Day 1
Wedging
The clay is prepared by hand, kneaded to remove air bubbles and create an even consistency. This step determines the integrity of everything that follows.
Slow craft in a fast world
In an age of mass production, I believe there is still a place for objects made with care. Each piece takes time, time to center the clay, time to shape it, time to let it dry, time to glaze, time to fire. That slowness is not inefficiency. It is integrity.
From earth to table
Every piece begins as raw clay and ends as something you will use for years
Recent work
Pieces from the studio, ready for your home
How each piece comes to life
A 3-week journey from raw material to finished work
Day 2-3
Throwing
On the wheel, the clay is centered and shaped. Each piece is formed in a single sitting, responding to the material as it moves through my hands.
Day 4-5
Trimming
Once leather-hard, the piece returns to the wheel. The foot is carved, the walls refined, the weight balanced. This is where function meets form.
Week 2
Drying
Slow, even drying prevents cracking. The pieces rest, covered and uncovered in stages, until bone dry and ready for the kiln.
Day 10
Bisque Firing
The first firing transforms clay into ceramic. 1800°F for 12 hours, then a slow cool. The kiln does its quiet, transformative work.
Day 12-14
Glazing
Each piece is dipped, brushed, or poured with glaze, ground minerals that will melt into glass in the final firing. Color decisions happen here.
Week 3
Glaze Firing
The final transformation. 2300°F fuses glaze to clay, creating the finished surface. When the kiln opens days later, the work is complete.
Why handmade matters
One at a time
No molds, no mass production. Each piece is thrown individually on the wheel, making every one slightly unique.
High-fired stoneware
Fired to 2300°F, my work is durable, food-safe, dishwasher-safe, and built to be used daily for decades.
Local materials
I source clay and glazes from regional suppliers whenever possible, supporting small businesses and reducing transport.
Zero waste studio
All clay scraps are reclaimed and reused. Broken pieces become drainage for plants. Nothing goes to landfill.
From the studio
Elena Vasquez
Ceramicist & Studio Potter
I have been working with clay for fifteen years, first as a student, then as an apprentice, now from my own studio in the hills outside Portland.
My work is rooted in function. I make things to be used: bowls that feel right in your hands, mugs that keep your coffee warm, plates that make a simple meal feel considered. I believe objects we use daily should be beautiful, and beauty should be accessible.
Every piece I make carries the marks of its making, subtle variations in form, the trace of my fingers in the clay, glazes that break and pool in unexpected ways. These are not flaws. They are evidence of the human hand, and they are what make handmade work alive.
Credentials & Experience
BFA Ceramics, RISD • Apprenticed with Warren MacKenzie • Work in private collections across North America • Featured in Ceramics Monthly, American Craft
From collectors and customers
Common questions
Ready to bring handmade into your home?
Browse the current collection or reach out to discuss a custom piece.