By Jonathan Copsey / STAFF

Sitting on almost 150 acres of land, the Roswell Art Center West looks from the outside to be little more than a residential home on a hill. Inside, though, it’s a place where art happens.

“I didn’t want to make tea cups,” said AJ Argentina, director of the Art Center West and clay enthusiast. Argentina began his professional career studying to be a forensic scientist at Georgia State. Art was more of a side project, and working with ceramics and clay was as far from his mind as possible. Tea cups and busts had no interest to the man. Finally he tried it and was immediately hooked.

“Clay is one of those things, because it’s tactile, as soon as you touch it, it becomes something. Maybe not a good something, but something,” Argentina laughed. “And with a little help and practice, it can become something you can be proud of.” He eventually graduated with a Masters Degree in fine arts and immediately came to work for Roswell.

The dual purposes of utilitarianism and art that comes from clay working can be attractive to people, said Argentina. Joy and pride can come from making a teacup and decorating it with colored glaze to make what would have been easy to buy from the local store into something personal and special.

While the central Art Center in Historic Roswell deals with art of all kinds, the Art Center West is one of the metro area’s largest studios dedicated solely to clay and its uses, with three studios and two galleries, attracting some serious talent from not only around the state, but around the country. They host special workshops and exhibitions featuring the works of notable artists as well as their own, in-house creations, from the Clay Collective.

The Clay Collective is the name affectionately given to the dedicated group of volunteers that have worked to make Roswell’s clay studio what it is today. They’re essentially the Art Center’s booster club. Together, these volunteers teach classes, clean and maintain the studios and learn from each other to create a vibrant and exciting community based around their common love of all things clay.

The good news for potential pottery enthusiasts is that the Art Center West is strictly for adults and late teens only; children’s classes are handled by the main Arts Center in Historic Roswell. 

The Roswell Art Center West is located on 1355 Woodstock Rd, Roswell, 30075. They can be reached at www.roswellclaycollective.com or call 770-641-3990.