Caroline Anthony, proprietor of the eclectic Ocean Beach ceramic shop, Claytime Cermaics, asserts that there is no other shop like this in San Diego. She may be right.
Strolling through the shops doors you encounter long shelves filled with unfinished ceramic cups, frogs, birds, mermaids, vases, bowls, and a hundred other shapes. Two wooden tables stretch from the door to a colorful mural covering the entire back wall. Massive shelves hold a variety of paints, stencils, stamps, and stickers. A pottery wheel sits next to the door; a mere $15 per half hour, the price includes clay and firing of your finished product.
Caroline took over the business from its previous owner back in 2004 when she was looking to transition out of her job as an attorney and find a business where she would be able to spend more time with her husband and children. This well schooled woman is a Law School graduate and has a Master’s in Education with an undergrad in Psychology and Fine Arts. She has always had a passion for the arts and trained in classic fine arts, portraits, and watercolors when she was younger. “It seems like I’ve gone full circle,” she says.
This shop doesn’t just cater to the individual artist, but hosts a variety of group events including birthday and office parties. Every Friday you can bring your own wine and between 6 - 10 pm, munch on the shops provided appetizers and paint to your heart’s content. Caroline also offers popular summer camps and participates in several fundraiser events for local schools. When Caroline is not busy with summer camps or parties, she provides creates beautiful henna tattoos and body art. Another unique option is her toddler feet and hands clay imprint service. If you want to capture you child’s hands or foot prints forever in clay, you can do this here at the store.
“It’s about being creative; having a creative outlet. I feel like I am providing a service to the community,” says Caroline. You can’t help but agree that this shop far surpasses other local ceramic shops in its variety of services, events, and even prices. A small hand painted and kiln fired ceramic starts out at only $10. You can’t beat that.
more