About Folsom Studio

Folsom Studio is located in a renovated 1920s manufacturing building in Botanical Heights, St. Louis—a space rich with history, quirks, and character. The building now houses both our ceramics studio and the offices of Arbolope Studio, a landscape architecture firm run by longtime friends and collaborators. Together, we've re-imagined the space not just as a place to work, but as a site for creative exchange—where ideas rooted in craft, place, and public life can take shape.

The studio serves as the production home for Place Value Pottery, a brand known for custom ceramics that connects people to meaningful places. But it’s also a classroom, a gathering space, and a creative outlet. We host a variety of hands-on workshops—some casual, some more in-depth—all designed to be welcoming to beginners while offering substance and inspiration for experienced makers. With future renovations and a new courtyard on the horizon, the space continues to grow alongside the creative community it supports.

Folsom Studio was founded in 2025 by ceramic artist and educator Malaika Tolford. Her work reflects a lifelong interest in history, architecture, and geography, and she holds dual degrees in Art History and Anthropology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Through Place Value Pottery and her role as co-founder of STL Mug Market, Malaika has long worked to connect people through ceramics. With Folsom Studio, she brings together her production practice and her love of teaching, creating a space where both craft and community are always in progress.