Supporting Artists

I've always felt incredibly fortunate to be supported as an artist, a gift that started early in life. Even as a child, my parents were thrilled to see me dive into art classes and celebrate every award I brought home. When college came around, they weren’t exactly jumping for joy at my decision to major in fine art, but they never questioned it. Their pride was unmistakable when I graduated with an MFA from Roanoke College in Virginia.

Rae Dunn, Christa Assad, MaryMar Keenan

Business woman!

As it turns out, I inherited my father's entrepreneurial spirit, and at just 23—barely two years after graduation—I had the opportunity to open my own ceramic studio and gallery in San Francisco with two other ceramic artists, Rae Dunn and Christa Assad. My vision for the gallery was clear: to create a space where local ceramic artists could showcase and sell their work. This was about 25 years ago, long before ceramics gained the popularity it has today.

MaryMar and her dad

Surviving as an artist, especially in a pricey city like San Francisco, is tricky and often feels like a mix of good luck, karma, and blessings. Having the support of others is invaluable. Over the years, I’ve come to think of a few key supporters as my “art angels” as they have been pivotal to my success.

When the time came to expand MMclay in 2018, I knew I wanted more than just a bigger space. I envisioned a beautiful studio where I could not only grow my production business but also host art openings and events, building community and having the opportunity to reciprocate the support I’ve experienced. This vision is also deeply rooted in my commitment to keeping art alive in San Francisco, a city where soaring living costs have driven many artists away. As a city that is highlighted for its techy driven lifestyle, high rents and dirty streets, we need art to thrive here more than ever, punctuating the fact that SF is full of highly creative and artful people. 

Griffin Mactavish

Carah Jo

Heather McFarlin

Since the opening of 69 Gough St, we've proudly hosted numerous art shows—a small reflection of this passion for supporting local artists. Being a professional artist is a challenging path and because of the support I’ve been given in my work I feel like providing a space for artists to show and talk about their work is important. Life without art is unimaginable.