Hanselmann Pottery was founded in 1970 in the village of Corrales, New Mexico. To this day they are committed to creating art in the medium of handmade, functional stoneware. Each piece begins as a ball of clay that is turned by hand on a wheel, and ends as a piece of durable high-fire stoneware. The design choices are informed by the history of the craft, and the innovative minds of present-day chefs, brewers, roasters, and of course, their customers.
There are many methods for manufacturing ceramics these days yet many methods and materials have changed very little over the centuries. At Hanselmann Pottery they are connecting the pottery to a legacy of craftsmanship, tradition, design and an awareness of what it means to be a pottery wheeler in the 21st century. Technically speaking , the pieces are thrown on a wheel. With all the ways to make a pot, throwing is still the most dynamic, spontaneous and creative way to capture the form. It is, however, not the fastest. It takes several years of intense practice to become proficient on the wheel and the craft requires a developed sense of space, form and scale. Hanselmann then fires their work twice, first from delicate greenware to a bisque of about 1800 degrees Fahrenheit, and then they wax & glaze the pieces before finally firing. The work is fired to cone 10 or 2350 degrees Fahrenheit. They fire their stoneware in a kiln referred to as a ‘car kiln’ because the floor rolls out on a short track for ease of loading. Hanselmann's palette of glazes have been collected and tested for years, and they continue to test and innovate in order to create freshness and sustainability of the collection for years to come.
"Turning the clay on a wheel not only connects the maker and material like no other method, it is also the most dynamic and versatile way of making a pot. After countless centuries of pottery making it still proves to be the best way." -James West, Master Potter
