I discovered Saratoga Clay Arts through my good friend Ping Xu who is a member there (Also a board member at Saratoga Arts). She kept telling me that I had to see the amazing facilities and community that she was a part of. Well, I have to say…she was right on all counts. What Founder and Executive Director Jill Fishon Kovachick has been able to cultivate is not just an oasis of creativity and an incredibly well equipped makers space but a connected and growing community that many have come to call home.
Please state your name, organization and what you do.
My name is Jill Fishon-Kovachick and the name of my center is the Saratoga Clay Arts Center. I am the Executive Director. I started working with Clay at eleven years of age at Bucks Rock Camp in New Milford Connecticut. I was a camper and became a counselor and found Clay as my medium. From there I went to Skidmore College where I received my BS Degree is Art Education. I studied under Regis Brodie. My love for clay has been my passion for most of my life and continues to be important to me and to be able to teach it to our community fills my heart.
Can you tell us about what is happening at the Saratoga Clay Arts and what your mission is? The campus is so beautiful, I really love the vibe there!
Our mission is all about community and to inspire people of all ages. We educate people all about clay. From the hand-building process to the potters wheel. We also have many different types of kilns and glazes. There is also a gallery on site called the Schacht Gallery, which I named after my Grandmother who’s maiden name was Schacht. The gallery brings in local and national artists. We want to expose people of all generations to what it means to work with clay. The gallery broadens people’s understanding of what can be done with clay – in all ways.
What does a typical day look like for you on location?
My typical day is wearing many different hats at SCAC. From teaching to answering phones to paying bills and then of course finding time to work on my own work.
A lot of organizations with an educational program end up going the not for profit route. Why did you decide to structure as a for profit company?
I ended up making SCAC a private business because I had to react fast to create it. I had been working at Skidmore for Special Programs for 17 years. There I taught a night class for the outside community. Skidmore had decided to delete the night classes for ceramics so the people taking classes needed a place to work. This required me to move quickly to bring everyone to the center. There was no time to set up a not-for-profit. We all needed a place to work – immediately. I bought our current building in foreclosure. I know I made the right decisions as the center has been busier then I ever dreamed could happen.
Can you talk a little bit about the economics of the business? I know running a pottery shop requires some serious equipment and infrastructure investment.
We opened in 2011. I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase the building and the equipment to get things going. The business did need some financial backing to cover the equipment side though. Since then we have been raising money through our annual fundraiser which is called the Chili Bowl. We give some of our proceeds to a local organization called To Life which is helping people with breast cancer. and to the Wilton Food Pantry. The local restaurants have participated and have been incredibly generous in donating their donations for the event. It’s a chili cook off and competition and is an amazing and fun event. This of course is in addition to our class and program fees.
EDITORS NOTE: In addition to 7 electric kilns of various types, Saratoga Clay Arts has a large high-fire gas kiln, a salt kiln, a soda kiln, a raku kiln and a pit fire smoker.
Running a business can be so demanding, how do you balance that with your own artistic practice?
Running a business is incredibly demanding and I have had to give up some valuable time in making my own work to do but it, but it was worth it. The center is such a great place. Since opening and being available all the time I have hired some amazing people. I have a Studio Manager Mark Tarabula , an Artistic Director Leigh Taylor Mickelson and a Marketing and Engagement Community Coordinator Lyndee Deal. This allows me to be able to to focus more on my work. We also have up to 4 Artists in Residence at any given time who teach classes and work for the center in exchange for studio use. Additionally, we hire interns who learn from us and find their direction in clay. They help teach classes and learn the dynamics of running a center.
Bonus question: Anything coming up on the horizon you would like to tell us about, programming to promote?
Some exciting news on the horizon… we are almost finished renovating the basement and have created another beautiful classroom and more studio rentals. We plan for that to be open in June which will allow us to have more room to grow and more classes being offered. Additionally, this will allow us to promote more private parties and corporate clay events.
