Erika NJ Allen
Erika is establishing Clay Church, a community ceramics studio in Camp Washington offering intermediate-to-advanced instruction for participants ready to deepen their practice. Combined with Wave Pool’s weekly community workshops, Clay Church creates a pathway from beginner to professional practice within Camp Washington's creative ecosystem. For some participants, skills could support supplemental income; for others, the goal is creative growth: Clay Church honors both.
Erika NJ Allen is a Guatemalan-born, Cincinnati-based artist and educator working across ceramics and photography. She holds a BFA in Photography from the Art Academy of Cincinnati and an MFA in Ceramics from Cranbrook Academy of Art. A first-generation college graduate, her path into the arts began at Diane Fishbein’s ceramic community workshop at Wave Pool, shaping her commitment to accessible art education. Allen teaches undergraduate ceramics at the Art Academy of Cincinnati and has led workshops through the Contemporary Arts Center, the Cincinnati Museum Center, and the Archie Bray Foundation.