ABOUT

Creating pottery is certainly not a task for the impatient. The time it takes to complete a piece, from start to finish, depends on factors like the complexity of the form, the level of decoration, and the firing schedule. In general, it can take anywhere from one month (a relatively quick turnaround) to two months (in rare cases) to transform a lump of clay into a finished item. Typically, the process falls within a six-week timeframe.

Let me walk you through the process from start to finish, fair reader:

1. THROWING
   First, I throw the clay on the wheel. Some pieces are quick and easy; others take more time. Once the item is shaped, I wire it off the bat and let it dry. Depending on the temperature and humidity, this drying process can take anywhere from a few hours to over a week until the piece is leather-hard and ready for the next step.

2. TRIMMING
   Once the piece is dry enough, I bring it back to the wheel to trim it. Trimming involves refining the shape and creating a foot (the ring on the bottom of your ceramics). The time required for this step depends on the complexity of the piece.

3. CARVING, ADDING HANDLES, APPLYING UNDERGLAZE
   This step is optional. After trimming, some pieces are ready for their first firing. However, many pieces require additional decoration at this stage—holes may need to be made in berry bowls, handles attached to mugs, or mouths cut into bird feeders. Any carved patterns or underglaze painting is also done at this time.

4. FIRST FIRE: LOW TEMP BISQUE
   After trimming and carving, the piece is ready for its first firing. However, because I work in a community studio, the firing schedule depends on when enough pieces are ready to fill the kiln. Since it’s a small studio, it can take two weeks to a month to gather enough pottery for a firing.

5. GLAZING AND MORE DECORATING
   Many of my pieces feature exposed clay designs, which I create after the bisque firing. This involves carefully taping off areas before dipping the piece in glaze (a quick process) or painting it on with a brush (a much longer process, as each coat must dry completely before applying the next). Once glazed, the piece is ready for its final glaze firing.

6. SECOND FIRE: HIGH TEMP GLAZE
   As with the first firing, I need to wait until there’s enough pottery to fill the kiln for the second, high-temperature glaze firing. This usually takes two weeks to a month.

7. CLEAN UP AND EXTRA BITS
   You might think the process is finished after glazing, but there’s more to do! Most pottery pieces have rough areas where the glaze doesn’t cover the clay, so I sand down these spots with rough grit followed by fine grit to ensure the piece won’t scratch surfaces or be uncomfortable to hold. Additionally, some pieces require final touches—like the bird feeders, which need a wooden perch. I source branches from my yard, sand them smooth, apply butcher block conditioner to bring out the wood's color, and fasten the perch to the feeder with copper wire.

This long-winded explanation shows just how much goes into making each piece of pottery!

Mass-produced items are made in molds, ensuring they’re identical and can be produced quickly, cheaply, and often in countries with very low labor costs. These items are churned out by machines and assembly workers, which is why they’re so inexpensive.

In contrast, every piece of pottery I create is touched by my hands at every stage of the process. This involves countless hours of work, none of which can be rushed or skipped. There are also costs for materials, studio space, and firing fees. It’s taken me years of trial and error to master the techniques I use today. But perhaps most importantly, you’re paying for creativity and craftsmanship.

Remember, you get what you pay for! By choosing something handmade rather than mass-produced, you’re investing in a one-of-a-kind, functional piece of art that no one else in the world has but you. Even when I make multiple pieces in the same style, each one has subtle variations—in shape, color, and design—that make it unique, special, and worthy of being cherished.

There’s nothing wrong with having mass-produced ceramics—I have plenty in my own home. But when you’re looking for something special, nothing beats handcrafted.

Almost all of my work is food, microwave and dishwasher safe but since there are exceptions, please refer to the care page for more specific details.

COMMISSIONS ARE CURRENTLY: Open
Reach out and let me know what you have in mind.

CONTRACT
We’ll discuss what you want made—don’t worry if you only have a rough idea; you’re paying for both my skill and creativity! If you have a clear vision, that’s great! If not, we’ll exchange ideas until we land on a concept you love. Once we’ve agreed on the details, I’ll provide a timeline and price. After that, we’ll both sign a contract outlining the terms.

RIGHT OF REFUSAL
I reserve the right to refuse any commission that doesn’t align with my personal values (I won’t be making any Nazi mugs, sorry not sorry), copies another potter’s design or style, or is beyond my ability to execute well.

DEPOSIT
Once the concept is finalized and the contract is signed, a non-refundable 10% deposit is required to start the work; the remaining balance is due upon completion.

If your concept has personal details (names, anniversary dates, company logos, etc), 100% of the payment is required upfront since I won’t be able to resell the item if things fall through.

STATUS UPDATES
I’ll keep you updated on my progress and send pictures along the way so you can stay involved and provide feedback as needed.

PAYMENT OF BALANCE
Once the commission is complete, any remaining balance is due within 30 days. After payment is received, the item will be shipped to you. If the balance isn’t paid within the timeframe or you decide you no longer want the item, your deposit is forfeited, and I retain ownership of the piece. In that case, I may list it for sale to recoup costs.

* Note on timeline: If you need your commission for a specific event (birthday, holiday, etc.), please reach out with enough lead time for completion. As mentioned, it can take up to two months to finish a piece. If it’s a complex or multiple-item order, it may take even longer.

Absolutely! I love having my pottery in shops, especially if you are a local business. Contact me so we can discuss wholesale pricing options. I’m also open to consignment, so feel free to reach out about that as well.

I do have a day job that keeps me busy so I give myself a week to package things up and ship them out. However, most of the time, I will be able to get things on their way within a couple days.

Commissioned pieces will be shipped out as soon as the item (or items) have been completed and paid for. We will discuss the timeline once we settle on what you want made.

At this time, no, but it’s something that I will look into in the future.

If you absolutely and desperately need something right away, you can reach out and ask if I can send it out USPS 2-day or Priority mail. If you want it sent via FedEx or UPS, the answer will very likely be no simply because I live on top of a mountain and sending it out via those carriers would involve driving a hour down to civilization and then another hour to get home. If it’s during the winter when there is snow and ice? FedEx and UPS will be an absolute nope.

I charge a flat rate of $10 to ship everywhere in the US other than AK and HI. If you live in those two states, the flat rate bumps up to $15 to cover the additional costs to get things to those places. Sorry! That is the price you have to pay to live in such beautiful locations.

Absolutely! Select ‘Local Pickup’ as your shipping option and then reach out to me so we can settle on a place and time to make the handoff. You don’t have to live in this area but I will only agree to a pick up location that is in either Lake Arrowhead, Crestline or Running Springs. You also need to pick up your purchase within two weeks; if we can’t make that happen, I will refund your money and put the item(s) back on the website for purchase.

My goal is to eventually expand my reach beyond the US but I am choosing to start small. Once I work out any kinks that present themselves domestically, I will look into international shipping. Stay tuned!

IF AN ITEM IS DEFECTIVE OR BROKE IN TRANSIT
Contact me within 48 hours of delivery with a picture of the broken item in its original packaging and I will work with you to make things right, whether it is creating a new item for you, giving you a credit or fully refunding what you paid.

IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT YOU BOUGHT
While I do not accept returns on items that are not broken/defection, if you are unhappy with your purchase, please reach out to me so we can discuss the situation.

I named my business after two of my cats, Disco and Hiphop. Disco has since crossed the rainbow bridge but Hiphop is still kicking, picking on our other two cats (Bebop and Wallace) as well as our two dogs (Kima and Alma).

If you have a question that isn’t answered here, contact me and I will get back to you as soon as I can!