Resources
Once a librarian, always a librarian. Although I’m now a potter and no longer responsible for any information collections, digital or on paper, it’s hard to shake the habit. On this page you’ll find links to articles, websites, and other resources about working with clay, clay education, and atmospheric firing. While most of these are resources that have helped me in my own ceramics practice, I do not have firsthand experience with every organization, studio, or purveyor on this list, so I encourage you to do your own research to ensure that anything below that interests you is the right fit for you and your practice.
Atmospheric Firing
Resources on wood and soda firing.
Cone 7 Glazes for Soda Firing - Vince Petelka
Firing Process (Wood & Soda) - Ann Marie Cooper
Free directory of wood-fired kilns with the goal of strengthening the woodfiring community by connecting clay artists, ceramic organizations, and kiln owners around the world.
Residencies with Woodfire Kilns at the Residency Review - Sean Kennedy
Soda Firing Process - Casey Beck
What’s Soda Firing? - Harry Levenstein
Woodfire Residency - Cobb Mountain Art & Ecology
Women Who Woodfire - Tara Wilson
Clay Education & Reference
Resources on glazing, process, residencies, workshops, etc.
Website for the raw materials research hub for the division of Ceramic Art at Alfred University, with extensive clay body and glaze recipes.
A wealth of resources - demos, how-tos, recipes, artist interviews - for ceramicists.
Workshop series on glaze and clay chemistry, with extensive resource materials.
Clay Cohorts/Cohorts.Art
A year-long virtual workshop with a dedicated mentor, monthly critiques, and a closing gallery exhibition for potters at different levels of their creative development.
Critical Care: The Art of Self-Critique - Simon Levin
Excellent article by Clay Cohorts founder Simon Levin on critical self-analysis for the studio potter.
Dick Lehman’s Writing for the American Ceramic Society- Dick Lehman
Collection of articles on a variety of atmospheric firing, glazing, and ceramic culture topics by Dick Lehman for the American Ceramic Society.
Extensive reference guide to glaze and clay chemistry.
Glaze and clay body recipes posted by potters from around the world.
A Guide to Using Instagram for Studio Artists - Ayumi Horie
The Kiln Gods Are Trans - Rose Schmits
Great article from a trans perspective on the phrase “it’s in the hands of the kiln gods now”.
Not the Sharpest Tool in the Box - Michael Sherrill
Simple primer on keeping bladed clay tools sharp originally published in the Sept/Oct 2015 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated.
A fantastic program that provides formerly incarcerated women and non-binary people with paid non-profit training in a collective nonprofit ceramic business.
The Residency Review - Sean Kennedy
A comprehensive resource for ceramic artists looking for residencies that best suit their needs.
Documents & Handouts - Vince Pitelka
Excellent cheat sheets, handouts, and information on a variety of subjects in downloadable PDF form.
Clay & Tool Supply
Places to get clay and tools, with a bias towards the Pacific Northwest.
Washington/Pacific Northwest Clay Community
Studios, galleries, and places to purchase clay and tools located in Washington and Oregon.
Throwing and sculpting classes and workshops in Bellingham, WA.
Clay studio in Seattle offering classes, events, and workshops for aspiring potters of different levels.
Fantastic producer of clay bodies for the Pacific Northwest that also ships clay nationally.
Gallery showing local and national artists in Bellingham, WA, with monthly feature shows.
Community art studio and retreat on Oregon’s coast with workshops and soda/wood kilns.
Clay arts center with locations in Portland and Eugene featuring classes, firing services, and clay and tool sales.
Arts center in Lynden, WA with studios for different artistic mediums, including ceramics.
Wheel-throwing focused studio in downtown Bellingham offering memberships and classes.
Membership organization for sculptural artists in the Pacific Northwest.
Rat City Studios/Rain City Clay
Sister studios in White Center and West Seattle, respectively, offering classes, workshops, and firing services. Website also includes extensive resource section, including downloadable handouts on glazing, handbuilding projects, and wheel throwing tips.
A community-centered, POC, queer, women-owned pottery + art studio located in Seattle's Chinatown International District, offering memberships, group classes for all skill levels, private lessons, workshops, and events.
Queer & woman-owned gallery/studio in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood, offering classes, workshops, events, and an online & in-person gallery space.
Education-focused studio in Seattle offering studio access memberships and a wide variety of classes.
Washington Clay Arts Association
Volunteer-run clay arts organization offering educational, professional, and social events centered in the Seattle/Tacoma area.
Whatcom Artists of Clay and Kiln (WACK)
Membership organization based on Whatcom County, Washington that runs the Empty Bowls fundraiser and the Whatcom Studio Tour.
Recommended Books
Books to help expand your knowledge during your clay journey. Please note that some of these are affiliate links, where I receive a small percentage of the sale if you purchase the book from bookshop.org using this link.
Amazing Glaze: Techniques, Recipes, Finishing, and Firing by Gabriel Kline
Ash Glazes: Techniques and Glazing from Natural Sources by Phil Rogers
By My Hands: A Potter’s Apprenticeship by Florian Gadsby
The Ceramic Spectrum: A Simplified Approach to Glaze and Color Development by Robin Hopper
Clay and Glazes for the Potter by Daniel Rhodes
The Complete Guide to Mid-Range Glazes: Glazing & Firing at Cones 4-7 by John Britt
The Complete Guide to High-Fire Glazes: Glazing & Firing at Cone 10 by John Britt
Creative Pottery: Innovative Techniques and Experimental Designs in Thrown and Handbuilt Ceramics by Deb Schwartzkopf
Functional Pottery: Form and Aesthetics in Pots of Purpose by Robin Hopper
Handbuilt, a Potter's Guide: Master Timeless Techniques, Explore New Forms, Dig and Process Your Own Clay by Melissa Weiss
Inside Japanese Ceramics: Primer of Materials, Techniques, and Traditions by Richard L. Wilson
The Japanese Pottery Handbook: Revised Edition by Kanji Sadeoka and Penny Simpson
The Kiln Book, 3rd Edition by Fred Olsen
Low-Fire Soda by Justin Rothshank
Making Marks: Discovering the Ceramic Surface by Robin Hopper
Mastering Hand Building: Techniques, Tips, and Tricks for Slabs, Coils, and More by Sunshine Cobb
Mastering Kilns and Firing: Raku, Pit and Barrel, Wood Firing, and More by Lindsey Oesterritter
Naked Clay: Ceramics Without Glaze by Jane Perryman
Terra Sigillata: Contemporary Techniques by Rhonda Willers
Soda, Clay, and Fire by Gail Nichols
Wild Clay: Creating Ceramics and Glazes from Natural and Found Resources by Matt Levy, Takuro Shibata, and Hitomi Shibata