Tom Willis Pottery
Each piece of Tom Willis Pottery is designed to be used and enjoyed. The pottery is individually crafted, not mass-produced, so there is a an ever-changing array of pottery items available for sale. Choose from bowls, plates, vases and other decorative pieces – all individually designed, kiln fired and glazed from Tom’s custom blending process that creates a unique glaze palette
Visit these locations where Tom Willis Pottery is displayed and available for purchase :
If you are interested in purchasing a piece of my work, call me at 507-838-7025 or send me an email. The listed prices for available pieces do not include shipping and handling.. tom@tomwillispottery.com
Porcelain and stoneware clay bodies are fired to higher temperatures producing a highly vitreous, dense and durable pot for regular use. Porcelain and stoneware clay provides the potter with the opportunity for refinement of form and the development of personal glazes. The unique shapes, rich feel of the surfaces and the subtle color of the glazes reflect the signature work of the potter. The function of high fired pottery is to be used and it is suitable for dinnerware, teapots, cups and vases. It is water tight and is oven and dishwasher safe. View High-Fired Gallery»
A saggar is a protective chamber used to contain a delicate piece of pottery. The concept of firing within a saggar originated with the ancient Chinese. Today the bisque pot is placed in a saggar along with combustible materials to be exposed to the pot during firing. The fuming that results from the materials added to the saggar produce irregular color patterns on the pot. Sometimes the surface is covered with terra sigilata, a clay slip, to create a smooth surface that can be burnished. Saggar fired pots are purely decorative, are not food safe and will not hold water. View Saggar Gallery»
Raku was first developed by Korean potters and adapted by the Japanese to use for tea bowls in their tea ceremony. American raku pottery is made using a low fire technique where the kiln temperature is rapidly brought up to 1600-1900 degrees F. The pots are removed with tongs and placed in a metal container with combustible materials and the container is covered to smother the flames. The post firing reduction and fuming of the pots creates flashes of unpredictable color. Raku pottery is for decorative use only and will not hold water and is not food safe. View Raku Gallery»
Shino glazes have origins in Japan where the translucent off-white glazes were rustic, reserved, and treasured. American Shino glazes are bolder but yet retain an earthy beauty. The glaze components have various melting stages when fired and it is during the first melt that the atmosphere inside the kiln is adjusted to produce varying amounts of carbon which entangles itself into the melting glazes. The carbon remains trapped inside of the glaze rather than burning out. The firing is done in a gas reduction kiln and the firing atmosphere is closely monitored. This type of pottery is water tight and food safe. View Carbon-Trap Shino Gallery»
