About Andrew:
"I live in Milwaukee, WI. My wife and I foster rescue dogs, and I am a former high school chemistry teacher turned full-time potter."
 
Do you collect handmade pottery?
"We fairly respectable collection of over 100 handmade pieces of pottery/ceramics; the majority of which are functional and get used on a daily basis."
 
Why do you buy handmade pottery?
     "Handmade pottery is, at the simplest, artwork for daily living. As a collector and maker I believe that incorporating handmade objects into our routines enriches our lives in both perceptible and intangible ways.
     I have a very fond memory of eating ice cream with my Grandpa when I was a small child. When I would get to the bottom of my Praline-Pecan ice cream I would start to scrape at the last morsels of vanilla and caramel lingering in the bowl to reveal the rooster decoration painted in the bottom. My Grandpa would always say, "Quit scraping like that, you'll scratch the rooster right off the plate!". I would argue, completely missing the point, that I could scratch the rooster off. Food memories with family and friends are some of the best memories I have. In this instance, and others, I can distinctly remember the ceramic dishes on which the food was served. 
     Less tangibly, the love, care, and effort that the maker has poured into the ware also enhances the user experience. I drink a cup (at least!) of coffee every morning and using handcrafted mugs make the coffee taste better. Not the actual flavor, but the experience of drinking the coffee, reflecting on the day to come, is greatly enriched. When I think about holidays or family meals, it makes sense that body-nourishing food that was prepared with care ought to also be served on vessels that are soul-nourishing.
      I buy handmade pottery because it makes the menial and mundane moments in life more ritualistic, meditative and enjoyable. I buy handmade pottery because it makes the special and cherished occasions in life more memorable and nourishing."
 
How did you acquire a Lisa York piece of pottery?
"I first met Lisa in person at the Minneapolis NCECA and purchase a triangular bowl from her at The Room Show."
 
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​Learn more about Andrew on Instagram, Facebook and online at www.lindermanpottery.com.

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About my Dad:
He is a psychologist and builds beautiful homes on the side. I am a lot like my dad, and share the "energizer bunny" gene.

My Dad is one of my biggest mentors.
He taught me:

• Great work ethic (by example, how he raised us, and all the summers of working on his houses)
• Appreciation or respect for functional arts (there are a lot of parallels between pottery and architecture...the details really make a house or a pot great)

I feel really lucky to have such a wonderful family, and a dad that is supportive of my career in the arts.

About Madeline:
"I work in R&D at a 3D printing company and I spend most of my free time volunteering with a charity costume group."
 
Do you collect handmade pottery?
"I have a pretty large collection at this point.  I use almost exclusively handmade pottery, I’m not even sure where my commercial dishes ended up after I moved a couple years ago."
 
Why do you buy handmade pottery?
"I like that all my dishes are unique and many of them come with a story.  On several occasions I’ve had friends compliment a piece from my collection and I love being able to tell them about the show the pieces came from or about the artist that made it.  I have several pieces made by friends from school that I don’t see any more so I especially enjoy having their work in my home."
 
How did you acquire a Lisa York piece of pottery?
"I have handful of her pieces.  One teapot and a few cups I got from her while we were at UND together.  I also have a pair of mugs I bought from her online a couple years ago, and a plate of hers that I got at the Northern Clay Center."  

About CJ:
"I’m a ceramic artist and adjunct professor at McHenry County College"
 
Do you collect handmade pottery?
"I have been gathering a family of pottery for years. It is everywhere!"
 
Why do you buy handmade pottery?
"I love the essence of the creator in each piece. It never fails to amaze me that we all use the same materials and come up with totally unique interpretations.  I prefer the touch of handmade and enjoy good food, so I believe that it deserves a good “frame” to be set in."
 
 How did you acquire a Lisa York piece of pottery? 
"I was fortunate to meet Lisa and purchase a lovely piece from her at an NCECA room show."

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​Learn more about CJ at:
 www.cjniehaus.com and on Instagram.
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About Tim:
"I make functional, utilitarian pottery in an anagama style wood-burning kiln."

Why did you decide to build an anagama kiln?
"After firing many types of kilns and seeing a wide range of surfaces, I decided that an anagama produces the types of effects and colors that interested me most. I also wanted a kiln big enough to fire large pots and would also have room to fire work from other potters that would make up a firing crew."
 
Why do you put soda just in the back of your anagama kiln?
"While firing with Andrew Snyder in his groundhog kiln, he explained that he introduced soda into the back of his kiln to help liven up areas that usually yielded dry pots. Because the draught in an anagama is one directional with the flame always moving toward the chimney, I saw this practice as a way to get a wide verity of surfaces in just one firing. Pots in the front have very traditional ash covered surfaces while the pots near the stack often have very colorful, textured surfaces."
 
What is your favorite part about the mix of soda and wood firing?
"It’s like having two completely unique kilns that only require the labor and fuel of one."
 
How do you put soda into your kiln?
"I make a thick slurry and spread it on long, wide boards and stoke it in between cycles."
 
When do you put soda into your kiln?
"When cone 10 is touching the cone pack in the very back of the kiln."
 
What glazes, clays, and slips work best for your soda firing?
"Both porcelain and stoneware clays work very will in the back of the kiln. I put all types of slips and glazes in the soda section as well, but recipes that are high in silica seem to attract more soda and carbon trapping than ones than don’t."

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Find Tim on: 
Instagram @shermanceramics
Shermanceramics.com

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About Jim
Also known as “Jimmiooooo as Lisa would announce when entering our shared studio space. I’m the Ceramic Professor at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, and a former studio mate to Lisa.”
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Why do you buy handmade pottery?
­­“As a potter I understand the making process and enjoy the diversity of individual pieces that can only be seen/felt in handmade objects. Each piece has a specific memory and story. I think about these memories each time I use them. The pieces are referred to by names like the Lisa Cup or Dan the Man Van Tassel, which I have to proclaim each time I take from the cupboard. It’s Dan the Man Van Tassel! In my best WWF voice. The pieces I own gain memories with interaction as their stories became more full with use. The piece is chosen by mood, by what is being consumed or both. Each meal or use in between meals has its own character and unique experience.”

​Any recommendations on how to transition from soda firing to electric firing?
"Glaze test like crazy!  Use test tiles that are made in a similar fashion to your working process.  Make medium to large test tiles so you have space to capture variation from spraying."

For Deb shares a lot of resources on her website. Click on each topic to learn more: Glaze Recipes Resource and Surface Techniques Resource.