Clay and Cider: Local artists, live music and pottery take over Watercore in Wenatchee on Friday

WENATCHEE — A labor of love for a handful of local artists is turning into a weekend show at a beloved downtown cidery known for its wide array of events. Community Clayworks, a new non-profit pottery and clayworking project in Wenatchee, is teaming up with Moss Glow, the musical brainchild of local guitarist Kyle Folden, to create an exhibition inside Watercore Cider this weekend of ambient accompaniment to some incredible art.

A 4-hour extravaganza on May 2 begins at 5 p.m. at Watercore, which is at 19A North Wenatchee Avenue between First and Palouse on the east side of the street.

The cidery is normally known for its weekly events: Trivia is held every Wednesday, and Thursdays alternate between Swing Dancing and Wenatchee’s most popular open mic. But owner Sarah Lindell is also known for her love of art, and she is always “holding an exhibition” for a local artist as well, either by hanging their pieces inside the lively hangout or hosting actual events like this one.

The first 2 hours of the event will be a gallery show, with works from featured artists Gail Fienman, Taylor Crowel, Kathy Matern, Don Collins, Warren Bissonetti, Lisa Pattison and Sara Sims.

Then, from 7–9, Kyle will fire up the music and you can witness some real-time clayworks with live pottery from Don Collins, Linda Lyons, Kathy Matern and Stacy Apolinar.

The founders of Community Clayworks are eager to get their project out in the public space, although they have not secured a building of their own yet. There are prospects, but with something as big as a new hands-on, open to the public art studio, the vibe has to be just right.

Clayworks board member Tyler Cowdry does a lot of the promotion for this new project, but is quick to tell us that it was teachers Lisa Pattison, Kathy Matern and Don Collins who came up with the idea for it. “We love the idea of the framework of a co-op, but starting one is very difficult in the state, so we opted for a non-profit. We want it to be community-driven,” he says.

When Community Clayworks becomes fully operational in late summer or early fall, Cowdry says, they’ll be offering classes and even equity memberships and making the project as accessible to everyone as possible.

This event aims to be a fundraiser, so if good music and fine art in the form of pottery are up your alley, bring your wallet. You could just be helping start an artistic revolution in downtown Wenatchee that will be accessible to people from all over the valley.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media