Ben the potter

reckon its important to keep conscious of what we allow ourselves to do and be. floating through life on autopilot is not a great way to a better way, and will not absolve one of responsibility or culpability. #clay #tile #thoughts #permission #responsibility

after digging and washing a bunch of kaolin to mix into hundreds of lbs of refractory clay, to hand make and lay hundreds of bricks for the new kiln arch, we where finally able to do the last form pull. it was tricky to remove, but we did it #kiln #pottery #arch #brick #handmade

thought i would show yall the results of the work i was showing yesterday. decided to inscribe it with a reminder to humble ourselves and remember that we are not separate from nature. we come from it, we live in it, and will return to it. #pottery #folkart #nature #skull #humbled

i get occasional questions about my unique incising technique, so i thought i would start making some videos with pointers and insights on this process. today i explain how i get deep patterns without damaging the piece #pottery #carving #folkart #handmade #clay

guess ive been on an incised pitcher kick lately. had a good buddy ask about a stout gallon with a snake, and since he digs astronomy, went ahead and added some pearl stars as well #pottery #pitcher #folkart #snake #stars

i have nothing against hard work, its most of what i do... but because i like to see the fruits of my labors, i advocate that others reap the rewards of their work as well. there is no sense in hustling or grinding for a system that is rigged against us #pottery #clay #labor #solidarity #work

finished up this pitcher today, always love some mushrooms. its one of the last pieces from the old clay batch, pugging the new batch tomorrow. this is the ends of a batch i began a few years ago, new batch i began last year. Ars longa, vita brevis #pottery #folkart #mushrooms #wildclay #handmade

i spend alot of time thinking about the deeply delusional and illusory aspects of society, and my own participation and complicity in it. this sortof leads me to not enjoy social media, it brings gifts, but it is not our friend #pottery #society #justthinking #social #reality

hey guys. today im bringing a little about feldspar pearls, and a recent misadventure with the gaps in knowledge. the process of learning necessitates finding what we dont know, and folks who pretend to have all the answers seldom learn a damn thing. #folkart #pottery #minerals #learning #knowledge

put the finishing touches on these skull jugs, wheel turned and modified. per usual, i have inscribed them "memento vitae", death is inevitable, we must chose to live. be well my friends #folkart #skull #life #handmade #art

for those interested, may 6th 2026, will see the opening of the 14th annual face jug show at American folk art and framing in asheville nc. the show begins online, so do yourself a favor and check out their site for the deatails and catalog. #folkart #facejug #pottery #smallbusiness #asheville

finished up this jar here, figured as it was a mayday, a big oak tree would be appropriate. takes a good while to draw and incise the pattern, i press the design in with wooden tools to keep the thickness reasonable #pottery #wildclay #folkart #tree #nature

happy mayday! besides the veneration of the turning season, we are also called to remember the ongoing struggle. over a century after haymarket, we are still struggling for the rights of the worker, and against the abuse of the boss. solidarity forever #pottery #mayday #labor #history #solidarity

managed to finish up this face jar today. reckon ill see if this one wants to end up on display in lincolnton N.C to replaced some damaged pieces, as the town is famous for its downtown face jugs #facejug #folkart #NCpottery #handmade #pottery

ive always enjoyed movies, and in these strange times we live in, find them really helpful just to help me tune out before bed. grew up with the marx brothers, and duck soup certainly holds up as a satirical critique of power #movies #marxbrothers #comedy #satire #recommendations

here is the results of the devil jug i was working on the other week... a little haggard, but still has some looks dont he? #folkart #facejug #pottery #wildclay #handmade

i dont believe in a devil, or demons, or djinn for that matter, but i find the personification and symbol and belief very interesting. i understand the wish to externalize, its not healthy or productive. folk devils run alot of cover for very human evils. #folkart #facejug #devil #society #pottery

been a mighty buys week around here, but getting a few of these buggy jugs off the bench. love the peeking over look these have. hope yall are well, lots of love #pottery #folkart #facejug #handmade #devil

in a time where "normality" fails us over and over, creativity and the possibilities it opens are absolute necessity. its worth minding that most forms of progress where once considered absurd... creative solutions are a must for a better world #pottery #folkart #creativity #art #survival

another garden bell is coming off the bench this afternoon. inspirations from nature have a way of finding the way into my work, and this one is is heavily inspired by the seedpods of datura. how i look forward to the heavenly fragrance of their blossoms #pottery #folkart #bell #flower #garden

been a dry spring so far, but yet, i am enjoying the warm breezes and the feast of flowers that greet me out the window. been making more wind bells, think this is one of my favorite things to make. #pottery #bell #garden #windchimes #handmade

with insanity all around us, i find it difficult but necessary to speak of it. i could speak for hours on all of the specific evils, but i find it important to talk about the common roots. those roots must be pulled, and together we can plant new fields. #pottery #society #community #future #peace

another year has come and gone, another trip around the sun... im still standing, and ive become more of my better self. its important to grow, not just become the jaded curmudgeon that many people seem to intend when they say "grow up" #pottery #snake #folkart #growth #life

hope yall are enjoying the spring so far (or autumn for my southern hemisphere friends). it seems im starting mine off with a cold and/or allergies... but anyhow, thought i would show yall how that ring jug turned out #pottery #folkart #craft #clay #handmade

here are a few pics from firing my friend Stephen's groundhog kiln down in sc. the other weekend. the groundhog is the traditional kiln to this region, and its always a pleasure to get together with my favorite people and fire one #pottery #folkart #stoneware #kiln #woodfire

was over here turning a ring jug, and figured id take time to show yall a trick. these forms are notorious for forming cracks at the join, but this technique increases the surface area of the join improving the situation significantly #pottery #folkart #stoneware #handmade #humanmade

i dont really care what ya call it, what does it do? craft vs. art vs. folkart... and i didnt even mention "outsider art", because most artists are outsider, no matter their esthetic. i find that labels are often more a hinderence than they are worth #folkart #pottery #craft #art #labels

have a bisque firing warming up today, but managed to get this crock all snaked up. the weather is warming up here, the toads are coming out of their burrows, and i nearly stepped on a little copperhead the other day... alll good though #pottery #handmade #snakes #folkart #clay

been a busy week over here, finally got the bisque kiln wired up, loaded, and have it candling. here i am unloading a tile drying rack onto my bench before cleaning up the edges and preparing them to go into the kiln... slow process, and the road is long #tile #handmade #folkart #clay #humanmade

the good folks behind rifftrax and mst3k have been making me laugh for most of my life, and are still at it. would highly recommend checking out their work, absurd times demand absurd comedy #pottery #sanity #rifftrax #mst3k #laughter

been busy this week cleaning up a backlog of pots in preparation for a bisque firing, but did manage to finish this tiny little buggy jug turned from the last bit of clay left after turning a batch of bowls. a reminder to keep our nose above the water. #folkart #facejug #pottery #handmade #wildclay

most of my work requires some level of detailing in every step of the process, its alot of work, and alot of time, but thats what it takes to get the look i want. i just really dont care for austere minimalism, it looks and feels too lifeless to me #pottery #handmade #maximalism #folkart #art

been a busy week over here, planting the spring garden. but finished this crock here, made intentianally hard to pick up by the 3 asymmetrical handles... when we come together, we are mighty hard to handle. #folkart #handmade #snake #rise #pottery

ive made several videos about my process for creating work, but with pottery, especially heavily detailed pieces, its just as important how we dry the work. i have used this tent method for many years, and almost never have any issue with drying cracks #pottery #clay #folkart #wildclay #stoneware

just putting the last touches on this kings head crock. finished it off with a line of "the diggers song", a rhyme popular among the followers of the "true levelers" or diggers movement during the english civil war of the mid 17th century #pottery #folkart #History #skull #kingshead

been feeling a little under the weather, but on the mend... did some garden work in the sun today, and finished up this weird jar. pretty traditional form, but im always playing with ways to make em less traditional #folkart #pottery #handmade #wildclay #clay

weather has been warming up over here, and it seems im coming down with a cold... so instead of trying to do some advice videos as i had planned, figured id show ya a batch of poison flasks ive finished. #folkart #pottery #handmade #skull #wildclay

hey guys. just thought i would share some of the tiles i have avalable up on the site (check bio). been sorta sitting on these for a minute, but figured its as good a time as any to let em go. hope to have lots more come spring #tile #handmade #stoneware #clay #folkart

rambling about craft and a more ethical world. we have all been seeing the sort of bullshit the big monied class gets up to, and we all feel it in our everyday lives. everybody complains, some of us just happen to want to do something about it #pottery #tile #smallbusiness #handmade #ethics

been back to my tile making in the shop over here. it has been a long development process on this project, but its one that is very near and dear to my heart. as much as i enjoy making my wares, i also believe that art must be made approachable to everyone. #tile #handmade #folkart #clay #art

wire wedging is a great way to deal with inconsistent clay, and was often standard procedure before homogenous commercial clay came on the scene. it makes quick work of lumps and soft spots with much less effort than table wedging alone #clay #pottery #handmade #educational #folkart

yall know i am about finding personal peace, but personal peace while keeping silence about injustice is apathy... i am not about apathy. a better way is possible when we work towards it, and we must speak out about the abuses of our human family

finished off this fun-guy yesterday, and made space in the house for him to dry during the ice storm. the back is inscribed with the closing lines from Jodorowsky's 1973 masterpiece "the holy mountain" #folkart #facejug #mushroom #sculpture #pottery

finished this one off today with an inscription from "light years ahead of our time" by kula shaker, check it out of ya like some groovey tunes. havnt done one quite like this before, but always good to follow an idea and see where it goes #facejug #folkart #wildclay #catawbavalley #pottery

after letting the join set up for a bit (anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on several factors) i carefully scrape the join in, work it down, blend it in, and smooth it. the strongest join we can make is one we cant find after #facejug #pottery #folkart #wildclay #sculpting

get questions here and there about how i achieve good clean joins, so figured i would just show ya. the high surface area and blended edge not only makes these joins look very clean, but makes them strong and resistant to cracking #pottery #facejug #folkart #catawbavalley #sculpture

my words are insuffiecient, and certainly imperfect, but i needed to say something.. from my mountain home, to the people of Minnesota, and those in the streets of iran, we are together. power to the people

with all thats been going on, ive been at a bit of a loss for what to say... in such times, i tend to take the time, and sit with it to get my thoughts together and create a bit... thoughts are forming #folkart #pottery #catawbavalley #wildclay #candlestick

have had requests from some good folks to hear what a finished stoneware bell sounds like, so decided i would deliver on that. naturally, the tone depends on size and shape of a bell, the clay its made from, and how hot the kiln got. #pottery #bell #chime #woodfired #handmade

hey guys, figured I'd show ya the results of the wind bell i was working on the other day. hopefully i can show ya some of the others as they come down the line, but also hoping to make a good few more, as i quite enjoy them #pottery #handmade #folkart #clay #bell

back to work in the new year with a few garden bells. thought i would show yall, and make another plea for solidarity among the common people. we have a hell of alot more in common than we do with these dangerous maniacs who want to rule the world #pottery #wildclay #folkart #bell #windchimes

Look how easy the task is when i just lay it out on some canvas, like the rest of my reclaim process, easy as pie.. dont mind the puff of dust at the beginning of the video, the wind blew the door open and picked up some sawdust i havnt wiped down yet. #pottery #clay #reclaim #craft #art

welp, ive slaked my reclaim over night, and now its ready to mush up and lay out. there are many ways to dry out a batch of slop, but this method has worked well for me. naturally, the best method to use is the one you find best for you. #clay #pottery #wildclay #reclaim #craft

over the years, ive heard so many potters complain about what a chore reclaiming clay is, and without fail, it always seems to be a problem of letting it pile up. if we keep it small, and reclaim as we go, its such a simple task that takes only minutes #pottery #clay #reclaim #craft #recycling

wanted to turn a batch of jars for the end of the year, but i was down to the bottom of a clay bin and the clay was very soft so they turned out a little heavier than i would have liked. so i took this as an opportunity to do some heavy carving, much better #folkart #pottery #wildclay #jar #carving

wish yall a happy solstice. our humanity is important and worthy of keeping. there is no ideology, dogma, or reward worth losing it for. to deny the humanity of others is to deny our own, if thats not the selling ones soul, im not sure what is. #humanity #morality #folkart #humanism #pottery

hey yall, thought i would show you a face jug i finished earlier in the week. been playing around with some new techniques for adding a little ectra feature to the face to get a little extra weathered expression... hes tired, but finds a way to smile. #folkart #facejug #wildclay #pottery #sculpture

good folk fall into dark beliefs after the world has broken their spirit. destructive ideologies thrive on negativity. apocaloptimism not only helps preserve ones sanity, but functions as a form of resistance against the crule and crooked #headspace #thought #mentalhealth #resiliance #resistance

was just in the shop today, and figured id show yall a trick. there are lots of ways to get even spacings for handles, decorations, and carving patterns, this method has given me fairly reliable results for years. easy, efficient, inexpensive, effective #pottery #folkart #wildclay #art #handmade

trying to keep warm in the shop, and worked me out a couple of point nose loving cups. these are my take on late medieval pieces. made these to test out a new clay blend incorporating wild clay made avalable to us by the foot hills conservency. #stoneware #pottery #medieval #handmade #folkart

i love to drink tea, and i drink alot of tea on an almost constant basis... i also love botany and native plants, so naturally, yaupon is one of my favorites. Im excited to get these berries planted, and see how they grow #yaupon #tea #nativeplants #holly #gardening

showed you guys this pattern back during the summer when i was done carving it, and that gives ya some idea of how long it takes to harden, seal, mount, and chase before i can cast the mold. excited for this one to dry, so i can get it into production #handmade #tile #moldmaking #plaster #peacock

been a bit of a lean yeah, being busy kiln building and all, but had the forsight to reserve a nice selection from a few firings last spring. if you are interested, link in bio, check it out if ya feel it. #smallbusiness #pottery #wildclay #handmade #folkart

we see alot about shopping small during the holiday season, and it is often framed as simply helping out the little guy... but i think its also important to frame it in the context of witholding our resources from the billionaire class. #smallbusiness #handmade #betterfuture #solidarity #boycott

been a cold week here, have had to struggle with keeping my shop warm, the woolies came out... but figured id take the opportunity to make one of these weird things, and show yall a pottery form that helped people in the past keep warm in the winter. #pottery #history #winter #stoneware #education

ya know, every now and then when we are working, we may find ourselves having made one or two that just didnt fit. its easy to see these as complete flops, and be hard on ourselves... or, we can take them as an opportunity to experiment and play. #pottery #opportunity #play #process #creativity

just put the finishing touches on this skull ive been working on, they take time as there are things that need to be done as the drying process goes on, the last being the teeth which are best carved out once the piece has stiffened a bit #wildclay #pottery #skull #folkart #sculpture

im sure the tech has some great uses, but i dont see the majority of the technopsychotics pushing for that, as they seem more interested in using it as yet another way to pillage wealth and resources. and we pay when the bubble bursts #noai #luddite #techbubble #handmade #intelligence

it's a royal pain making arch boards for hard brick, ive become spoiled by working with clay brick which i can make to the form... but worth the time to get everything just so, and im excited to be far enough along that the chimney will be rising soon #kiln #pottery #woodfire #arch #masonry

im pretty big on commnity, unity, and solidarity, but it needn't come at the price of conformity. be weird, be wonderful, grow your heart, develop yourself, and love others the best you can. be good you guys #pottery #art #creativity #skull #beyourself

was working on the kiln the other day, and thought i would roll camera to show ya how i lay my raw clay bricks.. its slow going, but coming along #clay #brick #kiln #pottery #woodfire

with the ever present popularity of snake oil nonsense, i have made another bottle purpose made to keep it in. fake cures can only remedy fake problems, and folks who sell one usually do so by making the other #pottery #wildclay #snake #flimflam #hokum

took some time today to finish up this poison jug... it is dedicated to hate, the greatest toxin known to society, and one of the most common. it is well past time to bottle this awful habit and bury it so deep it is never seen again. #pottery #poisonbottle #wildclay #folkart #skull

was out working on the kiln the other day, and figured i would show yall how i cut and shape the raw clay brick i am using for the kiln arch. compared to hard firebrick, its so easy, and every bit of scrap is completely recycled into new bricks and mortar. #kiln #pottery #clay #woodfire #brick

happy american craft week. i am passionate about the idea and practice of craft revival. Craft is one of the most egalitarian activities we have in this world, allowing survival outside of a corporate system... #craft #americancraft #pottery #smallbusiness #handmade

this one is based on the ancient motif of the "solomons knot" a symbol that spans time and place from roman mosaic, as a talisman scratched into medieval homes and churches, and as a decorative motif used from west africa to the mongolian steppe #tile #handmade #carving #history #folkart

Usually try to keep things a little lighter, but the situation we are living under is unacceptable. I believe in people, and i believe people should have the chance to have better.. small business has so much potential, but the barriers to entry are raised higher every day. #smallbusiness #society

been workin on the kiln arch here, o thought i would take a little footage the other day after we moved the arch form to start working on the second arch. Awfully nice working in handmade clay brick, so forgiving. hope to share more updates soon. #pottery #kiln #clay #masonry #handmade

been feeling a bit frustrated lately... ive been taking some time to sit with it a bit. i think frustration is a natural part of the growth, it shows that we have ambition, and passion for the progress that we desire. #frustration #ambition #craft #smallbusiness #handmade

Been away for a while... but i was harvesting millet today, and decided to share my mind. We have alot of work to do in service of creating a better world, and bowing to dark thoughts will not be helpful in that venture. Apathy and despair spread like a memetic virus, and thats not the good sharing

just taking a break from my labors to process some wild plums and pits for replanting. keeping my eye out for a stand of the sweeter golden ones, but was happy to find tart red plums. if anybody has advice, please reach out #nativeplants #wildfood #wildplum #gardening #foraging #folkculture #plum

hey yall! just though i would take a break from carving and gardening to say hello and share some thoughts. my process can take months, but good things take time, and its worth it #art #handmade #tile #life #medieval #rooster #carving #woodcut #slowdown #smelltheroses #smallbusiness #cottageindustry

making up another tile batch today, and finally got round to striking this new pattern. very excited to see how they turn out #tile #handmade #clay #tiles #decor #skull #smallbusiness #stoneware #cottageindustry

spent some time over the weekend firing the big ol groundhog kiln at hart square in lincoln county N.C.. this is the traditional kiln in this part of the country. #catawbavalley #traditional #americancraft #folklife #hartsquare #woodfire #pottery #folkart #stoneware #groundhogkiln #woodkiln

hey yall, just decided to share some thoughts today. Many are trying to sell you on a lifestyle and all the associated aesthetic, but the life you carefully build yourself will always be of much greater quality. #facejug #beyourself #contemplation #pottery #folkart #wildclay #stoneware

glazing some pots for firing the big hart square kiln, figured id show some old fashioned glazing. I float the jug on the glaze and roll it, letting just enough flow in to coat the inside #traditional #pottery #wildclay #folkart #glaze #stoneware #ashglaze #facejug #smallbusiness #cottageindustry

been away for a minute, always a busy time of year for me, but this year it is double busy as i am in the middle of moving into a new place. thought i would say hi and show this neat little flute i made years back that turned up while packing. #clay #pottery #flute #handmade #nature #healingvibes

unloaded this kiln the other week, but have been too busy to cut the clips togeter... but anyhow, generally happy with the results, and hope to have them up on my site soon #folkart #stoneware #pottery #wildclay #clay #ashglaze #tradition̈ #tile #handmade #smallbusiness #cottageindustry

just somethin ive been working on this week, havnt made many of em, so figured id give it another go. these types of pots where developed during the dutch tulip mania to showcase prized flowers. #wildclay #pottey #flowers #snakes #smallbusiness #cottageindustry #handmade #tulip #folkart #clay

spent yesterday afternoon hanging out with my friend tammy, and loading her kiln "miss priss". hope to get my new wood kiln done soon, great to have a friend who lets me fire wares #wildclay #friendship #kiln #stoneware #pottery #ashglaze #folkart #tile #handmade #smallbusiness #cottageindustry

us regular everyday people are real people, and we matter! the aristocrats are empty, hollow, and devoid of any humanising experiences. keep strong my friends, be well, and keep your humanity. #pottery #folkart #thoughts #loveeachother #community #motivation #humanity

may seem like an odd tool for the shop, but have found it very effective, the large bulb makes it better than other suction bulbs. also effective for dribbling slip and glaze over pieces #pottery #tools #wilclay #folkart #facejug #ceramics #tools #thrifty #clay #smallbusiness #cottageindustry

many types of seed can benefit from passing through the digestion of animals, and have had luck with other species. these have been sitting in a damp rag in the fridge for the winter, interested to see what they do #persimmon #bear #nativeplants #horticulture #gardening #gardening #wildfruits

hey there yall, been busy glazing today, but thought i would let ya know ive done a shop update. check out my pendants and there are some tiles and other things to chose from.. www.transfiguredearthstudio.com #pottery #pendants #handmade #smallbusiness #cottageindustry #shopsmall #wildclay #beads

really need to get to glazing some wares, but wet clay only waits so long... so i have been working on this little batch of poison flasks here, and figured i would show you my unique carving technique #pottery #wildclay #skull #carving #flask #handmade #stoneware #smallbusiness #ncpottery #folkart

Part 2. After the slip is applied, i wipe it away with a damp sponge. This is a rutile (an impure titanium mineral) saturate slip, and will give me a nice golden color, but any contrasting slip or underglaze will work just fine #handicraft #handmade #clay #tile #leaf #wildclay #stoneware

Part 1. Was soing some slip inlay on some leaf tiles today, so thought i would turn the camera on and show ya how i do. Good way to bring up the contrast under the glaze #tile #clay #handmade #leaf #tiles #cottageindutry #art #craft

Had a couple of jugs about to go into drying, but thought i would talk about these old forms, and the american tradition of hypocrisy that inspired them.. and telling an old family story as well #folkart #pottery #moonshine #wilclay #cottageindustry #stoneware #art #clay #sculpture #facejug

Hey people of the world, love ya! We live in a culture that doesnt really care for love, or rather, has a really fucked up idea of what "love" means. As hate and hosility grow, i have taken the growth of my heart more seriously. Anybody who says love and empathy are flaws should be dismissed

Finished up this batch of mugs based on 15th century germanic "point nose jugs". Usually do these as large tankard forms, but these are a more resonalble every day size.. #pottery #medieval #folkart #wilclay #stoneware #art #mug #coffee #smallbusiness #cottageindustry