Midway Clay on Display
by Parker Schott
Midway Clay makes art affordable, accessible, and the perfect escape on University Avenue.
To many, ceramics and the arts overall are unreachable. Whether it’s the money, the time, or the commitment, being artistic can be daunting. In a seemingly ordinary house on University Avenue, though, Midway Clay makes the unapproachable accessible.
“You don’t have to be ‘an artist’ to make things or to try your hand,” said Midway Clay owner Phil Raskin. From one time “Sip and Spin” weekend sessions to weekly classes to full membership, Midway Clay has something for every skill level. If you don’t have the financial flexibility to get a session, work trade is a new, but popular option where volunteer hours at Midway Clay are converted into studio access time.
“Clay is particularly wonderful, it’s such a tactile medium that’s so responsive to touch,” Raskin said. Beyond its creative potential, clay is also a great tool for recovering perfectionists. “One of the things that I always say when I’m teaching is that in clay, failure is mandatory. It’s only clay. It’s just dirt. So, it’s not so precious,” Raskin said. Midway Clay’s studio isn’t the only active spot in the building. The gallery is full of original works, especially during St. Paul’s city-wide art crawls.
“The spring one [April 11-12, 2026] was the best show we’ve had in terms of attendance and sales, so we’re very enthused about that,” Raskin said. The success comes from a very unconventional gallery set-up when compared to most.
“We don’t jury people. We have a lot of folks that this is the first time they’ve ever shown or sold their work. We want to be welcoming and offer an opportunity for people who are very skilled, but also for folks who are just starting out,” Raskin said. Even if ceramics aren’t your forte, Midway Clay’s gallery is open to you.
“We open it up to a lot of different mediums, it’s not just ceramics. We’ve had painters, weavers, jewelers, crochet, and mixed media. Raskin said. Raskin’s personal love of the art stems from the same accessibility that Midway Clay offers today.
“I was kind of a rough kid and I started taking pottery classes [in high school] and all of a sudden I’m getting A’s in class, so then I just kept pursuing it and eventually I started making pots full-time. I did the art fair circuit and I was doing production work for other potters,” Raskin said. For over twenty years, pottery was his career, traveling the country and participating in art fairs. Eventually, a career switch came.
“I actually quit making clay for 15, 18 years and then, as they say, the check engine light came on.” Raskin said. Your calling or passion never fully leaves you so, like knowing how to ride a bike, Raskin went back to the pottery wheel.
“I started making some stuff at home and did a couple of small art fairs, and then the opportunity to buy the building came up. I hadn’t known about it before, but when I went and looked at it, I was like ‘Oh, there’s kilns, these tables, a slab roller, all this space, and there’s a gallery,” Raskin said. Using the handyman experience he’d gained since last being a potter, Raskin fixed the building up and made it Midway Clay.
“It was a little…twist of fate. And I think people get that. They see my enthusiasm for it and it’s a little contagious sometimes,” Raskin said.
