Studio and Production
Through the years, Donna and Gordon Rowe created a studio, kiln room, and finishing area which suit the constantly changing needs. The building housing the studio was once a garage for their home, but now it is where some of the most exquisite pottery in the world is created. The studio is divided into several work stations where throwing, kneading, drying, waxing and glazing take place. Each piece of pottery is formed with love and special care.
The kiln room houses both electric and gas kilns. All the pottery produced by Donna and Gordon Rowe is fired once before glazing, glazed with lead-free glaze, and high fired a second time. Gordon Rowe, a kiln technician among other duties, follows a set of rigorous personal rules for loading, firing and unloading the kilns. Yet, since it is not an exact science both Donna and Gordon must remain flexible in their procedures.
After the final firing, each piece is inspected for quality control. The rough edges are smoothed. Pieces in a set are examined for color match.
Each piece is different from the next and that is the beauty of pottery. Unlike molded ceramics, each piece of hand-built pottery is a "one-of-a-kind." The colors from one piece to the next are not identical and yet they blend together beautifully.