When we expanded the pond, we discovered something unexpected beneath the surface: rich, dense clay. That same clay is part of what makes the pond thrive today, and after plenty of trial and error, we learned how to clean and test it for use in our pottery. An old, forgotten garage by the water was transformed into a fully equipped pottery studio with wheels and a kiln, all set against the backdrop of the surrounding woods.
We started with a forgotten garage by the pond. Once we realized the native clay could be used for pottery, we decided to repurpose the space into a working pottery studio.
The garage started out about as basic as it gets. We added windows to bring in natural light and wrapped the interior in weathered barnwood. Custom cabinetry made from native white oak was stained to match, giving the space a warm, grounded feel.
Top-of-the-line pottery wheels and a kiln were added, along with a few well-chosen vintage finds to pull everything together. The result is a creative space that feels naturally connected to its surroundings.
Harvesting wild clay meant a lot of hands-on experimenting—testing for shrinkage, dialing in kiln temperatures, and learning as we went. That process eventually led to our very first mug made entirely from native clay. We were lucky to lean on a dear friend, and retired pottery professor, who helped us better understand the clay and how to work with it.
