Alan Higinbotham

My emphasis has always been wheelthrown, high-fired pottery. In that, I love to push the edges of size and creativity. Whether the pieces are traditional or eclectic, they remain handmade pottery meant to enrich.

Having studied in Japan in the 1980's and been a professional potter for 45 years, I have specialized in clay-making, glaze chemistry, kiln-design, and wood-fire.

My current work is color-intense, functional, durable, high-fired porcelain clay, wheelthrown and each piece is carefully crafted from lump of clay to the final kiln firing by me.

About my Process

This pottery is meant for everyday use--it is lead-free, dishwasher, *microwave, and *oven-safe; (*with care to avoid rapid temperature changes --ie. refrigerator to hot oven.) It is thrown on the wheel from a porcelain clay body, and glazed with my safe, durable glazes that have a glass-like finish from the long high-firing that completely seals the final non-porous surface of my work.

I carve, shape and overlay clay, incising detail work on the surface of individual pieces. Teapots, large wall platters, serving bowls, vases, custom sinks, and dinnerware settings are a few of my favorite pieces.

By specializing in my own glaze chemistry, I balance the effects of heat, time and oxygen to produce vibrant copper red and time-honored celadon green glazes. A reduction (oxygen-starved) high-firing to 2350 degrees F. for nearly nine hours in a gas kiln completes the clay cycle.

I hope people enjoy using their Higinbotham Pottery on a daily basis.