in Butter
in Ash Glaze
Fire & Clay
Tucked deep into the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains lives a North Carolina pottery tradition of apprenticeship, kiln firings, and wood ash.
When seminal potter Matt Jones agreed to mentor a young Alex Matisse, East Fork’s early visual style was born in the cavernous, womb-like space of a wood-fired kiln.
To create an ash glaze, all a potter needs are two basic ingredients: ashes from the fire and clay dug from the ground. Regionally specific, our version of Ash Glaze is a lush, mottled green, historically-informed in a tradition of craft, and rooted in the land we call home.
The firing process leads to slight variations in color and pattern, making each piece unique.
in Butter
in Butter
in Butter
East Fork Workshop
The East Fork Workshop, formerly known as the Small Batch Studio, is where we continue to practice wheel-thrown pottery and play with new forms that might one day end up in our line. Our latest form, the Farm Bowl, resembles a pancheon, typically used to hold fresh milk while your cream separates.
Ash Glaze is a limited release. Variations in color and patterning make your vessel unique and are there to be loved.
When firing a wood kiln, the ash from stoking the wood will leave mottled green, brown, and purple runs on the ceramic surfaces of the pots.
But wood ash as a glazing material isn’t limited to use in a wood kiln. The ash can be used in glaze recipes for all sorts of firings, leading to the development of the Ash Glaze you see here.
