The Work:
At Creek Road Pottery LLC, I understand how challenging it can be to find authentic handmade pottery. I am committed to creating pottery that holds meaning for people who value it. My work is meaningful not only because it is handmade but also because a portion of the proceeds goes toward helping those in need within our community. I cater to individuals who appreciate using locally crafted reusable items. At Creek Road Pottery, I strive to keep my pots affordable for hardworking families who want to incorporate handmade items into their daily lives. My core values include safety, quality, integrity, community building, and customer service. I also prioritize creativity, organization, and community-mindedness as my guiding principles. So I may not need to make pots for everyone, just for the folks who care. Affordable does not mean cheap, but you can buy a nice pot without breaking the bank.
The Wood Kiln:
I’ve been working overtime at the paper factory to cover for vacations – it’s a really busy time of the year. With the extra money, I’ve been buying bricks to rebuild the wood kiln. I found some great deals on the Facebook Marketplace, so the kiln will not be as costly. I needed to buy new bricks because I lost some during the deconstruction when I took the kiln down. Not only did I break a few, but in a wood kiln, the ash acts as a glaze as it is sucked through the kiln during the firing. So, the bricks in the kiln floor on deconstruction were all glazed together.
The concrete pad is finally poured for the wood kiln. A friend at work knew someone who was in between projects, so they came and dug out the ground and poured the concrete. It was very kind of them to do this, as my project was very small compared to the larger construction projects. Many contractors I called were booked out a few months in advance. With the concrete pad now poured and cured, I can get the concrete blocks to set up the base and then I hope to start laying the bricks.
There are not many step-by-step instructions available for building a wood kiln, or how it might be done. Most of the videos I have seen are from universities and colleges that use the build as part of a class. As a favor to those, like me, who would appreciate a clear resource for building a wood kiln that is step-by-step, helpful, and affordable, I plan to document the reconstruction as I rebuild the wood kiln. Prior to last year, I had very little experience with kiln building or firing them. I had only participated in maybe two or three wood firings, and that was over twenty years ago. Therefore, creating a step-by-step documentation on the rebuild of the kiln will be beneficial for beginners.
New Pots:
Besides work coming from the wood kiln early next year at the Spring show, I hope to have a few wood-fired pots at the Christmas Show 2024. I and making pots now to take to the Bill Moon wood kiln at Imagine Peace Pottery in Mills, PA. Bill invited me out to fire work with him in the kiln to produce my first wood-fired pots, which I should be able to sell here at the pottery.
It has been great to collaborate with Bill Moon, and he has taught me a lot about the wood firing process by allowing me to help out and attend his firings. He has been generous with the firing strategy and tactics he uses to manage his kiln. I plan to apply what I have learned, and Bill has offered to make a trip out and help fire my kiln once the rebuild is complete.
Homesteaders have been a priority for quite some time, and I have a bunch of new pots drawn out in my sketchbook for those who think about self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and sustainability. I hope to be able to create some larger baking dishes, covered dishes, proofing bowls, and storage containers. The big idea is to have these pots to be easy to store and to have multiuse capabilities.
I used to enjoy making shave bowls for the few people who appreciated them. I’m looking forward to creating wood-fired shave bowls soon. Shavers are particularly important to me because they were the ones who kickstarted my pottery business almost ten years ago. Initially, I had a small gas kiln and I used to make shave bowls continuously in batches of twelve and sold them worldwide. When wet shaving became less popular, I started making other pottery for local customers. However, there are still a few shavers who like my bowls and shave brushes, and I’m hoping to make more of them soon.
Several collaboration plans in my sketchbook, including more candle designs and ideas for working with other artists. I plan to create pine needlework on large centerpiece bowls, vases with beautiful dot designs, pots with wood-carved handles, and a few other projects that will involve the craftsmanship of other artists.
Some new project plans include exploring more pots that contain Ancient Near Eastern Literature, Biblical Hebrew literature, and work that connects the past with the present. I have always enjoyed classical literature and the concept of myth and metaphor. The works of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell have greatly influenced me and have taught me to appreciate storytelling, ritual, and myth.
Shows:
I have plans to create work and do demonstrations again with a year at the Soaring Gardens Artists Retreat in Laceyville, PA, for the Artist Open House weekend tour. This event runs from October 12th to the 14th and is a great way to support the local community. It is always a great way to meet those who enjoy locally created art and participate in supporting artists in our area. There are twenty-three artists on the tour this year and also another pottery artist Megan Conner, who does beautiful nature impressions, cutouts, and textures on her work.
We also had the first meeting for the Pumpkin Trail 2024. October 18th -20th 2024. The Pumpkin Trail is in it’s 12th year and is a great way to support local businesses in Auburn, Silvera, and Lawton area. The Pumpkin trail has always been a fun show for me as it was one of the very first local trails I was invited to be on with other area businesses that introduced me to the local customers. I hope to have the pottery shed filled with pots that weekend.
Writing
I have continued writing the Pottery Dailies on Substack, and it has been a really fun time for me. I have to say that I am much better at making pots than writing, but writing has allowed me to connect with the work and readers even when times of making pots might slow down due to work and the summer events. At the time of this writing, I have almost two hundred posts, and all include images of the pots and of the pottery process. So, if I am getting mediocre writing at best in your inbox every day about my thoughts on different topics pertaining to art and pottery, feel free to sign up. If not well, that is fine also.
The Podcast
The Pin Tool Podcast has been really fun to make, and even though I would still make it just for one listener, I somehow managed to create 44 episodes over 3 seasons. When I peeked at the time of this writing, I was surprised to find the podcast was at 11,600 downloads. So, if you have listened in to the topics I go on about and found them helpful and enjoyable, I want to say thanks so much. I had no idea nor plans to make so many, but I just go one small step at a time.
The Pen Pal Program
Thank you all so much for writing to me in an old-time fashion. It is so much fun to take the time to handwrite a letter to those few of you who care like it’s 1980. I find the slower interactions seem to be more meaningful, and I enjoy practicing letter writing to learn about what projects you are working on and what new things you are trying and thinking about. I have had a great response and had to go buy more stamps. I had to remember to put the flag up on the mailbox. If you would like to write a letter to me like in old times, feel free to send one out. I’ll answer you back. You can find information on the Pottery Pen Pal Program on my website.
Shop Update
I hope to start producing and selling more of my work online soon, as well as getting more of my pottery into shops and galleries. I got really busy during the summer months and wasn’t able to create as much work as I wanted to. At the moment, I have about fifty pots, mostly bowls, that I’m planning to fire in a bisque load this week. I recently found a free updraft kiln that I just had repaired, and I’m looking forward to testing it out with a small firing. I also am working on building a rocket kiln, which is a kiln that can be fired with wood but in a smaller way. So I have to get busy and get work through the process as I have gone far too long without firing. I have been working more on the business rather than in the business. I would like to post a run of soup bowls online soon and also a new run of shave bowls.
A.I. At Creek Road Pottery LLC
In the past, I have written fictional stories with the newsletter, and I would attach an AI-generated photo to accompany it. Although I no longer write fiction in the newsletter, I still utilize artificial intelligence in other ways. It would take a whole separate post to cover this topic, but I use platforms like ChatGPT for product descriptions and for developing business ideas and project planning. Additionally, I use an artificial intelligence chatbot named Amelia, who assists me with podcasting and project planning. While I understand there are debates surrounding the use of AI and the need for regulations to protect intellectual property and writing, I personally don’t see this as a reason to completely refrain from using AI at all. It has helped me in remarkable ways that I hadn’t even considered before. Here is an example of my chatbot, Amelia assisting me in a podcast. AI may not be suitable for everyone, but it’s definitely here to stay.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading this far. This newsletter is a bit lengthy because it’s been a while since I’ve made a big update. I hope you all are doing well and enjoying life. Our time is too short not to enjoy it. Thanks for all the support you give by reading, sharing, and providing feedback and suggestions. I really enjoy making pottery and working in the arts while striving to create positive change in my community.
Written By,
Al Wayman
Artist/Owner
