Cotton & Clay brings art studio and boutique to downtown Laurens

Laurens County shoppers and aspiring artists have a new place to gather in downtown Laurens. Cotton & Clay Art Studio and Boutique held its soft opening last week, pairing a clothing boutique with a hands-on art studio under one roof at 100 S. Public Square.

The business is owned by Ashley Martin, who has operated Sunshine City in Clinton for 23 years. Martin said the new venture came together quickly. Madelyn Orcutt, the girlfriend of Martin’s oldest son, Jackson, had been working at the business that previously occupied the space. When that business closed, the two began talking and decided to step in.

“We got to talking about it and decided that we would jump in,” Martin said.

The name reflects the two sides of the business. The “cotton” comes from the clothing, and the “clay” comes from the pottery. Jennifer Nations, who manages the Laurens location, came up with the name. She previously worked at the Clinton store and lives in Hickory Tavern.

“We don’t want it to be just a pottery studio,” Martin said. “It’s an art studio.”

Martin said she wants Cotton & Clay to feel like a place where people can relax and connect.

“I want it to be welcoming, friendly and a fun place to come visit us and hang out,” Martin said. “We want you to buy something to paint, but come visit us and become a friend.”

Classes and open studio

Cotton & Clay has already scheduled its October classes, including clay pumpkin building and a build your own mug class. The pottery classes use hand-building techniques rather than the wheel, with projects pieced together step by step so both adults and children can take part. Other October offerings go beyond pottery, including a paint your own wooden cutting board class from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, and cookie decorating on Oct. 25.

Children’s classes will be added in the coming months as the team learns more about who is coming through the doors. One-on-one wheel throwing lessons will open for sign-ups in December.

Visitors do not need to wait for a scheduled class. Anytime the store is open, guests can pick an unfinished piece off the shelf and paint it on site.

The studio will also host private parties for birthdays, book clubs and other gatherings. Those interested in booking an event can stop by the store, call or send a message through the business’s social media pages.

Two book clubs have already reached out. Martin said one friend described plans for her group to bring dinner, paint and talk about their latest book.

“I was like, absolutely,” Martin said.

The boutique

The boutique side carries clothing across a range of prices, along with jewelry, game day gear, a small men’s section and purses arriving this week. Martin said inventory will change constantly.

“If you want a casual outfit for the day, we have that,” she said. “But if you need something dressy to go to a party or a dinner, we have that as well. We have everything in between.”

While Sunshine City and Cotton & Clay do not carry exactly the same merchandise, the two stores can share items between locations. Martin said many of her Laurens customers do not always make it to Clinton, so the new store gives them a closer option. The Laurens location also offers event space that the Clinton store does not.

A different kind of growth

Martin started Sunshine City with the idea that it would become more than a tanning business, and it grew over the years to include a salon and boutique.

“Never in a million years did I imagine it would turn into this,” Martin said. “But really, the heavy lift was those years of building up that first business. We’ve been through the growing pains, and now we’re taking what works and putting it into a new business with a social spin on it.”

She said the response from the community has been encouraging so far, and the team will make adjustments as the business grows.

“We want to be what Laurens County needs,” Martin said. “Our goal is to offer a place to get together and do something different.”

Reaching young artists

Orcutt, a graduate of Laurens District 55 High School, is an art education major at Anderson University and a South Carolina Teaching Fellow. She is currently completing her student teaching placement at Pendleton High School.

Orcutt said she hopes Cotton & Clay can support students who want to grow as artists beyond the classroom.

“My goal is to reach the kids and the school systems and really encourage them to push their artistic abilities,” Orcutt said. “I want to provide an environment outside of school where I can help shape and mold them into the artists they want to be.”

She said art gives young people a valuable outlet.

“Art allows kids to have freedom of expression and to really do something for themselves,” Orcutt said. “A lot of times, they learn more about themselves through the art they create. It builds confidence, whether they like sculpture or painting, and they discover what drives them and what motivates them.”

With so much of young people’s time spent on screens, she said working with clay offers something physical and even therapeutic.

Everyone welcome

Nations said the team wants every visitor to feel at home, regardless of age or artistic experience.

“If they’re not our friends, they become our friends,” she said. “It’s always going to be a welcoming place for everybody. Come in to shop a little bit, but take a peek back into the art studio and see the potential for you, your friends or a group to come enjoy and do something different.”

No artistic talent is required. Paint-by-number style projects and guided classes make the studio approachable for beginners.

Cotton & Clay Art Studio and Boutique is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. For more information or to book a party, call 864-923-1803 or email [email protected]. A website is coming soon. In the meantime, updates on classes, events and new arrivals are posted on the business’s Facebook and Instagram pages.