Tim Turner Pottery

     I started my clay adventure at Appalachian State University in the mid 70’s, moving on to Penland, NC where I met and worked with some remarkable artists and craftspeople.  In the early 80’s I moved backed to the Boone/Banner Elk area in the northwest corner of North Carolina where I set up a studio and produced pots for over twenty years.  In 1996, after the Watauga River had washed through my studio for the third time I decided to take a hiatus from pots and concentrate on painting, which I had also been doing in my “spare” time and could easily be done on higher ground.

     Eleven years later I had an opportunity to get my hands dirty again thinking, I’d just play around a bit but I caught the clay bug again.  My goal is to produce strong, simple forms with minimal decoration.  The majority of my work is made from high fired stoneware and fired in a gas kiln to 2345 degrees.  Glazed with shino glazes, patterns are drawn with wax then a final glaze sprayed over. Pots are made for daily use being food, microwave and oven safe.

     I also wood fire a few times a year, giving me a chance to play around with different shapes and glazes.  Pots are covered with slips and glazes and fired for 12-14 hours to 2345 degrees.  I love using the wood/soda aspect of the firing as a means to create subtle effects that emphasize the strength of the form.