We caught up with the brilliant and insightful McKendree Key a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
McKendree , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
I’ve been lucky enough in my life to be able to take risks. For example, starting a new business with no guarantee that it would work out. My business partner and I started Betty’s Ceramics Club almost a year ago. It’s a community ceramics studio in Jersey City. We founded it on the principal that clay is magic and Bettys is a place for everyone. We wanted to create a space that has a unique, bright and warm aesthetic (I designed the wallpaper, color scheme, and helped with the layout design). It’s a haven for artists, and is open to anyone who wants to experiment with clay.
We’ve only been open a year, and while gaining the trust of the local community has not been easy, it’s been a slow build to something succesfull and exciting. Already in the first year, we have served almost 150 public school children with free clay classes built into their school day. This came about because our landlords gave us a generous grant to offer these classes free of charge. There was another risk I took- asking our landlords to help fund these classes. They agreed, and now Betty’s has sustained free programming for children in the neighborhood.
McKendree , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I started Artshack, (which is now a community ceramics studio in Brooklyn), in my backyard as a kids’ after school program. I never thought it would become what it has today. Today, Artshack is a bustling 6,000 square foot community studio that offers over $250,000 annually in scholarships to Black & Brown residents of Bed Stuy. We have a pay what you wish program for folks over the age of 60, which adds a lot of beauty to our multigenerational space.
Clay should be accessible to everyone. At Artshack we have a way for anyone who wants to be involved to do so. Our community is a robust ecosystem that depends on kindness, generosity, and a shared belief that clay heals.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Anti-racist books:
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo.
Dismantling Racism: A Workbook for Social Change Groups, by Kenneth Jones and Tema Okun
Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Marie Brown
Art inspiration:
The kids of all ages that come to Artshack & Betty’s to make things out of clay
Christo & Jean-Claude, all of the Making of Documentaries
Roman Signer
Louise Nevelson tin can Jewelry
Peter Garfeild
Bas Jan Ader
The Ox Cart Man by Donald Hall (book)
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding part of what I do is collaborating with other people, empowering children to make art, and helping make sure art has a place in our world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bettysceramicsclub.com & www.artshackbrooklyn.org
- Instagram: @artshackbrooklyn.org
Image Credits
Gabriela Herman