Welcome
New Apprentices
And a new Patreon to support the Apprentices, with some seriously worthwhile perks.
“Earth, water, fire, and wind harnessed to make uniquely beautiful objects.”
I love the primal aspect of being a wood fire potter, primal in the sense that everything I work with, clay, water, brick, fire, wood, are all known and easily accessible. The pots I make are not special because I am using anything rare to make them, they are one-of-a-kind pieces because they are made in a system that embraces variation and exploration. Each piece I make is a culmination of all the work I have done before this, I am one of those constantly changing variables in my process.
There is no simple way to help you envision wood firing, the complex process has dominated my life for 30 years. The kilns are custom-built, they are big enough to walk or crawl in. The fire temperatures are hot enough to melt wood ash, turning it into glass. The firings take days of round-the-clock tending to achieve and hold temperature. The pots I make are selected for their reactivity to flame and ash, each has its own color palette to be evoked. And after the firing we hand sand each piece so the surfaces are both visually and tactilly lush.
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Cohorts.Art
We continue to grow. In 2024 we will have 7 mentors, 40 students, and 1 fantastic manager.
Small Batch Mentorship progam to help you level up your art.
Apprenticeships
In 2004 we started an apprenticeship program at Mill Creek Pottery with the idea of creating a symbiotic experience. In many ways, I designed the program to offer the experience I would have liked to have had when I was trying to find my voice in clay. Today in the United States apprenticeships in the studio arts have become a vibrant educational avenue in arts education. The apprentices play a vital role in the success of the pottery allowing for more opportunities to travel, create and learn. Over the years my program has grown along with my business and now I generally have two apprentices at a time. The apprenticeship is an intense relationship, I am looking for young people to invest in, and who are committed to the field of ceramics.
As of 2024 I have had the pleasure to work with 26 apprentices.
Anthony Carillo
My name is Anthony Carrillo and I am apprentice #25 at Mill Creek Pottery. I was born and raised in San Diego, California where I developed a love for skateboarding, camping, live music, antique and coin collecting. I discovered my passion for pottery shortly after entering a ceramics course at my high school in 2016. In the time since, I have completed a number of collegiate ceramics courses, attended workshops, and slowly pieced together a small home studio to continue producing and selling work.
My life’s goal is to become a studio potter earning a sustainable living from my work. Apprenticing with Simon will allow me to be fully immersed in the studio and culture of an accomplished potter. Simon’s program stood out because of his emphasis on evoking the apprentice’s voice. My goal at Mill Creek is to further develop my work and learn all I can about operating a small pottery business.
Signe Kløve
My name is Signe and I am from the northern part of Denmark. I am the 26th apprentice at Mill Creek Pottery. I spent several years at university studying psychology and cognitive science, but my path took a turn in 2020 when I developed a deep interest in clay and in mastering a craft.
It feels important for me to find other ways of learning than traditional educational programs. Thus I have been learning through internships with different danish potters, workshops and jobs where I have been working as a production thrower. What is especially enticing for me about the apprenticeship program at Mill Creek, and why I decided to come all this way, is Simon’s dedication and interest in the artistic growth of his apprentices. Being here as an apprentice is an opportunity to get ongoing feedback and critique on the things that I make, while also getting direct experience with what it means to work as a studio potter.
You can follow Anthony and Signe on their journeys on their instagrams @anthonycpottery and @signekloeve.k
And you can help support their craft education directly through Patreon