Bernie and Arlene Solomon

Arlene Solomon ( d. 2022) was an artist and an avid art collector. In her artist statement from a 2021 solo exhibition with InLiquid, Arlene wrote, "I am a collage and mixed media artist. I began studying art about 15 years ago, while working full time as Director of a program for individuals with mental health and other challenges seeking employment. I took advantage of the excellent teachers in my own backyard. Mixed media and collage became my passion. Collage making is like solving a puzzle: the pieces and elements have to fit together to make an image that works. It's always a thrill when I feel like I hit the right combination. I use bright, vivid colors that resonate with me and draws the attention of the viewer."

In a tribute to Arlene after her passing the staff of Horizon House, where she worked for many years wrote, "A fierce supporter of our participants and their right to education, Arlene founded our Education Plus program, which provides mobile academic and social support to participants in college or those interested in furthering their education."

Bernie Solomon is an art lover and a retired finance director. He spent his career serving non-profit organizations like Philadelphia FIGHT, the Easter Seals, and Penndel Mental Health Center. He saw the value in what these organizations stand for, and used his skills to support their missions. Bernie earned his BA in anthropology from Brooklyn College and his MS in accounting from Drexel. Together, he and Arlene enjoyed collecting and created an impressive collection, looking for uniqueness of design and innovative use of materials. Although the collection spans all media, they had a special passion for ceramics and glass. Their purchases at The Clay Studio over the years have supported our organization and the artists whose work they love. 

The Grainer Family 

For more than 45 years, Marc and Diane Grainer have spent more than four decades collecting and supporting the craft community both in the United States and the UK to bring together a remarkable collection that spans ceramics, metalwork, furniture, woodwork, jewellery, fibre and sculpture, focusing on artists active from the 1980s to the present day. The works reflect their deep appreciation for the technical virtuosity, aesthetic innovation, and craftsmanship for which British studio ceramics and craft are renowned.

After the grand decision of relocating, the Grainer's have generously donated works from their phenomena collection to Arts and Cultural organizations along the east coast including The Clay Studio! We are honored to feature works from their collection with twenty in this year's Legacy Auction and five in this year's Mud Ball! 

"Our collection has always been about more than just the material or the artist's nationality. It's about finding work that speaks to us both aesthetically and technically. British ceramics and craft have always been a rich source of that kind of work, offering beauty, creativity, and exceptional skill." 

Marc Grainer

Marsha Gold

I live in Washington DC and have been an almost life long collector, I think I've always been attracted to color, form and whimsy.  Some objects make a person connection to me. The objects I acquire need to be on display not in a closet…I collect memories not just objects…I don't collect any one thing, though I tend to have a lot of ceramics, which I understand because I once made ceramics-not very well but good enough to understand a pot.  I have a multisite of overlapping, illl defined. "collections"-an accumulation of relatively ill-defined collections-an acumulation of relatively eclectic objects that I believe "hang together" in some cohesivewmay, even though they reflect impulsive buys and opportunstic acquisitions (I was there and it was too) For me, crafts are a way of living. Why spend alot of money on manufactured furniture/cliothing/mass market area  if you can decorate with fine objects and unique craftsmanship that have personalities, My collection has benefitted from my long term membership of the James Renwick Alliance which provided trips with access to artists and studies, including the Clay Studio, Fuller Museum, Watershed, and Wheaton Arts. Many of my pieces were obtained directly from artists either in their studios or at craft shows like the Smithsonian Women's Committee show and and Baltimore Craft Show.   I'm many ways the objects in my collection are me-they reflect my passions my experiences, my values my tastes.  They also have enriched my life and connected me to people, organizations, and communities might never have known or understood. 
Now as I age and confront the dreaded downsizing, it gives me great pleasure to hope that some of my treasures will find a good home with supporters of the Clay Studio, a big influence on my collection.