Kids are so busy nowadays that, when school’s out, they’re likely to fall into a mind-numbing routine of TV, video games, and snacking, but these activities will only hold their attention for so long and, not two weeks of your child’s summer break will pass before you hear the chorus “I’m bored.” When kids turn to you for a solution, you might feel frustrated and helpless, but you have more influence over their entertainment than you think—for example, you can enroll your child in art camp !

Have Fun

Arts and crafts, painting, and pottery camps for kids are immensely engaging. Kids are by nature curious and creative, and they love to personalize things. Arts and crafts fulfills all three tendencies by giving kids an outlet to make something their own, whether it’s a painting, door hanger, or pottery piece. Moreover, creating is simply fun, and at art camp, there won’t be a single complaint of boredom because camps provide all supplies and instruction, meaning that kids can create without limits and to their heart’s content.

Make New Friends

At art camp, your children will encounter other like-minded kids with different styles of creating art. Your child will learn to respect and appreciate others’ skills and habits when it comes to arts and crafts. Your child might teach and learn things from other kids and, even better, your child will probably make some new friends. Since art camps place traditionally solitary activities in a social environment, your child will reap the benefits of both solo play and socializing.

Discover Passions

Crafting, painting, and pottery are different ways for your child to express himself . Better yet, these programs might lead your child to discover a new talent or lifelong passion, which in turn boosts his or her confidence and motivates him to pursue his interests—in other words, fewer groans of “I’m bored” as your child brings his passions from camp to home when the day ends.

Clay Café Studios offers 10 summer sessions of art camps with emphasis on pottery, painting, and glass fusing. Your child will have a great time as he or she experiences new forms of art in a supportive and nurturing environment. To learn more about our summer camps, call us at (703) 646-6007 or visit our website.

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Helene Safford
December 8, 2007
Clay Café Studios
(703) 534-7600

ANNUAL FUNDRAISER FOR THE HOMELESS IS A COMMUNITY TRADITION

Clay Café Studios joined with the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce during December for their 7th annual fundraiser to help the Falls Church Winter Emergency Homeless Shelter. All profits were donated directly to the Falls Church Winter Emergency Homeless Shelter to benefit the community members who are unable to afford housing.

Every year, the local community shows their support for this wonderful cause. Local businesses donated refreshments for the event and everyone enjoyed painting pottery while they dipped into the chocolate fountain. This was a wonderful opportunity for children and adults to express themselves in a healthy and constructive manner while making a significant contribution to our community.

Clay Café Studios is located at 101 N. Maple Avenue, Falls Church, VA.
The phone number is (703) 534-7600.

Clay Café Studios 6th Annual Family Fundraiser to benefit the Falls Church Homeless Shelter was a huge success!

Family, friends, community leaders, and business owners joined together in an evening of camaraderie and painting pottery for the 2-hour event on December 6th. Clay Café Studios is donating all of the profits from the evening amounting to $2,000 – a 30% increase over last year’s event.

Thanks to generous donations from Dr. Steve Rogers of the Falls Church Animal Hospital and Bob Young of the Young Group, refreshments from Zpizza and Kendalls, and support and assistance from the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, this year’s event was a lot of fun and a big success.

The Commerce Bank has named Clay Café Studios owner Helene Safford as their “Hometown Hero” to recognize her for going great things in volunteering her time and energy to the community.

Commerce Bank will be making a $500 contribution to the charity of her choice. Helene Safford has chosen the Falls Church Education Foundation to be the recipient of the donation.

The event is being held on Saturday April 29, 2006 at the Commerce Bank branch located at 6198-A Arlington Blvd, Falls Church, VA, in the Wilston Center.

The Falls Church City Council, Economic Development Authority, Environmental Services Council, and the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce honored Clay Cafe Studios owner Helene Safford awarding her the prestigious 2005 Business Person of the Year award.

Nominated by the public and local business owners, Helene was chosen as a person who has “demonstrated extraordinary personal contributions to the community, innovative thinking in response to business challenges encountered, and leadership qualities in the community and business spheres.”

The Business Awards Ceremony was held at City Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006. Ms. Safford accepted the award thanking all of her family and business partners stating “my best advice to other businesses is to support your community and they will support you.”

Clay Café Studios was joined by the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, zPizza, Kendall’s Bakery, local businesses and lots of Falls Church citizens for a creative event to help the Falls Church Winter Emergency Homeless Shelter.

There was standing room only at Clay Café Studios on December 7th to help raise money for the Shelter. Falls Church families joined together and enjoyed a fun and creative evening of pottery painting, refreshments and prizes while making a significant contribution to the community.

Owner, Helene Safford announced “For the 5th year in a row, the local community came out in droves to join together with Clay Café Studios for this important cause. Clay Cafe donated all profits from the event and was able to raise $1,700 for the Shelter during the two-hour event. This was the 5th annual event to benefit the Shelter, which has become a Clay Café family tradition. We exceeded last year’s contribution by 30%!”

Clay Café Studios was joined by Stacy’s Coffee Parlor and the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, local businesses and lots of caring citizens for a creative event to help the Falls Church Winter Emergency Homeless Shelter.

Clay Café Studios had a great turnout on December 8th to help raise money for the Shelter. Falls Church families joined together and enjoyed a fun and creative evening of pottery painting, refreshments and prizes while making a significant contribution to the community.

Owner, Helene Safford announced “Clay Café Studios donated all profits from the event and was able to raise over $1,300 for the Shelter during the two-hour event. This was the 4th annual event to benefit the Shelter, which has become a Clay Café family tradition. We exceeded last year’s ontribution by 19%!”

Special thanks go out to Red, Hot and Blue and Kendall’s for contributing to this year’s refreshments, Art & Frame of Falls Church, Curves, Point of View, and Miniatures From the Attic for additional raffle prizes.

Helene Safford is the feature artist for a series of techniques articles in Creative Crafter magazine. Creative Crafter is a bi-monthly magazine featuring Crafting as a Lifestyle.

See the “New Face of Ceramics” excerpted below. Helene’s work will appear in each issue of Creative Crafter in the upcoming year.

Works by Clay Cafe Studios owner and artist, Helene Safford were selected by the FCCCA chief curator, Lisa Chun, for inclusion in the inaugural exhibition and sale for the Falls Church City Center for the Arts. Gallery space located at 240 West Broad Street, Falls Church, was donated by the Oshinsky family and the show drew more than 1000 attendees to downtown Falls Church during the exhibition.

Excerpted from the Washington Post Style section “Out and About”

In Falls Church, Art for the City’s Sake

If you paint it, they will come. The Falls Church City Center for the Arts splashed a brand-new look on an old storefront on Broad Street, and more than 800 people showed up for Friday’s kickoff of the nonprofit community gallery. Artist Lisa Chun (near right, with Deb Yatsko) curated “Elements,” its first exhibition, of pottery, painting, photography and sculpture. “We’re using the arts as a catalyst to bring new energy and new people into Falls Church,” said FCCCA Executive Director Peter Smirniotopoulos. It worked — and how. We thought “FC” stood for “fanny crush.”

With Beth Buchanan © 2003 The Washington Post

Clay Café Studios was joined by the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, local businesses and lots of caring citizens for a creative event to help the Falls Church Winter Emergency Homeless Shelter.

Despite the area-wide ice storm, Clay Café Studios had a great turnout on December 11th to help raise money for the Shelter. Falls Church families joined together and enjoyed a fun and creative evening of pottery painting, refreshments and prizes while making a significant contribution to the community.

Owner, Helene Safford announced “Clay Café Studios donated all profits from the event and was able to raise $750 for the Shelter. This was the 2nd annual event to benefit the Shelter and Clay Café Studios hopes to make it a Clay Café family tradition.”