Kiln Fire Clay — Handmade Pottery with a Story

Kiln Fire Clay began with a simple realization: after years of working, playing, and spending far too much of my free time in front of a computer, I needed to find better balance.

I tried a little bit of everything—biking, disc golf, playing guitar. I enjoyed them, but nothing really clicked. Nothing made me want to keep learning, experimenting, and pushing myself to get better.

Then a friend suggested pottery.

My first response was pretty simple: “I’m not an artist.”

Fortunately, good friends sometimes know when not to listen. I was encouraged to at least give it a try. So, I took a pottery class at a local studio.

From that first lesson, I was hooked.

There was something completely different about working with clay. I could get my hands dirty, step away from screens and technology, and focus entirely on creating something from a simple lump of earth. For a little while, the rest of the world could wait.

I also discovered something unexpected. While I had never thought of myself as particularly artistic, working with three-dimensional forms felt natural. There was something incredibly satisfying about watching a piece take shape under my hands—and even more exciting about discovering how clay, glaze, fire, smoke, and sometimes a little unpredictability could transform it.

Pottery became my happy place.

Because I’m a former teacher who has never been very good at doing anything halfway, that passion eventually grew into Kiln Fire Clay.

Pottery Made to Be Used, Displayed, and Enjoyed

The handmade pottery you'll find at Kiln Fire Clay reflects my love of exploring different ceramic techniques.

Some pieces are functional pottery designed to become part of everyday life—handmade ceramic mugs, vases, bowls, jars, luminaries, and other pieces that are meant to be used and enjoyed.

Others are created simply because something beautiful doesn't always need another purpose.

I especially enjoy exploring raku pottery and low-fire ceramic techniques, where fire, smoke, minerals, and organic materials become part of the creative process. These techniques include horsehair pottery, where strands of horsehair create dramatic patterns across the surface, and saggar-fired pottery, which can produce unexpected colors, markings, and textures that make every piece truly individual.

That's one of the things I love most about pottery: you can guide the process, but you can't always control it.

Find the Piece That Speaks to You

Every handmade ceramic piece has its own shape, surface, colors, and personality. Some are quiet and subtle. Others are bold, unusual, or a little unpredictable.

That means finding pottery isn't just about choosing an object. Sometimes it's about discovering the piece that makes you stop scrolling for a moment and take a second look.

I invite you to explore Kiln Fire Clay, browse the different collections, and see what catches your attention.

You might find a mug that makes your morning coffee a little more enjoyable, a handmade vase that gives a room some personality, or a one-of-a-kind piece of raku or horsehair pottery that simply makes you smile.

Take a look around. Your favorite piece might already be waiting for you.