FAQ

Do you do custom orders?

I’m not taking custom orders or commissions right now.

Do you do wholesale?

My work isn’t ideal for wholesale. I make mostly one-offs and don’t produce a ton of work. (I also have a full-time office job!) If you have a shop in NYC and are interested in carrying a few of my pieces, I can probably arrange something, depending on how I’m doing production-wise. Contact me.

Shipping/pickup/returns questions

Visit the Shipping & Pickup page for details. 📦

Do you do this full time?

Nope! I have a full-time job at the company that hosts this website! I love both my day job and moonlighting as The Clumsy Potter. I honestly can’t do one without the other.

How long have you been doing this?

I’ve been making pottery consistently since early 2016. I dabbled a bit here and there before that.

Do you make mugs?

Nope. I hate making handles and don’t find joy in that process, so I avoid making mugs for now. This is actually the most frequently asked question. 😅

Is your pottery food/microwave/dishwasher/oven safe?

Unless otherwise noted:

  • ✅ Food safe

  • ✅ Microwave safe

  • ✅ Dishwasher safe, but please hand wash if you can!

  • 🚫 Not oven safe

When’s your next restock?

Short answer:

Whenever I feel like it. 🤣

Longer answer:

I wait until a bunch of new pieces pile up, and then I’ll work on a big shop update. I prioritize inventory for markets these days, so online releases happen just a few times a year.

Not being a full-time artist/craftsperson means I don’t feel pressure to produce and sell at a high volume. I get to make work that speaks to me and sell it at a pace that feels good.

To stay in the loop on restocks and in-person events, sign up for my mailing list or follow me on Instagram.

What are “seconds?”

Seconds are pieces good enough to use but not good enough to sell at full price because they have small cosmetic imperfections.

For example:

  • A little wonkiness in the glazing

  • Slight asymmetry

  • Older or experimental work that no longer fits the potter’s aesthetic

  • Just an “off” design

Even if you don’t see the imperfections in a second, the artist did and believes in offering it at a discount.

Why seconds are great:

  • We can offer our work at more accessible prices.

  • Perfectly usable pieces don’t end up in a landfill.

  • There’s a special kind of beauty in imperfection.

How long does it take to make a pot?

The end-to-end process takes a few weeks to a month because of how my community studio works.

My actual hands-on time varies:

  • Throwing and trimming are relatively quick stages.

  • For my hand-painted work, surface decoration can take anywhere between one and 4+ hours.

  • There are lots of steps in between — drying, waiting for the next kiln firing, and so on.

  • It’s all a labor of love!

Where do you make your pottery?

I work primarily out of Clayhouse Brooklyn, a community studio in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. I do a lot of my surface decoration at home at my dining table.