Frequently Asked Questions

HECK YEAH I DO! One of my goals when I started VatneSmith was to be able to use my art to help organizations and causes I believe in, including Animal Welfare, the LGBTQIA+ community, Domestic/ Sexual Violence, Roller Derby, and other organizations that make The World a kinder, better place. 

Please DO email me at VatneSmith.Studios@gmail.com if you're interested in including VatneSmith pottery in an upcoming fundraiser.

Needless to say (but of course here I am saying it), I reserve the right to refuse donation requests.  And please DON'T email me if you're looking for fundraising help with purely religious/ philosophical/ political purposes or if you're anti-LGBTQIA+ or anti-Immigrant.  

Yes, I do!  I enjoy collaborating with customers to create exactly what they're looking for - or better yet, something perfect that they hadn't even imagined! My processes are unusually detailed, so my lead time is longer than for a large manufacturer, but we promise you'll be delighted with the results. 

To start a conversation about a custom project, please email us at VatneSmith.Studios@gmail.com. 

Pottery is a very hands-on art form with multiple steps and states of matter needed before a piece is finished. I've never had a knack for doing things the easy way, though, so I like to add complexity that many potters wouldn't bother with. 

As an example, here's a timeline for making a mug:

1) Prepare the claim & throw the cup on the pottery wheel. 

2) Wrap in drycleaning plastic & allow the cup to dry slowly, until it's a soft leather-hard (roughly the texture of cheddar cheese).

3) Trim the cup to refine the shape & create a foot ring.

4) Form the handle and attach it to the cup.

5) Paint the entire mug with wax resist & wrap in multiple layers of drycleaning plastic to even out the moisture levels of the cup and handle.

6) After a few days, carve an intricate design into the mug and handle.

7) Wrap in plastic again & allow to even out the moisture levels again.

8) Unwrap over the course of several days.

9) Allow to dry uncovered for a few days.

10) Sand the mug to soften any rough edges.

11) Bisque firing to remove all moisture from the mug.

12) Apply (house-made & tested) glaze. For some motifs, I remove some of the glaze as part of the application process.

13) Glaze firing.

14) Sand the bottom to create a butter-smooth bottom that won't scrape up furniture.

We pride ourselves on the durability of our glazes. Unless we specifically say otherwise AND the item in question isn't suitable for eating or drinking out of (e.g. worry stones), our pottery is dishwasher- and microwave- safe. 

Yes, I do.  In fact, I enjoy the process of creatively securing pottery for shipment. 

A couple things to be aware of when I ship pottery:

1) At this time, I am only able to ship within the US via the US Postal Service.

2) I double or triple pack every piece of pottery, so shipments from VatneSmith are considerably larger, heavier, and more expensive than you might expect given an item's size.

3) If a shipment arrives with broken pottery, I'll replace the order AND add to it at no extra charge.