Hightower Pottery
unique porcelain and stoneware
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Hightower Pottery was started in October
of 2004. Meggan and I attended our first major
art show that month. Since then we have been
growing at a steady pace. Our love for the arts
has motivated us to work hard and turn out a
quality product. Craftsmanship is something
that I strive for and no piece leaves the studio
without a thorough inspection from both of us.
Meggan is my harshest critic! Nothing is more
satisfying then having a table full of quality pots
ready to be shipped and knowing all the hard
work that went to getting to that point.
All of the vessels I form on the potters wheel
from stoneware and porcelain clays. After drying
for many days, I fire the work in a kiln. A day later
the pots are removed from the kiln and glazed with
one of my many glazes. Then the pots are put
back into the kiln and fired for a second time to an
even hotter temperature. It is during this second
firing that the glazes come to life.
from stoneware and porcelain clays. After drying
for many days, I fire the work in a kiln. A day later
the pots are removed from the kiln and glazed with
one of my many glazes. Then the pots are put
back into the kiln and fired for a second time to an
even hotter temperature. It is during this second
firing that the glazes come to life.
My work is in several galleries nation wide. You can see if
one is near you in my links section. If not, you can still shop
right here in the online gallery.
one is near you in my links section. If not, you can still shop
right here in the online gallery.
When I started pottery, I worked with many cone 10
reduction glazes. Too many glazes to count with no real
understanding of them or their chemistry. Important
technical issues such as glaze expansion and making a
stable glaze I have learned through years of research. I am
now focusing on a few glaze types I started with years ago,
but now with a far better understanding. Glazes such as
used on this iron saturate vase with rutile splash
decoration. I find that the glaze choice has to be made for
each piece. Not every glaze is going to look good on
every pot.
From 2004 to the end of 2007, I only glazed my work
in crystalline finishes. For me the draw of crystalline glazes
was simple. Although this process is more time
consuming then any other glazing method as well as being
highly unpredictable, each piece is truly one of a kind. For
more technical information on crystalline glazes, please
check out my crystalline glaze page.
reduction glazes. Too many glazes to count with no real
understanding of them or their chemistry. Important
technical issues such as glaze expansion and making a
stable glaze I have learned through years of research. I am
now focusing on a few glaze types I started with years ago,
but now with a far better understanding. Glazes such as
used on this iron saturate vase with rutile splash
decoration. I find that the glaze choice has to be made for
each piece. Not every glaze is going to look good on
every pot.
From 2004 to the end of 2007, I only glazed my work
in crystalline finishes. For me the draw of crystalline glazes
was simple. Although this process is more time
consuming then any other glazing method as well as being
highly unpredictable, each piece is truly one of a kind. For
more technical information on crystalline glazes, please
check out my crystalline glaze page.
After the work is trimmied and is thoroughly dry, I fire the
work in a kiln. A day later the pots are removed from the kiln
and glazed with one of my many glazes. Then the pots are put
back into the kiln and fired for a second time to an even hotter
temperature. It is during this second firing that the glazes come
to life. Since pottery began, potters have found a need to fire
their pots. The purpose of this is to vitrify the clay enough that it
can hold liquid and to give the pottery strength. The earliest
pottery was pit fired in bonfires and eventually pots were fired
using wood. Most potter's today fire with gas, electric, or both. I
mainly high fire my pottery to cone 10 in an electric kiln.
work in a kiln. A day later the pots are removed from the kiln
and glazed with one of my many glazes. Then the pots are put
back into the kiln and fired for a second time to an even hotter
temperature. It is during this second firing that the glazes come
to life. Since pottery began, potters have found a need to fire
their pots. The purpose of this is to vitrify the clay enough that it
can hold liquid and to give the pottery strength. The earliest
pottery was pit fired in bonfires and eventually pots were fired
using wood. Most potter's today fire with gas, electric, or both. I
mainly high fire my pottery to cone 10 in an electric kiln.
| All rights reserved. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | |  | |  |
Glazing and firing the pots.
How it's made.
| Pottery from my beginnings to current work. |
Where to find my pots.