Studio Tour All of the pottery displayed at the Zachariasen Studio LLC showroom and gardens is made on site by hand. Potter Amy Zachariasen prefers to hand-build her work, using slabs of clay or coils to build her birdbaths, fountains, and large vessels. Slabs of clay are rolled out with a custom built slab-rolling machine. Slabs are shaped and merged by hand into the desired shape.

After partial drying, the designs are carved into the surfaces. For some fountains and birdbaths, Amy carefully applies and shapes added pieces of clay to create a special three-dimensional design.

The carved and relief surfaces of the pieces feature botanical motifs of leaf and spiral designs. These designs are enhanced by the application of earth-toned glazes. Each of the pieces is an original, handcrafted out of high fire stoneware clay or terra cotta clay. After thorough drying, the ceramic pieces are bisque fired to 1800 degrees F. in our LP gas kilns to prepare them for glazing.

Terra cotta pieces are finished at this point, while stoneware needs to be glazed. Glazes are mixed in the studio from a variety of minerals to exacting recipes. Glaze is applied by hand carefully and evenly. The glazes are available in many earthtones: Bone, Sand, Olive Rust, Moss Green, Periwinkle, Forest Green, Paprika, and Iron Black. These colors have been developed to complement natural surroundings, but are equally well suited for home or office settings. Our high fire stoneware pieces are fired again up to 2350 degrees F. to complete the vitrification of the clay and make it non-porous. A glaze firing typically lasts about 20 hours. The glaze melts at this high temperature and adheres and melts into the surface of the clay. After several days of cooling, the kiln can be opened and unloaded.