There’s no denying that college can certainly be stressful at times, especially at a university as prestigious as Binghamton University. This is why The Clay Ground is the perfect place to relax for a couple hours by painting pottery and making your own pieces of glass art.

At The Clay Ground, bowls, mugs, plates and platters are just some of the things you can paint. It has a wide selection of paints, as well as stencils, stamps and a special technique of painting called “bubble paint.”

According to The Clay Ground’s website, the glass art is “the process of stacking two or more layers of compatible glass together to make a design, then placing the stacked glass in the super heated environment of a kiln, where it melts together.”

The Clay Ground even has introductory pottery wheel classes available from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday nights.

Many may have heard of The Clay Ground because of its annual Bowls for CHOW event, when people can come in and paint bowls, which then get sold on campus during an ice cream social event. The money raised from this event supports CHOW, an organization that feeds the hungry.

Janine Furtado, an undeclared freshman, went to The Clay Ground during the Bowls for CHOW event.

“I heard about The Clay Ground through Al Vos’ HDEV class as a volunteer opportunity for Sandy Levinn’s event called Bowls for Hunger,” Furtado said. “The atmosphere there is very friendly and I would recommend it as a place for other BU students to check out.”

Tessa Kuster, a sophomore majoring in English, has also been to The Clay Ground.

“I think a lot of students know about The Clay Ground because of the annual Bowls for CHOW event, but it would be nice to go there anytime, not just during that event. I think it’s a great way to spend time with friends and also to get off campus for a little while,” Kuster said. “It’s very relaxing and fun … You get very involved in designing whatever you’re painting, and when you get it back after it’s glazed, it looks so pretty! Plus you have a new mug or bowl or whatever, which is always nice.”

The Clay Ground is located at 732 Vestal Parkway E., relatively close to campus.

Prices for painting depend on the individual item you choose to select, ranging from $12 to $15. The Clay Ground is open every day, but check its website http://www.theclaygroundofvestal.com for hours.