.com or give us a call at 703/534-7600.

Did you know that #ClayCafeStudios is on Instagram? Instagram is a fun and quirky social networking app made for sharing photos and videos. Clay Café has added some funky and inspiring photos on this popular app. Check out our Instagram!

Looking for ideas? We post new pottery ideas frequently.

What about coloring book pottery? Design outlines are already fired onto the pottery. All you need to do is add color. Easy!

Have you tried glass fusing yet? We have simple, colorful ideas to get you started.

We love to post our Staff Pick-of-the-Week. We have some very talented customers that deserve to be recognized. Who knows? Maybe you will see one of your creations on our page in the future.

We post new additions every week, so please visit our Instagram page regularly to see what’s happening at Clay Café Studios-Falls Church.

What draws us to art? Why do we prefer one style to another? Everyone interprets art in their own way. Some artists illustrate reflection and optimism. Others encourage us with their groundbreaking originality. #ClayCafeStudios is inspired by different painting styles and artists. Here are 3 that we especially admire:

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec was a 19th century French painter. He was famous for his creations in lithograph drawing and highly famed for his posters. In fact, you may have a print of one of his famous posters hanging in your home.

Amedeo Modigliani

Amedeo Modigliani was a 20th century Italian painter. He was known for his portraits painted in a modern style, characterized by the elongation of faces and figures. We think his portraits have a funky feel that works well in today’s art.

Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese artist who works in a variety of media. Her style is characterized by bright colors, repetition and patterns, especially polka dots. She has done artwork for Lancome and for Louis Vuitton, on products such as handbags, shoes and jewelry. There is currently a 50-year retrospective of her work at the Hirshhorn Museum, here in Washington DC, that runs through May 2017.

All of these artists’ styles translate well to pottery. At Clay Café Studios, we especially like the polka dots!

It’s that time of year for school auctions. #Fingerprintpottery is a great way to net your school a lot of money. Parents love anything their kids create and bright, hand-painted pottery can help fund important programs. Let us show you how it works at #ClayCafeStudios.

Step 1: Pick Out Your Pottery

Platters, large bowls and vases are popular items for auctions. Fingerprints are a great way for an entire class to contribute their talent. We have lots of ideas and would be happy to help you decide on a design that will get the bidding going at your school auction.

Step 2: Take Pottery to School for Kids to Paint

We will loan you several colors of paint and help you plan your project. You take the pottery and paint to your school and complete the project with the kids.

Step 3: We Do Finishing Details

Once you bring the piece back to our studio, we would be happy to do the finishing details, including any writing you would like. We will glaze and fire it in our kiln.

Step 4: Pick Up Your Finished Masterpiece

You pottery will be ready for pick-up in one week.

Give us a call or come by #ClayCafeStudios anytime and we will help you make plans to make your school top dollar this year!

When you think of coloring, what usually comes to mind is a kids’ activity, right? Not true anymore! Adult coloring books are all the rage. Researchers, art therapists and psychologists believe the calming effect of coloring is a huge benefit to adults. It can reduce anxiety and alleviate the daily stresses of life.

Here at #ClayCafeStudios, we have taken the coloring book craze to a new level—coloring book pottery. We take a coloring book design, transfer it to a piece of pottery, fire the design to make it permanent and its ready for you to “color” (paint).

So many choices, so little time…you won’t believe the great selection of different shapes and sizes to choose from.

Custom Coloring Book Pottery

You can also special order a design and we will call you when it’s ready to paint (in about 1 week). Personalized pottery by adding a name or sentiment to the design makes a great gift.

We transfer new designs every day, so stop by to see the latest options. We can also help you plan your next project!

Did you know that #ClayCafeStudios is on Pinterest? Pinterest is considered the go to destination for inspiration and ideas about what you care about. Clay Cafe has added some fun and inspiring Pinterest boards for your future projects on this widely popular image collecting site. Check out our boards at https://www.pinterest.com/clay_cafe_FC/

Looking for Valentine’s Day gifts? We have great hand and footprint ideas, as well as other cute projects to create your own #handmadevalentine

School Auction Ideas—It’s that time of year again and we’ve got lots of great projects that will earn your school tons of money.

Have you tried glass fusing yet? Here are some simple, fun projects to try #glassfusing

Don’t forget to check out our new items . We post our new additions every week so visit our Pinterest page regularly to see what’s happening at Clay Cafe Falls Church.

We love to post our Staff Pick-of-the-Week. We have some very talented customers who deserve to be recognized!

Visit Clay Cafe Studios Falls Church on Pinterest – the world’s catalog of ideas. We update our Pinterest boards daily, so be sure to bookmark us to visit frequently to get all the latest ideas and inspiration!

A hobby is an activity you enjoy, something that can enhance your well-being and give more meaning to your life. Just as physical exercise is important for the body, relaxation of the mind is also essential.

Our friends at ThinkLink.com listed 8 reasons why having a hobby is important:

1. As a remedy for fatigue

2. As a chance to connect with yourself

3. As a alternative career option

4. As a life-long pleasure

5. As a independent and intrinsic source of pleasure

6. As a means to discover and re-discover your talents

7. As a chance to meet people of similar taste

8. As a chance to share

Come into #ClayCafeStudios, and relax your afternoon away. You’ll find that #potterypainting and #glassfusing make great hobbies!

January is #NationalHobbyMonth and we’ve got lots to choose from! Hobbies sometimes get pushed to the side in our busy schedules, but experts say that hobbies are more important than we might think. Hobbies help you have a more positive outlook, enhance your creativity and boost your confidence.

It’s a great time to engage in your hobby! And if you don’t have a hobby or are looking for a new one, we can help you find one. #ClayCafeStudios has art projects for kids, adults, families, seniors, group and much, much more. Our staff can help you refine your skills or find skill you didn’t even know you had. Our studio features #potterypainting and #glassfusing. Come celebrate with us!