"Hang in there and keep potting": Sally Spielvogel's Clay Journey

Sally Spielvogel claims to be the oldest student at Clay Art Center; at nearly 96, Sally has a wealth of stories and advice to share.

Clay Art Center is the creative home of many dedicated ceramicists, some of whom having been taking classes here for decades. One of those ceramicists is Sally Spielvogel, who is believed to be the oldest student at the age of 96. Sally shared some of her story and advice she has for folks just starting with clay.

Before we even sat down, Sally told us not to ask how long she has been taking classes at Clay Art Center, because she has no idea. That had been, of course, the first question on the list. “I started doing clay I don’t remember when,” Sally said, “I started at the Westchester Art Workshop, while working full time. I would go at night. I had great teachers, Cliff and Connie, who were my original inspiration. I eventually found I needed more instruction and guidance, and transferred to Clay Art Center. This was many years ago, before I retired.” Given that Sally has just turned 96, we figure that she’s been coming to Clay Art Center for about three decades. What keeps her coming back? Sally said that the community is irreplaceable: “It’s totally supportive, like a family. All suggestions are positive and in the interest of making better work.” Sally also noted that help is always freely given, whether it’s lifting something heavy or getting something from a high shelf.

“Find something you’re passionate about, it doesn’t matter what. There are endless possibilities as an adult. Whatever moves you, that’s what you do.” - Sally Spielvogel

Beyond her place in the community, Sally has also found connection through the cultural legacy of clay, noting its long, unbroken thread through human history. Sally stated, “If you’re a potter, you do it because you love it. It’s a basic human endeavor. Connecting with clay, there’s nothing more basic than that. It’s essentially mud. And yet, you go back to earliest times, what do you find? Pottery.” Sally noted that this deeply human connection can’t all be intellectual or head work, it’s something you feel as you form the clay with your hands, and that is what makes it essential.

For those just starting out and finding this community, Sally offers two pieces of great advice. The first is to take your time: “Have a lot of patience. It’s a complicated process, and you have to learn step by step. Have the patience to center the clay, to let it dry, to glaze it. Patience is necessary.” She added that this patience should extend to decision-making, in ceramics and in life, “If you can’t make a decision about that thing, wait. It will come to you.”