Neil Estrick

There is a cupboard full of hand made mugs in my kitchen. Over the years my wife and I have decided which of the mugs are our favorites, and those pieces have migrated to the front of the cupboard. The rest of the mugs rarely see the light of day, unless we have a large party. All of the mugs in our cupboard have some level of visual appeal, but what sets our favorites apart from the rest is that they are a pleasure to use. There is something about the quality of their construction and design that makes us want them to be a part of our daily lives. I want every pot I make to have that same appeal.

I demand from myself a high level of craftsmanship. My pots must be light enough to be handled comfortably, but not so thin as to make them too fragile for daily use. The walls must be of consistent thickness for good balance, and the glaze application must be clean and even. This attention to detail helps to ensure that my pots will be used for their intended purpose. Functional pieces that are aesthetically pleasing but do not successfully perform their intended function will not be used, and will be destined to sit in the back of the cupboard.