The pottery is home to four wood-fired kilns. The first to be constructed on the property - a 60 cubic foot two-chambered wood, biodiesel and salt kiln nicknamed Pepino - was built in 2001. A 125cf Anagama (The Tomagama) followed in 2007. A 30cf wood/biodiesel soda kiln was built in 2012, and a 30cf wood/biodiesel train kiln followed in 2014. Pictures of these kilns and the beautiful surfaces tha
t they produce can be found here. PHP was purchased in 2012 by Jesse Jones and Lauren Sommers. Call, email, or message for a tour or more information. Bio
Growing up in Corvallis, Oregon on a small farm, I learned to work with my hands fixing go-karts, restoring cars and building tree forts. In high school, I took every industrial arts offering available, from welding to woodshop to ceramics. With clay the attraction was immediate and I continue to be drawn to the process of combining common raw materials, creativity, and fire to create objects of beauty, utility and permanence. I create a variety of tableware and sculptural pieces using wheel–thrown and hand built techniques. I work primarily through a subtractive process, throwing my pieces and then trimming and carving away the clay, leaving the finished surface to interact with the flame and ash produced during the wood-firing process. My work, intended for daily use, is a canvas that serves to record the energy, both subtle and dramatic, of the firing. I am inspired to wood fire not just for the results, but for the community - it is immensely rewarding to work with a dedicated group of artists with a common goal. I have taught wheel-throwing courses for over a decade at both Clay Space, located in Eugene, Oregon, and at the Oregon State University Craft Center. During the week, I work for the City of Springfield as a civil engineer, focusing on stormwater and habitat restoration projects.
