Emerson Creek Pottery: “Functional Art that’s Usable”

“I needed to make pottery that folks might put their arms on and use,” Jim Leavitt, certainly one of Emerson Creek’s founders, stated in a video a number of years in the past. Not solely did he need individuals to make use of his artwork, however he needed his artwork to be handcrafted.

Handcrafted means to be made by hand, utilizing old-school strategies which might be usually handed down from one technology to a different.

At Emerson Creek Pottery, artisans actually have their arms in or on the clay by way of all the course of, from including the uncooked supplies to the combo machine to hand-painting objects earlier than they’re fired within the high-temperature kilns.

Based within the early Seventies by two potters, Emerson Creek Pottery started in Uxbridge, MA in what was referred to as the Emerson Home, named after the household of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson Creek Pottery’s namesake is the creek that ran by Emerson Home. The corporate relocated to Bedford County, VA within the late Seventies.

Over 45 years later, “handcrafted useful artwork” is the corporate’s imaginative and prescient, mission, and tag line — a testomony to Jim Leavitt’s imaginative and prescient and keenness.

I first found Emerson Creek Pottery in 2015. I wanted a toothbrush holder and was pleasantly stunned when I discovered one made by Emerson Creek. I nonetheless use it to today and adore it.

Quick ahead to 2022 once I obtained my canine, Rocky. As a result of I had little or no time to arrange for his arrival, I went to my native independently-owned pet provide retailer and acquired a ton of stuff, together with steel meals bowls (not made right here).

The bowls every had a rubber ring to maintain them from slipping – however in addition they leaked! I used to be always wiping up water. Earlier this yr, I had lastly had sufficient and determined it was time to buy new bowls. Plus, I needed to have a good time Rocky turning three years previous – and the top of the extreme GSD pet / adolescent interval. Yay!

I’d been getting the Emerson Creek emails, so I headed over to the web site and bought this good-looking set. They match Rocky’s black & tan markings, plus I had one bowl customized along with his identify. Completely pointless however enjoyable!

I like understanding an Emerson Creek Pottery artisan painted the paw prints and his identify. Purposeful artwork that’s usable — sure, certainly.

Fingers-on course of begin to end

In keeping with Elena Leavitt the corporate’s co-Vice President (and Jim Leavitt’s daughter), the corporate’s manufacturing course of is a step between conventional ceramic hand-throwing and the totally industrialized automated techniques used to make ceramics you discover at large field shops.

Emerson Creek makes use of the normal hand-thrown course of to create unique items, that are then became fashions and molds.

All uncooked supplies are sourced from North American mines and materials distributors for strict high quality management assurance. All clays, glazes, and slip (clay in liquid kind) are blended in-house utilizing customized formulation developed because the firm’s founding.

As soon as blended, the clay is fashioned utilizing RAM press machines and solid ending. Watch the video.

The different sorts and makes use of of ceramics

Ceramics are merely merchandise produced from clay: dishware, jugs and pitchers, vases, ornamental bowls and platters, furnishings knobs, lamp bases, cookie jars, and even toothbrush holders — to call a number of of the tons of of makes use of for ceramics.

As I wrote this piece, I walked round my home and was pleasantly stunned to see the completely different ceramic objects I personal – and all of them useful artwork!

How a clay is blended, after which handled as soon as it’s been fashioned and glazed, usually determines its end and use.

The three frequent ceramic sorts embrace porcelain, earthenware, and stoneware.

Porcelain normally has minerals blended in to provide it power and translucency and is then fired at excessive temperatures.

Whereas porcelain is normally related to advantageous china or collectables, it’s additionally used for industrial functions, resembling electrical transformers. (As an apart, my son’s great-grandmother was a ceramist and made very advantageous porcelain collectible figurines that folks collected. She had an enormous kiln in her cellar. See the hyperlink to her story beneath.)

As a result of it’s fired at a lot decrease temperatures, earthenware is extra porous, and thus isn’t as sturdy as porcelain. Unglazed, it’s restricted in its coloration vary to reds and browns — suppose terracotta flower pots. When it’s glazed, earthenware is commonly used for functions resembling ornamental platters or different useful objects.

Though it’s water-proof, earthenware isn’t as impervious to liquids or as sturdy as porcelain or stoneware. It’s additionally simply chipped, one thing I’ve discovered the arduous means.

Emerson Creek stoneware — useful, sturdy, and lead-safe

The corporate handcrafts a full line of lovely and useful stoneware house items, kitchenware, and dinnerware units.

“Our stoneware,” says Elena, “is high-fired, that means it turns into nearly utterly vitrified in the course of the firing course of. Vitrification means it’s impervious to water or different liquids. It’s what makes our stoneware dishwasher secure and durable for day by day use.

“We don’t use any lead or cadmium or different probably poisonous materials in any of our processes,” she provides. “Nonetheless, as a result of we do use uncooked earth supplies, there could also be minuscule hint quantities of naturally occurring parts. No ceramic piece may be 100% lead-free or cadmium-free.”

The corporate’s processes and merchandise meet or exceed trusted security requirements, together with California Prop 65.

Making shortbread — yum!!

As a result of I wasn’t that aware of stoneware bakeware, I ordered the corporate’s Ceramic Shortbread Pan. These pans have been developed by Brown Bag Designs, which Emerson Creek bought in 2015 (it’s now a wholly-owned subsidiary).

I used to usually make shortbread again within the day, when making cookies for my son was a weekly prevalence. (Actually, if I have been to ship him a care package deal of cookies as we speak, he’d ship me a textual content nearly sobbing with gratitude — regardless of being 28 years previous.)

The shortbread pan I used then was fabricated from skinny aluminum with a push-out backside. Regardless of changing into somewhat warped over time, it labored; however as soon as I used to be now not making cookies, I donated it.

So, I used to be intrigued by Emerson Creek’s engraved stoneware Shortbread Pan and ordered the Celtic design. The day after it arrived, I made shortbread utilizing the recipe booklet that got here with it.

I started consuming it as quickly because it was cool sufficient to take away from the pan, after which realized I had eaten my photograph. Oh no! I made a second batch, which got here out higher than first one.

After taking the photograph, I rigorously reduce the shortbread into slices and gave the batch to my neighbor. She texted a couple of minutes later, “OMG, that is scrumptious!” I do know. I ate all the first batch myself. Nothing like pure butter, sugar, flour, and a splash of vanilla to make you’re feeling good.

(As an apart, I’m actually glad I’m not a meals blogger! I harassed over the shortbread photograph, and took a number of others, to get it meals weblog worthy, however gave up. It’s sufficient that I stress over my writing. Working to realize perfection with meals styling and images would do me in.)

Assist expert artisans and American jobs

I like that Emerson Creek Pottery places a lot coronary heart and keenness into their work, and that every thing they promote is 100% handcrafted in America. I’m not the one one.

“We do have plenty of clients who discover us by way of searching for Made in America searches for pottery,” says Elana. “They need to be extra acutely aware about what they’re utilizing of their properties — whether or not from a well being concern or an moral standpoint of eager to assist American jobs. They need to know the individuals making their dinnerware are handled pretty and ethically.”

When requested if the corporate has any large plans or modifications, Elena says, “We plan to proceed making and promoting hand-crafted pottery for use day by day — as we additionally proceed transferring ahead with our second-generation of proprietor/operators whereas supporting the individuals who proceed to make acutely aware shopping for choices.”

Thanks, Elena, to your time. I’m so completely happy I reached out!

To be taught extra about Emerson Creek Pottery, together with its historical past and course of, and to purchase merchandise, go to their web site at https://emersoncreekpottery.com.

Hyperlinks

Whereas writing, I remembered my son’s great-grandmother was a potter. Learn her story: Laura Jakstis, Ceramist, 1916 – 2007.

Full Disclosure

I’m not paid nor requested to put in writing about merchandise or the businesses that make them. All hyperlinks on this piece are FREE — that means, they’re not sponsored or paid for. I purchase merchandise, use them, and if I like them, I inform everybody about them.

I do that as a result of my mission is to maintain manufacturing jobs stateside. This mission is my means of giving again. We prefer to suppose our “small” decisions received’t make a distinction. They do.