About Us
Hey MudPuppies—
We are Lizzie and Cole…. and we love you!
Our Story
We are the founders of The Mud Room. After college, we both searched for a local ceramics studio in Portland to practice our craft. We ran into many barriers and had difficulty finding a studio. Thus, Lizzie started practicing at a generous friend’s basement studio on off hours, and Cole scraped together his pennies to create a setup in his shed: drafty, damp, and cold. After four years and countless tales of similar woes from fellow Portlanders, we decided that something’s gotta give, and The Mud Room was born. It’s time for access to ceramics to be shared with the people of Portland. If you are looking for a place to learn, practice, or just have fun with clay, then The Mud Room is for you.
Our Mission
We believe that everyone is creative.
The Mud Room’s mission is to help people believe in their own creativity. We provide access to the equipment, education, and community support. You show up and try.
Our Inspiration
Portland is a city of artists and makers, a creative hub that produces industry leaders and original thinkers. We are a community that appreciates the value of artistic expression.
Yet, we are under-serving the imaginative and inventive core that put our city on the map. Accessible and approachable creative outlets are unfortunately hard to come by. As Portland grows, so too should it's access to art. There is a large necessity for increased arts education in this city, and The Mud Room will serve that need by connecting Portlanders with tools, education, and community.
With that access comes a welcoming studio for anyone to come to. Art can feel intimidating, and we acknowledge that. That's why the Mud Room is not just for artists, and we won't ever stick our nose up at anyone. We want you to join us whether you have had your own ceramics practice for years, or whether you have never touched a piece of clay in your life. We are inclusive, because we deeply believe that YOU are creative and that unleashing that creativity is healthy.
The Mud Room Is For YOU!
If you are looking for a place to practice ceramics, or you are a person looking for a new creative outlet, or you are a human who is excited to learn, then The Mud Room is for you!