Blair Pottery

Ellary Blair
Lawrence, Kansas

In 2002 I fulfilled a long time goal which was graduating from college. I achieved a BFA at the University of Kansas, in Lawrence. When I graduated I was lucky enough to get a kiln, wheel, and the chemicals I would need for glazes. This is when Blair Pottery was born. I was able to test and practice my glazing skills for a few years before my studio was completed.

Since 2006 I have done a lot of crystalline pottery. I had made the decision that this was the area I wanted to pursue my senior year of college. Outside of pottery I like to garden. I worked in Landscape Nurseries for 30 yrs. I love to draw, do pastel and watercolors of flowers and landscapes. I love what I am doing in crystalline pottery and hope you will to.

I love horse hair raku because I get the same results as I get with crystalline pottery.  That is a one of a kind finished product.  The process of horse hair raku is a rather primitive form of firing pottery.  The pottery is fired in an outdoor kiln and propane gas.  The gas is blown into the kiln until the pots heat up to red heat.  They are then removed from the kiln and set on a brick to cool slightly before applying horse hair to the pot.  The horse hair leaves black marks where it touches the pot.  I can control where and how much horse hair to apply.  I use porcelain clay and wheel throw all of my pieces.  You can glaze the pot with a clear crackle glaze and then apply the horse hair to it when it is removed from the kiln or you can fired the pot naked meaning no glaze.  The difference is in the texture and appearance of the pot.