On a beautiful Texas winter morning, the sun shone brightly on Board of Directors President Kelley Mailhes as she cut the ribbon on the Barry Brown Clay Studio’s first brick and mortar location — a full-circle tribute to a man who devoted his life to those around him.
“He was a war hero,” said Mailhes about the studio’s namesake. “I am proud to carry on his name [at the new location]. It’s important to us to carry on that legacy.”
A Vietnam vet, family man, competitive sailor and passionate artist, Brown never did anything halfway. As a retiree, he immersed himself in sailing and pottery, graduating with a fine arts degree from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in 1996. He went on to establish a clay studio in the Art Center alongside a small group of local sculptors.
Wendy Maurer, one of Brown’s original students, stayed close in subsequent years as a resident artist. She joined the group in 2000, once Brown had settled into his nook in the Art Center, and Maurer and her fellow members played a key role in continuing Brown’s work after his passing.
“It was scary, at first,” Maurer said. “He took care of everything. But all 50 members at the time stepped up, and we did what we needed to do. It was a huge success over the years, and such a special place to work.”
Mailhes spent her first year as president continuing the Barry Brown legacy beyond just the namesake — creating a studio prioritizing affordability, inclusivity and community outreach. Grants and gracious volunteers keep membership costs low, while guided lessons and themed nights keep accessibility high. Efforts culminated in a one-of-a-kind space where any clay artist can feel comfortable experimenting with their creations, hopefully making some friends along the way.
Now officially in the heart of historic Six Points, an area they plan to contribute to revitalizing, both Maurer and Mailhes described their new locale as a match made in heaven.
Mailhes plans on intertwining two valuable aspects of her life — her special ed background as a speech therapist and her love of clay — in a new initiative titled “Clay Connections.” She looks forward to hosting classes for those with special abilities in the Coastal Bend and, over the next year, going on to address many more artistic needs within the community.
“We are working hard to continue to grow each week,” Mailhes said. “That way, when members hit the studio, there’s somebody to say hi to. Someone to laugh and talk about clay with. People want to meet people, and we hope we can help build that community.”
Contact: 1010 Ayers St. | 361.833.0606 | @barrybrownclaystudio
