Melissa Weiss

Melissa Weiss is a studio potter located in Asheville, NC. She makes each piece by hand. Melissa digs her own clay off her land in NW Arkansas. She turns this clay into a slip and screens the big rocks out then adds some dry clays, feldspar and sand. Next, she takes this liquid clay and pours it into screened racks lined with sheets. The water slowly drips out over a few weeks and the clay is then taken out of the racks and run through a pug mill to further mix it. It is then ready for making pots. I use a variety of methods to make the pots; wheel thrown, pinched, slab constructed.  All the pots are dipped in a white slip and fired to a lower temperature called bisque. Then they are glazed from glazes Melissa makes from dry ingredients. These glazes are a variety of celadons and ash glazes. These pots are high fired in a gas reduction kiln.  Due to the nature of the minimally processed wild clay there are occasionally small rocks, fissures and iron specks, these occurrences do not compromise the function of the pot.  All the pots are carefully checked before going out to the world. All of the pots are functional and food safe. They are also dishwasher and microwave safe.