Finding Zen in Clay

Photostory

Zenclay Pottery Studio was established in 1999 by Sue Ting. Ting originally owned a Chinese restaurant at the same location, but decided to open a studio underneath her restaurant to pursue her other interests. After years of working, she decided to retire and gave run of the business to Kurt Teeter in 2014.

Teeter grew up loving ceramics because of his mom who encouraged him to take a semester of art classes. Teeter’s semester soon turned in a Bachelors degree and then into a Master’s degree in Fine Arts in 2011. Shortly after graduating, he jumped on the opportunity to take over Zenclay in 2014, and he has been teaching classes since.

Zenclay offers pottery and hand building classes for anyone twelve years old and up who want to “check out from the real world,” as Teeter states. Classes range anywhere from four to eight weeks, where people learn to create a variety of ceramics and sculptures. Experience is not required. 

Zenclay sells a variety of different ceramics that they make in store. This includes pots, mugs, teapots, and more.

Sandy Corbett smooths the mouth of the gourd she’s making. In Chinese culture, the shape of the gourd is meant to bring good fortune to those who own it.

Bill Lankford covers the rim of his pot with a pink wax, which keeps it from sticking to the lid when heated in the kiln. The lid and pot must be heated together so they contract to the same size.

Saleem Qureshi uses wire to cleanly detach his bowl from the potter’s wheel.

Class members work on creating their own, unique ceramics on the pottery wheels. Making a piece requires a lot of patience, time, and practice.

Pottery uses a variety of tools to trim and form the clay. However, the most important part is keeping the clay, and your hands, wet during the process, or else the clay could misshape or fly off the wheel.

Kim Hotlosz and Bill Lankford form and soften clay for their pieces.

Published with the Daily Athenaeum