About
My pottery is designed to live in the home, be used often and without worry, and become part of daily routines. Each piece is made with a durable porcelain stoneware clay body.
Forms are designed to do specific jobs well, whether that’s pouring, draining, holding, or being reached for every day. Weight and balance are considered so pieces feel steady in the hand, comfortable to use, and natural to return to day after day.
Making the same forms repeatedly brings efficiency and consistency and plays a big role in how pieces develop in the studio.
Customer suggestions and regular use often lead to small refinements. Sizes adjust, and details improve with each run.
Many of my pieces are influenced by coastal imagery, and simple references like the palmetto tree and crescent moon carry a sense of place. For some people, that connection matters just as much as how a piece functions.
Centering the clay is always the first step when creating a form on the wheel. It’s a technical process that sets everything else in motion.
I first learned to throw on the wheel in a high school ceramics class with a supportive teacher who gave me the space to keep showing up and improving. I spent countless hours on the wheel, helped other students with technique, and began selling a few pieces through local consignment shops. I went on to attend Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, where I earned a BS in Art Education with a minor in ceramics. Shortly after beginning my career as an art teacher, I established Kyle Smith Pottery in 2008.
I continued making and refining my work alongside teaching, often joking that I had two full-time jobs, until it became clear that pottery wasn’t just a side pursuit, it was what I was building toward. Getting centered and staying centered became more than a technique. It became a mindset that carried beyond the potter’s wheel and continues to shape how I approach my work, structure my days, and move through life. When things are centered, everything else tends to follow.
Selling in person has shaped my work as much as time in the studio. Markets create real conversations and immediate feedback. Watching how people handle pieces, ask questions, and respond in the moment gives me insight into what connects and how the work fits into daily life.
Because I make the work myself, availability rotates. Some pieces return regularly, while others step aside as new ideas take shape.