ocated at the entrance to the
Warehouse Arts District, inside an
enormous two-story brick building
that once housed the
Seabird Train Station, is
the largest working pottery
in the Southeast. St. Petersburg
might be the city of the arts, but The
Morean Center for Clay is one of the
best-kept secrets—a hidden gem that
is often better known nationally than
here at home.
shape here behind the scenes, the
building itself is a draw, inviting curious
visitors to stop by and take a look or
have lunch at the onsite cafe. It's an historical
landmark, built in 1926, and was
the second railway station in the city. It
continued to operate as a freight depot
until the late 1960s.
In 2000, local artist and philanthropist
Beth Morean purchased and renovated
the building to house the city’s growing
mecca of clay artists. Today, the venue’s
cathedral ceilings, original old wood
shutters and cavernous rooms have
been retained to create an interesting
and artistic ambience. “It took an act of
love to maintain the historic integrity of
the building,” says Valerie Scott Knaust,
the center’s director.
Initially the facility was the home of
the St. Petersburg Clay Company, with
the Morean Center for Clay only holding
educational classes there. Then in
2015, the Morean began overseeing
the entire program, which now includes
48 artist studios, a retail showroom, an
artist-in-residence program, rotating
exhibitions, and classes and workshops
taught by local and national professional
clay artists.
One of the most unique workshops is
the annual “Unloading the Anagama”
held every January. The anagama
traces its history back to an ancient
type of pottery kiln brought to Japan
from China in the 5th century. Unlike
the more conventional electric or gas-
fueled by wood.
CITY OF THE ARTS
ST. PETE’S BEST-KEPT SECRET:
THE MOREAN
CENTER FOR
CLAY
The historic Seabird Train
Station is home to St.
Pete's vibrant ceramic
arts community.
6 'BURGLIFE | Living, Working and Playing in St. Petersburg, FL