Brown Bunny Pottery | Claudia Teachman | Brattleboro, VT | 802-451-9781 | brownbunnypottery@gmail.com | brownbunnypottery.com
Handcrafted Stoneware
Brown Bunny Pottery is the unique, individually handcrafted, high fire, stoneware pottery of Claudia Teachman from Dummerston, Vermont.
The animal motif, functional pieces represent chickens, rabbits, pigs, sheep, foxes, badgers, hedgehogs and bears as mugs, bowls (in two or three sizes), vases, salt and pepper sets, salt cellars, utensil holders, banks, yarn bowls and soap dispensers.
The Process:
Each piece starts out as a lump of clay which is centered and “thrown” on a potter’s wheel into its basic form. As the clay stiffens Claudia sculpts an animal face onto the side and makes other alterations appropriate to the final function of the piece.
When it is air dry and room temperature to the touch, the piece is loaded with many others into a kiln to be fired to 1888 degrees. Three days later, the piece is unloaded and ready to be carefully inspected and sanded.
Glazing is next…a day later, the glaze has dried and the piece is ready to join hundreds of others in the very large gas kiln at the Brattleboro Clayworks where Claudia is a member. The glaze kiln takes three people almost an entire day to load.
The firing begins that evening with lighting and turning all four gas pilots on low. The next day, the burners are lit, the gas pressure is boosted at regular intervals and at one point, the kiln is “starved” for oxygen to create a “reduction” atmosphere. When the kiln temperature reaches approximately 2330 degrees the firing is complete, the burners are shut off and all openings into the kiln and the chimney are sealed to promote a slow cooling. Three or four days later the kiln is unloaded.
The animals Claudia incorporates into her pottery are impressionistic and touch that part inside of us that resonates with the natural world.
To purchase Claudia’s pottery, please email her at brownbunnypottery@gmail.com.
The photos below are representative of what Claudia makes.
Not all items are in stock at all times.
