Our History
The Clay Arts Association began with 14 student members and dues of $5 per year at an August 10, 1964 meeting chaired by Ron Caya, the first Art Director of the nascent Civic Arts Center of Walnut Creek (CAA). The ceramics department was among the first established programs of the Arts Center, and members enthusiastically helped fund new equipment and facilities right from the first.
The CAA began looking into a studio - eventually deciding on a quonset hut near the present Civic Arts Education offices. By the end of the first year they had had two sales in Broadway Plaza using a vacant store, had purchased two wheels and helped pay for the installation of a gas line.
The name changed to the Clay Arts Guild (CAG) in 1979 when the new studio was installed in the old Walnut Festival Building
in Civic Park - our present day Studio E. The kiln area, for instance, is where the stage for the old festival building was located.
At present there are about 125 members in CAG. A new category of Associate Membership allows clay patrons to contribute to ceramics and receive the CAG newsletter for $25, a fraction of the regular annual dues.