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Before the Wheel Turns

(Raw Clay & Wedging)

Every piece begins as either a fresh block of clay or reclaimed clay ready for a new life. Before it can be shaped, the clay is wedged to remove trapped air, even out moisture, and create a smooth, consistent texture.
While simple, this step is essential. Well-prepared clay is easier to center, easier to work with, and less likely to cause problems later in the process. Every successful piece starts with a strong foundation.

Finding Center

(Centering on the Wheel)

Before a potter can shape clay, the clay must first find its center. As the wheel spins, the clay is guided into perfect balance. This step can take months or even years to master and serves as the foundation for everything that follows. If the clay isn't centered, the rest of the journey becomes much more difficult.

From clay to creation

(Throwing & Handbuilding)

Now the transformation begins. Whether shaped on the wheel or built by hand, the clay starts becoming something recognizable. A lump of earth slowly turns into a mug, bowl, vase, or perhaps something entirely unique. This is where imagination and technique come together to bring an idea to life.

Timing is everything

(Leather Hard stage)

As the clay begins to dry, it enters what potters call the leather-hard stage—the sweet spot between wet and dry. Firm enough to hold its shape but soft enough to work with, this is when many of the finishing touches happen.

Handles are attached, feet are trimmed, textures are carved, and details are refined. Too wet, and the clay can slump or distort. Too dry, and it becomes difficult to alter without cracking. Like Goldilocks' porridge, leather-hard clay is just right.

And now we wait

(greenware)

With the shaping complete, it's time for the hardest part: waiting. The clay must dry slowly and evenly until it reaches the bone dry stage, when all moisture has left the piece. If even a small amount of water remains trapped inside, it can turn to steam in the kiln and cause cracks, breaks, or even make the piece burst apart. While it may not look like much is happening, this stage is one of the most important steps in the journey.

6. Reduce, Reuse, Re-Clay

(Clay Reclaim)

Before a piece is fired, clay can be given a second chance. Trimmings, scraps, and even pieces that didn’t quite work out are collected, dried, soaked in water until they become a slurry, then spread onto plaster drying tables to slowly remove excess moisture. Once the clay reaches the right consistency, it’s wedged and ready to create with again.

Reclaiming takes time, but it’s an important part of pottery. It reduces waste, makes the most of every bag of clay, and reminds us that not every mistake is the end of the story.

Trial by Fire

(Bisque Firing)

With the clay bone dry, it’s finally ready for its first trip through the kiln. Heated to over 1,800°F, the clay permanently transforms into ceramic, becoming stronger and ready for glaze.

This is also the point of no return. Once a piece has been fired, it can no longer be reclaimed or recycled back into clay. Its journey as pottery has officially begun.

 Color Meets Chemistry

(glazing)

Glaze is much more than color—it’s chemistry in motion. It creates the surface, texture, and finish of a piece while making functional pottery food-safe and watertight.
What you see before firing is rarely what you’ll get in the end. Different clay bodies, glaze combinations, application thickness, and kiln temperatures all influence the final result. Some glazes stay exactly where they’re applied, while others flow, break, crystallize, or react with neighboring glazes.
It’s equal parts planning, experience, and a little bit of kiln magic.

The Kiln’s Final Word

(glaze Firing)

The final firing is where everything comes together. As temperatures climb above 2,000°F, the glaze melts, flows, and bonds to the clay, revealing its final colors, textures, and finish.

This is often the most exciting—and nerve-wracking—part of the journey. No matter how carefully a piece is made, the kiln always gets the final word. Potters often joke about praying to the kiln gods because until the kiln cools and the door opens, the final result remains a mystery.

From My Hands to Yours

(Finished Pottery)

After weeks—or sometimes months—of shaping, drying, firing, glazing, and waiting, the journey is finally complete. Every handmade piece carries the marks of its process, making it truly one of a kind. Thank you for giving it the final and most important step of its journey—a place in your home.