Community Highlights: Meet Mackenzie Johnston-Green of Delaware Pottery Studios and The Bare Bowl

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mackenzie Johnston-Green.

Hi Mackenzie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I had been teaching public school art for seven years when burnout hit hard, and I made the decision to step back and focus on my own creativity for a while. Around that same time, The Bare Bowl, a beloved paint-your-own-pottery studio that had been in Delaware for almost 20 years, went up for sale.

As an art teacher, I saw how much people wanted a place where they could work with clay and create. But the cost of owning your own wheel, kiln, and supplies is phenomenally high. I always dreamed of having a studio where I could work on my own art and build a little community of people who love pottery and want to grow and learn together. I really believe that closing the door to my previous job gave me the chance to open this one.

So, I bought The Bare Bowl with the vision of adding a pottery studio, but I knew I wanted to keep the legacy of The Bare Bowl as a paint-your-own-pottery studio just as it was. That’s why I added the name “Delaware Pottery Studios” too. This way, we preserved the charm of the original while expanding into a full ceramics studio with classes, memberships, and a shop full of supplies for fellow clay lovers.

Now, we’re a creative hub where people of all ages come to try something new, learn a skill, or just unwind and paint a frog mug with friends. I’m so thankful to be able to put my love of teaching and ceramics into building something fun and special for this community.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not a smooth road. When I first took over the studio, my daughter was only 8 months old, and we had to move into a completely different building from the original location. So I was balancing being a new mom, a new business owner, and letting go of my identity as a teacher, all at the same time. I’d be painting walls and organizing shelves with a baby strapped to me in a carrier. Honestly, if you look closely enough, I think you can still see tiny baby footprints on the cabinets where we keep all the paint-your-own-pottery items.

But we made it through, and it’s been the biggest blessing to watch my daughter grow up in this space. People will come in and comment on how big she’s gotten, remembering when she was crawling around. Now she’s running, painting her own pottery, and helping me around the studio (well, as much as a 3-year-old can help!).

The biggest ongoing challenge has been managing growth. When you’re passionate about something, it’s tempting to want to do everything all at once. I’ve had to learn how to pace myself and find balance, especially as we’ve expanded to include memberships, classes, workshops, retail, and events.

There were also a lot of logistical hurdles, like figuring out how to retrofit the space to support a full ceramics studio, adding running water, and making sure the two sides of the business (paint-your-own and clay studio) could function together while still feeling true to themselves.

But even on the hardest days, I’ve never doubted that this is where I’m supposed to be. Every challenge helped shape the studio into what it is now, and I’m really proud of how far we’ve come.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Delaware Pottery Studios and The Bare Bowl?
Delaware Pottery Studios and The Bare Bowl is really two studios in one. On one side, we have The Bare Bowl, our walk-in, paint your own pottery space that’s been a part of Delaware for over 20 years. It’s colorful, creative, and welcoming, and it’s where people of all ages come to paint a mug, a plate, or even a gnome and spend some quality time together. Whether you’re coming in for a birthday party, a girls’ night, or just a solo mental health break, there’s always a seat for you here.

On the other side, we have Delaware Pottery Studios, a full ceramics studio with memberships, clay classes, workshops, and a retail section stocked with supplies like clay and glazes. We’re also a dealer for Mayco Colors. We’ve built a space where beginners can feel comfortable learning, and experienced potters can work independently in a well-equipped studio. We even have plans in the works to connect with local schools and offer classroom clay kits to make ceramics more accessible to students and teachers.

What sets us apart is how approachable and community driven we are. We’re not just a studio where you come in, make something, and leave, we’re building a space where creativity feels easy, supported, and fun. We meet people where they’re at, whether they’ve never touched clay before or they’ve been throwing for years.

Brand wise, we’re most proud of being warm, playful, and genuinely inclusive. We make sure people feel like they belong here the moment they walk in. Our goal is to make art feel accessible, no pressure, just process, and to remind people that creativity doesn’t need to be perfect to be valuable.

If there’s one thing we want your readers to know, it’s this: you don’t have to be an artist to come here. You just have to be willing to try something new. We’ll take care of the rest.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I love most about Delaware and the Greater Columbus area is how valued the arts are in this community and how genuinely supportive people are of creative spaces and local makers. There’s a real appreciation for hands-on experiences and a strong sense of connection between small businesses and the people who live here.

What I like least is that there aren’t enough places like mine. It’s so refreshing to have an activity where you can use your hands, connect with others, and create something, without it having to revolve around eating or drinking. I think there’s a real need for more creative, accessible gathering spaces like that.

Pricing:

• Classes between $25-75
• Day Passes for the Studio $30
• Memberships for the studio $85-110
• The average paint your own pottery item is between $20-30

Contact Info:

• Website: https://delawarepotterystudios.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dpsandthebarebowl
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dpsandthebarebowl/