Creative Clay: 30 Years at the Heart of St. Pete’s Arts Community

At the Good Folk Fest, from left: Member Artist JJ Hitch (NASCAR wrap design), CEO Kim Dohrman, Board Member Hal Freedman (co-sponsor of the NASCAR show truck), NASCAR’s first self-identified autistic driver Armani Williams, Willi Rudowsky (co-sponsor of the NASCAR show truck), and Development Coordinator Shane Hoffman.

In 1998, I applied for a job as a studio assistant/teacher at a new arts organization called Creative Clay. I met two women, the founders of the organization, named Grace-Anne Alfiero and Danielle Sangita, who described a bit about working with special needs adults. Though I had an idea of what this meant, it was a revolutionary experience when I first met the group of clients that I would be working with. 

Over lunch, I sat at a table with a jovial group who discussed TV shows, upcoming art projects, and personal interests. They hosted a variety of different backgrounds, disabilities, and personalities but had one thing in common: they were all artists. 

I worked at the organization when it was just three years old. Now, Creative Clay is celebrating its 30th anniversary as the heart of the arts community in St. Pete. From its founding with a $1000 grant from the Knights of Columbus and three clients, the organization now serves 50 clients and has tripled its studio footprint in the city. 

Grace and Danielle first met while working as case managers for Community Support Network, an independent organization supporting individuals with a range of physical, developmental, and neurodivergent needs. 

“Through that work, we recognized how limited the community options were for creative expression, connection, and belonging. Founding Creative Clay was our way of changing that,” Danielle explains. “We wanted to create a space where people could explore art, express themselves freely, and engage with the broader community – artists, college students, neighbors, and anyone who valued creativity and inclusivity. It offered an alternative to traditional employment or contract-based workshop settings, giving participants a place to create, connect, and thrive.”

“At the time,” Grace adds, “I was taking postgraduate art classes at the University of South Florida, and we decided to begin a nonprofit focused on making the arts accessible to everyone in the community. This would give us the ability to combine two of my favorite things: helping people and making art.”

The duo started Creative Clay in downtown St. Pete, at 333 1st Street South. “The space was a bit of a warehouse,” Danielle says, “but we saw its potential. We convinced the landlord to let us transform it into an art studio, agreeing to renovate the space in exchange for six months of free rent. That was 1995 when Creative Clay, Inc. began.”

At the time, there were few organizations in the country like this, other than a small one in California. The concept was cutting-edge in Florida. And when Creative Clay won the Bank of America Foundation’s Neighborhood Builders Award and received a $200,000 unrestricted grant, the organization stabilized and grew, allowing it to further expand in its Arts In Medicine programming. It also afforded the pair ways to learn the ropes of running a nonprofit, developing curriculum, and finding creative ways to educate and engage the community. 

“[30th anniversary] makes me feel old,” Danielle laughs, “but it also fills me with such a deep sense of pride for what Grace-Anne and I created together while we were in our mid 20s. Watching those gifts shine and grow was, and still is, one of the greatest honors of my life.”

With such a long and storied history, both women have myriad memories and stories to sift through. 

“There are so many incredible memories from my time at Creative Clay. I had a leadership role for 16 years, and every day was different from the next,” Grace says. “One fond memory was when Akinori Iwamura, the famous Tampa Bay Rays Infielder from Japan, visited the Creative Clay studio during our Artlink Japan exhibition. He had a camera crew with him, and he gave out signed baseballs and hats to everyone in the studio. Everyone felt special and seen; it was phenomenal!”

That reminds Danielle of one of her favorite memories: when the Creative Clay team travelled to Japan. “Being able to work with individuals with disabilities within their cultural context was nothing short of transformative,” she says. “It was humbling, inspiring, and a reminder of the boundless creativity and resilience of the people we serve. Those moments – big and small – are etched in my heart and continue to inspire me to this day.”

Both women have since moved out of Florida, and Grace says she misses the daily hugs she got from clients and students at the studio. Danielle says that she will “never forget the energy and excitement of our art shows, where we could proudly display the incredible work of the member artists and see their talents shine.” However, both women have branched out into new endeavors.  

Since 2012, Grace has been leading a consultant firm entitled “Arts In Action” that supports nonprofits across the country in preparing research-based grant proposals and communication needs. “I utilize all the lessons learned from my time at Creative Clay and I get to help many social service organizations and museums in obtaining their revenue goals.”

Danielle has authored two books, teaches yoga, is a bodyworker and Ayurvedic practitioner, and works with high school and elite athletes as a sports psychology coach, incorporating meditation, yoga, and performance-enhancing mindset techniques.

“Grace-Anne, Phoebe Ezell, and I have partnered to bring our expertise in leadership, holistic health, creativity, and strategic development to the nonprofit sector and its leaders through our program, Re-Activate Your Life,” she says.

They keep updated on the organization, visiting whenever they come into St. Petersburg. The leadership torch subsequently passed to Kim Dohrman, who started at Creative Clay in 2007.  She was made CEO in 2011 after being selected as the Bank of America Emerging Leader, that included a year-long leadership training program. She keeps the focus helping people with disabilities achieve full and inclusive lives by providing expressive, educational, and vocational experiences in the arts.

In 2025, Creative Clay celebrated its milestone with two events each month, including First Friday Art Markets and Second Saturday ArtWalks. Their Artlink Takamatsu-St. Petersburg Mail Art exhibit was featured at the Morean Art Center. On November 16, they hosted the Good Folk Fest at the Coliseum; over 2000 visitors attended. 

As the organization moves forward, they hope to purchase the building that they currently lease.  

Kim also describes the organization’s three key goals: “Strengthen revenue-generating efforts to ensure sustainability and become an employer of choice; establish Creative Clay as a leading advocate and resource for people with disabilities and their caregivers; and position the organization as a creative destination where artists with disabilities, teaching artists, and the public connect through shared artistic experiences.”

For those who want to help support Creative Clay’s mission in the community, there many options.  “We encourage everyone to come visit our Good Folk Gallery, five working studios, Creative Thrift art supply repurpose store – it’s pay what you can! – and attend our monthly events,” Kim says. The organization also actively seeks community partnerships, which she calls “vital to our success. We encourage anyone who connects with our mission to come in for a tour and learn more about us,” and to “see first-hand the impact we are making in the community on a daily basis.”

Learn more about Creative Clay, is mission and events, at creativeclay.org.