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We Have a Passion for Clay

The Allen Stoneware Gallery is proud to create truly fine works of pottery.

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My Story

 I turned my love of clay and painting into a full-time business twenty-nine years ago when I opened Allen Stoneware Gallery. All of my pottery is hand-formed, piece by piece on my potter’s wheel in the Gallery’s studio. Unlike mass-produced pottery, no two are alike – each is handmade, hand painted. Sometimes, even I am surprised at the variations that may result in two pieces I thought I made similar.

Want to learn? 

We offer workshops in raku, studio classroom technique, glaze techniques, single class clay expression etc. In the first class students create a wall sculpture, tall nine inch slab vase and a wheel formed pot.

 Students are saying the pottery classes are “fun and fulfilling and they want more! 

We have a passion for clay, two college educated instructors, handbuilding and wheelthrowing with some sculpture in six week, three hour sessions. 

Intense, yet relaxing, students create about three works per class. We are a resource in clay techniques and information for area art teachers. We taught, collaborated, and consulted with four area teachers, and other community organizations. 

Wanting to share the process of creating in clay, I expanded into a downstairs classroom studio.

We have 6 potters wheels, and two instructors teaching clay; wheel thrown forms, hand-building and high-fire glazing technique. We combine wheel throwing and hand building to make vases, platters and sculptures. Students make 10 to 15 pieces per class course, and have success with results that they are proud to show their friends. Students learn to develop basic and advanced pottery skills, including throwing on the wheel, and hand building functional ceramic forms. Students finish their pieces with various decorative high-fire glazing techniques.

Students have continued with further sessions and are pleased. For adult students we are playful and intense yet relaxing. For younger students, 13 to 20 years, we are college prep for careers in art.

Pottery and the Process

The Allen Stoneware Gallery is proud to create such fine works of pottery. The kiln firing process turns the clay to STONE, making each piece of pottery dishwasher, oven, and microwave safe. All Allen Stoneware is lead-free and food safe.

After forming the shape of the clay on the potter’s wheel, the pottery then requires two kiln oven firings. When the clay form is leather hard, but not thoroughly dry, the lettering or design is embossed. Then, the first firing is to 1500 degrees F. Next, it is hand painted, glazed, and fired a second time to 2200 degrees F.

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