Tara Spires-Bell has always found a combination of joy and relief through art and creativity. When her mother passed away 10 years ago, she decided to start learning pottery so she could create a beautiful, one-of-a-kind urn for her. Not only did she do that, but she was inspired to develop her own ceramics brand, SweetheartWheel in honor of her mother.

“I like to think that she brought me to this outlet when I needed it most,” Spires-Bell shared.

Her pottery and art became so much of a passion that she recently decided to launch her own business called Mud & Craft. Located in the rapidly growing and thriving downtown district of Nehalem at NorthCoast Mudworks, Spires-Bell aims to create wonder through pottery workshops for creating one-off creations, multi-series wheel classes for more in-depth learning on how to throw on the wheel, private lessons, and group events for custom pottery experiences. She also offers specialty arts and crafts workshops such as botanical dyeing and broom making. The studio sits on the banks of the Nehalem River and allows visitors access to the natural environment around their studio sessions. 

“Mud & Craft is unique because there’s a lot of love in its mission to create experiences centered in joy, curiosity, inspiration, and connection to ourselves and the natural world,” she said. “In starting Mud & Craft we’ve found that self-expression and creativity are incredibly powerful tools in reconnecting to the present and our natural surroundings.  When we create with our hands it gives our minds a chance to relax and rest, especially when we engage in activities that produce tangible products that we can see, touch, and enjoy.”

Spires-Bell shares that Mud & Craft is one of the only studios on the Oregon Coast that offers private lessons and events and so far, these have been the most popular services. These are great for date-nights, corporate parties, birthdays, bachelorette parties, or just individuals looking to have a therapeutic evening creating something special. The lessons are customizable to individual needs and itineraries and are meant for all skill levels. Ceramics classes are offered in partnership with North Coast Mudworks, a co-op pottery studio and gift shop, which is open Friday through Monday, 11:30am to 5pm at 35995 7th Street in Nehalem.

Looking ahead, Spires-Bell hopes to grow so much that Mud & Craft can have a brick-and-mortar space of its own someday, including outdoor classrooms that could host events like Raku firings. She also hopes to collaborate more with local and visiting artists and offer more engaging workshops. This year, Spires-Bell is joining forces with Alyssa Blackwell of Hearth Craft Brooms to offer a two-day workshop making brooms in July.

But, no matter what, she will continue to focus on what’s really important: bringing people together through art.

“Mud & Craft is excited about growing not only the business, but a sense of community,” she said. “We enjoy crafting experiences for both locals and travelers, bringing people together in a shared love for creativity. Situated on the beautiful Oregon Coast, our home is a source of enchantment and inspiration full of natural wonders. We get a lot of visitors who come for fishing, surfing, hiking, camping, and the beaches, but it's nice to get away and unwind by creating during a Mud & Craft workshop.”

Visit the Mud & Craft website to learn more about available lessons and classes.

This article is supported, in part, by a grant funded by Transient Lodging Tax dollars through Tillamook Coast Visitors Association.