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The story of our pottery

Sam Dougherty's Wood‑Fired Pottery Process

Wood firing takes days as we work together with the kiln and clay. The burning wood naturally creates one-of-a-kind glazes as ash lands on each piece and melts during the intense heat.

Two plaster boards with an artists arm putting slurry (clay) onto the boards to de-water it.

Mixing the Foundation

Step 1

At Sam Dougherty Pottery studio, a pot's journey begins by mixing dry materials such as ball clay and feldspar with water to form a slurry, and dewatering the slurry on plaster drying tables. The ratio of ingredients determines the final firing temperature, working properties, and color of the clay.

Sam Dougherty preparing to shape clay on the wheel into a pot with his hands over the edge of a water bucket.

Throwing the Pots

Step 2

After carefully wedging the clay to remove air bubbles, pots are formed on an electric wheel. Each piece starts as a simple ball of clay and rises under gentle guidance. We work intuitively, in concert with the clay's natural properties rather than against them.

Sam Trimming a large pottery on wheel outside by the wood-fired kiln.

Finding the Form

Step 3

Once the pieces have dried to leather-hard consistency, some return to the wheel for careful trimming. During this step, excess weight is removed and a more elegant form is revealed. During this stage, handles and spouts are added, as well as decoration with slip and carved designs.

Pots inside an electric bisque kiln

Firing for Strength

Step 4

After thorough drying, delicate potttery pieces undergo their first firing, known as bisque firing. This slow process takes about 12 hours as we gradually heat the kiln to 1800°F. This initial firing strengthens the clay while leaving it porous enough to accept glazes.

Three shelves of pottery pieces awaiting firing.

Glazing for beauty

Step 5

Much like with the clay, our glazes are mixed into a slurry from a variety of dry, powdered minerals. This slurry is applied to each piece by dipping, pouring, or brushing. The colors of the unfired glazes appear muted and flat at this stage, during the firing they will melt into a glass and fuse to the surface of the pots.

Wood-fired kiln door open with a blazing fire inside.

Finishing with Flame

Step 6

Glazed pottery pots are fired at high temperatures for 36 hours in our kiln, a 100 cu ft double Bourry Box design. Wood provides a sustainable fuel source and has exciting and often unexpected aesthetic effects, leaving its indelible mark on each unique piece.

Before and After

Before image of an unfinished jug in the studio awaiting firing as compared to the after photo of the finished jug.
Before
Brown pottery jug with two large handles with nature and pottery on tables in the background.
After
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