SIDNEY -- In 2024, a vision came together, and the Elston House opened.

Elston House is a lot of things. It is an artistic center for several disciplines. It is a meeting place for friends. It is a retail outlet. What the Elstons brought to the Sidney area is ceramics. 

Matt Elston said he and his wife Sarah chose to wait before hosting a ribbon cutting. 

At the Saturday event, Matt Elston said it is a constant learning process.

"[It] kind of feels like I'm just starting. So, that's kind of why we saved the ribbon cutting to our one-year is that ceramics business, there's a lot of setup, and with that setup, there's a lot of process you have to identify; what works, what doesn't. Even though it's a business, there's still things that have ins and outs," he said.

Pottery and ceramics are a big part of Elston House, and an example of flexibility in the business.

It is a business, but it is also an art center where a person can explore fun in pottery, ceramics or painting.

"Kind of like a pottery piece. People will come in for their first time. You'll see that 'discovery'. That's what we are in Sidney is kind of a place you can discover, and I see as people work through those pieces, sometimes they'll come back and do a second one or a third one. I have really great customers that I can't say enough about that want to do multiple pieces and I see a progression. As they get through those pieces, either they come up with new styles, may make it better, they understand the materials. I think that's a big one," he said.

He said learning is a big part of art, as with business.

The Elston House is open Thursday through Sunday. However, summer hours start on May 25, only closed on Mondays. He said the summer schedule will stay in place at least to the end of summer.