Originally posted for Williams Design Co's website on January 22, 2023:

Wow! It has been five months since we launched the Williams Design Co website! It was a long time in the making getting to this point. In fact, it was a long time getting to the point of even being able to create ceramic pieces to even have a website. Abby and I were living in Reno, Nevada in 2021. During this time, the world was still suffering from the aftermath of COVID, where production and shipping of goods were delayed or sometimes non-existent. It was at this time I was trying to purchase my first ceramic wheel and kiln. Most third party distributors had little to no inventory on these products and the lag time on these items was up to a year or more. This was discouraging to say the least. However, with a bit of good luck, I was able to order a Skutt wheel from a third party distributor with only a 6 month waiting period. The sales associate mentioned that the L&L Kilns or the Skutt would be over a year, BUT, that Cress Kilns would be around 6 months and they were manufactured about an hour away from me in Carson City, Nevada, which meant I could pick it up and avoid shipping costs (which is a lot for such a heavy product). So this is exactly what I did. And within 6 months I had the wheel, kiln and the basic set up for some ceramics projects. Getting the kiln into the garage with just Abby and myself and no hydraulic or fancy lifting machinery was not so easy! That was a “learn the hard way,” experience to make sure that we have the proper equipment for transferring these heavy products. During the 6 month waiting period, I had licensed electricians come in to wire the garage up for a 220v plug on a 50 amp breaker to be able to run the kiln. The wheel runs on a standard 110v. The kilns also need an emergency shut-off handle just in case there is a problem. Since my kiln isn’t hard wired into the wall, I am able to use the plug itself as the emergency shut off, avoiding this extra step. The kiln also needs a ventilation system, as the firing process creates unhealthy fumes that need to be vented outside to keep the space safe. I was able to install this myself with a few simple tools and a dryer vent system purchased at Home Depot. So, after all the preparation and then finally getting the products, I was able to create a few pieces in our garage in Reno, which was a nice large 3 car garage space, with windows on the garage doors which made for some lovely natural light. I was looking forward to getting enough pieces for the first firing in my kiln.

It was at this time that Abby received the news that she was so good at her job she was being promoted. We move a lot for her work which makes for amazing and fun new experiences for us. Because of this news I decided to hold off on creating more pieces and begin the process of getting the studio packed and ready to head off to St. Louis, Missouri. Because the kiln is built with very soft brick, it is very fragile, so I had it professionally crated for safety. The movers packed, loaded and moved the items across the country to the Midwest where we bought a home and met them on the other side. This home had a 3 car garage with an epoxy floor and two side windows. It is the perfect space for a studio. The only problem was that it was unfinished, meaning there was no insulation or drywall on the walls, and for the cold winters in St. Louis it would not be a feasible space for ceramics that deal with wet clay that would freeze if kept too cold. And for those of you that know me, I am not a fan of the cold, so more importantly I would be so grumpy that I wouldn’t even go in the garage if it was cold. I insulated and sheet rocked the garage myself. My taping and mudding skills have much to be desired, so luckily my work is isolated to the garage. But it did the trick, and with the addition of a portable electric heater that uses the same electrical circuit as the kiln, it was up and running. Just like Reno, I had a licensed electrician come out and run this circuit. The only unfortunate part is that I cannot run the heater and the kiln at the same time, but fortunately the kiln acts as a hot stove and keeps the garage warm enough to keep the pieces safe, but not warm enough for me to do work, so I take those days off. I have learned a ton up to this point, most of which I have learned the hard way, as life usually works with taking on new things and endeavors.

Some hurdles I have encountered: Its been a long time since I did ceramics in high school. Its like riding a bike, it comes back, but its not pretty starting out! I’ve learned glazes don’t typically turn out identical to their picture on the container, and each container varies itself. On top of this, brush strokes and variations in thickness of glaze dramatically effect the outcome. Too think and the glaze color gets washed out, too think and the glaze will bubble. Handles are much tougher than I remember. I have struggled with the handles cracking at the attachment point and how to combat this. Shipping is tough, the postal service doesn’t take the fragile stickers as seriously as I do, so learning to properly pack pieces is tricky while still trying to be eco-friendly and cost efficient. These are to just name a few. I will write further blog posts on overcoming these odds in detail. Things are moving along, there are ups and downs, but I am loving my days in the studio and being able to have a creative outlet. Thank you for reading and for being part of this business journey.