Sculpting a Life of Art and Community: Clay Bay celebrates 45 years

Even after 45 years, Jeanne Aurelius works to perfect her throwing and glazing skills. Photo by Jessica Gatzow.

Jeanne Aurelius’ parents started the Townline Art Fair at Fine Line Designs, and they always encouraged Jeanne and her husband, David, to get involved in the Door County art scene, too. It was 1976 when they finally succeeded in persuading their daughter and son-in-law to find a place in Door County for their pottery business. 

The couple had just returned home to Iowa from visiting her parents when a farmhouse property in Ellison Bay became available, so Jeanne and David drove back up to the peninsula that Sunday night to tour, in the dark, what would become their new home, art studio and gallery. Months later, on Memorial Day weekend, Clay Bay Pottery opened for business. 

Forty-five years later, the couple still sculpts, wheel-throws, glazes and decorates their work in their home studio next to the showroom at Clay Bay. They also take walks in the woods nearly every day, sketching the flora and fauna. Sketchbooks full of these drawings mingle with pottery supplies and works-in-progress inside the studio. 

The couple’s artistic roots began where they met: at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. David pursued pottery, and Jeanne completed a degree in art education. They both went on to study with world-renowned, Bauhaus-trained ceramic artist Marguerite Wildenhain at Pond Farm in California – and at Clay Bay, many of their contributing artists have also studied with her. 

David and Jeanne have loved traveling. A vase dotted with oranges and blossoms draws on memories of visiting the fragrant trees in Spain, and a bowl covered in houses comes from travels in Sweden. But on the same display table, a framed ceramic depicts lady’s slippers and trillium, which are native to their longtime peninsula home.

Jeanne hopes to invoke memories of visiting Door County in her artwork because “it brings joy to a lot of people who buy our pieces,” she said. “We are proud to have our pieces in homes not only in Door County, but all over the world.”

Jeanne’s involvement in art education extends well beyond Clay Bay. She taught at Peninsula School of Art from 1979 to 2017, and she still demonstrates wheel-throwing at the Sister Bay farmers market. She and David have volunteered for events at the Hardy Gallery and Peninsula School of Art; David has served on the boards of the Hardy Gallery, Chamber of Commerce and Peninsula School of Arts; and Jeanne served on the Friends of Gibraltar board for 16 years. 

Ceramics and wheel-throwing gained popularity during the 1970s, and the Door County Potters Guild formed the same year as Clay Bay. Today, nine pottery studios, including Clay Bay, are members. And there’s no competition – only a sense of appreciation for one another. 

“Pottery is so useful,” Jeanne said. “It’s been around forever, and there are so many beautiful shapes you can create.” 

At the checkout counter in the showroom, for instance, two vases function as the bases for lampshades. A display case toward the back of the showroom exhibits the custom tiles that are available. And among Jeanne’s favorite pieces to sculpt are what she calls “shoreline girls”: tapered vases with the face of a woman painted on the front. 

During the winters between 1994 and 2015, David and Jeanne shifted their focus to community-based artwork at schools and churches throughout the county and state, creating giant murals made of tiles, with each square painted by a student. They brainstormed and selected a theme with the kids, then planned out the design on paper. 

“With my teaching degree,” Jeanne said, “it was nice to get back into schools.”

But back at home in Ellison Bay, the couple enjoys a secluded life dedicated to creativity.  

“It’s nice to have a quiet time and enjoy watching the pots come out,” Jeanne said. “It’s very exciting when you open a kiln and see a good firing coming out.” 

In 1994, they started an apprenticeship program to welcome college students to learn all the aspects of throwing and decorating pots. This summer’s apprentice is Haloren Mellendorf, who enjoys the Aureliuses’ sense of humor and admires the incredible detail of their pottery. 

“Studying under Jeanne has taught me precision, patience and the importance of good form above all else,” Mellendorf said. 

She also helps with social media, posting artwork and demonstrations of wheel-throwing – which they host Thursdays, 1-3 pm – to Clay Bay’s Instagram account. 

“Between the conversations, the record player and David’s massive CD collection, there is rarely a quiet moment at Clay Bay,” Mellendorf said. “It is both a thrill and a privilege to be a part of their legacy.”

Working and living in Door County has led to so many relationships with community members and artists. The Aureliuses have enjoyed seeing people they knew as children come back to visit Clay Bay, now grown with families of their own. 

“We are forever grateful for their support and friendship,” Jeanne said. “We are forever grateful for the life we have here at Clay Bay.”