Welcome To The Clay Studio
Handmade clay pieces. Some functional, some sculptural. Each one unique. Wind River Clay produces work from start to finish, beginning with wet clay and ending with the fired product. Clay draws you in with its tangible, primitive quality. Producing each pot individually amplifies these characteristics.
About The Clay Process
Working with clay presents infinite possibilities of form, texture, and color. Determining a specific style is actually the most difficult part. Each piece starts with a simple lump of wet clay. It can then be plopped on the pottery wheel and thrown into a pot, rolled out into a slab, extruded into a tube, carved, shaped, stamped or sliced. Each choice results in a specific form with its own particular feel and character. Once it is finished and left to dry, it is ready for the first firing, known as a bisque.
Once out of the bisque, the pots have changed from the brittle, chalky material that they were originally. They are now more durable, highly porous, and ready for their sealing coat of glaze that will render them food safe and useable. One by one, the pieces are dunked into buckets with carefully formulated glazes of various color and sheen. But only for a second or so, as even the thickness of the glaze determines a successful result. They are now ready for their final firing.
The final firing method depends on the type of clay and desired look. A high fire clay can be put in a gas, soda, or wood kiln and taken to temperatures well exceeding 2300°F. Mid fire and low fire clays, while equally durable when fired to their maturation points, require lower temperature and are most often fired in an electric kiln. Each firing type yields its own aesthetic, and offers endless opportunities for creativity.
After the final firing of the glazed work, the pots are sanded, inspected for quality, and ready to sell. All functional work available for purchase from the studio is food and dishwasher safe. It is durable and ready to use in a daily capacity. Browse the store now to see the selection of work currently available from Wind River Clay!
Explore The Work