I am deeply proud of the sustained work of our volunteers and board members, and I am profoundly grateful for our readers' loyalty and steadfastness. This unconditional commitment reminds me that Studio Potter is, at its heart, a sacred space. A space that began in print and has since evolved into the digital realm, yet continues to hold the same spirit of community, reflection, and philosophy.
True to Studio Potter’s legacy of reflection and critical thought, this issue asks what makes a studio more than a workspace. I asked authors to explore the idea of the studio as a sacred space – what that means individually, socially, culturally, and politically. Many creative spaces seem to carry their own gravity, drawing in people, ideas, and movements that orbit them. I found myself wondering: what creates that pull?
Could it be the prestige? The singular genius that came from these programs? After reading this month’s features, I believe true magnetism – true gravity – is built on the “welcome” one feels. The cultural centers and studios featured here remove barriers, nurture connection, and generate loyalty through generosity and compassion. Between the lines, I see recurring themes of belonging and purpose. These are spaces rooted in people and place, grounded in history yet adaptable to the evolving needs of our time.
When people see themselves reflected in a studio’s programming, leadership, and mission, they become part of its pulse. They help sustain the atmosphere that makes these spaces not just centers that produce the great works, ideas, and people of our time, but also, by organic design, they create sanctuaries of possibility.
Randi O'Brien, editor and executive director