Purpose: The Kiln Club is a professional organization for working ceramic artists, serious continuing students and supporters of the ceramic arts. The purpose of the organization is to stimulate interest in the art of ceramics and to provide a means through our meetings for the mutual study and discussion of the techniques and problems of producing ceramic work. The group is also involved in promoting public exhibitions. This is being accomplished with ceramic shows at various locations in this area, as well as at the Scope Gallery.

The Kiln Club of Washington, D.C. was organized in 1946 with a membership of seventeen. The original group was drawn from an advanced class in ceramics taught by Mrs. Ollie Palmore Long at Friendship Settlement House in Southeast Washington, and from individuals who were using the facilities there. Several early members are still listed in the directory.

From 1950 through 1965, the Kiln Club organized, first annually, then biennially, the International Ceramic Exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The shows were in three sections: a regional section, an invitational section, and an international section. It gave many a first look at the work of ceramists from outside this area and from other countries.

Since 1974 the main exhibition site for work by Juried Members of the Kiln Club is Scope Gallery. The Gallery is on the first floor of the Torpedo Factory Art Center. It is open year round, 7 days a week from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Thursdays from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

                                                     Scope Gallery

                                                     105 N. Union Street

                                                     Alexandria, Virginia

                                                     703-548-6288