Long story relatively short: For almost all pieces I use a technique akin to kurinuki—hollowing and carving without the use of a wheel, slabs, coils, etc. However, I don’t follow the technique exactly. Usually, I carve while the clay is wetter than is traditional for kurinuki. I mix many of my own glazes and apply each of them with consideration for shape, color, and texture. Everything is fired to Cone 6 in an electric kiln. I include some process details in the descriptions, so you’ll know when I’ve deviated from my usual, too (e.g., sometimes I make pinch pots, or fire to Cone 5).

All glazes I use are tested as food safe. However, I do not test literally every individual piece after it is fired. When used properly (e.g., kept whole, cleaned well), each piece can be considered food safe unless otherwise noted in the description.

Once you buy it, you may do pretty much anything you want with it. And it has already survived 2232F in the kiln. That said, I recommend handwashing, not the dishwasher. And I wouldn’t put it in the microwave. Nor use it in the oven, or on direct heat of a stove. That’s how I treat pottery in general, not just mine.

I’ve loved wordplay since long before I loved pottery. “I was stressing so I began making pottery” uses imperfect tense. And my pots are imperfect and I’m tense. Sure, the pots are meant to be imperfect (they aren’t ‘seconds’, they’re just not ‘perfectly round/smooth/even/symmetrical’) and I’m less tense than I was, but the name still fits.

Check out my Instagram feed (@ImperfectTensePottery) for upcoming appearances and information about brick-and-mortar locations that sell and/or exhibit my pottery.

Yes; check out my Instagram feed (@ImperfectTensePottery) for an idea of what is available where and when, or reach out via the Contact page to inquire about other pieces. Let me know what you’re looking for and I’m happy to send you photos of what might work for you.

Imperfect Tense Pottery loves being handled with thoughtful intent. It is not, nor is it intended to be, perfectly smooth. The textures should be reasonably clear in the images, but feel free to ask about specific pieces. Of course, how you interact with yours is up to you.

Safely shipping pottery is neither easy nor cheap. Safely shipping nonstandard-sized or -shaped pottery is even less easy. I do my best, and so far, packages have consistently arrived safely. I prioritize safety over speed and size.

Often, some form of combined shipping is feasible. Other times it is not, such as for irregularly shaped and/or heavy pieces, so some of them may be effectively set to not share boxes, even if their size or shape might otherwise appear to lend itself to combination. It is nearly impossible to precisely calculate all potential permutations, so please bear with me as I err on the side of caution.

I endeavor to use recycled and/or recyclable, reused and/or reusable materials when packing and shipping.

I am not responsible for a piece once it leaves me, so if something arrives broken, you may pursue that with the shipping carrier (e.g., USPS). Limited insurance is included with most forms of shipment. If you desire additional insurance, please contact me before purchasing so we can determine the exact coverage and cost.

And yes, international shipping is dearly expensive. Regardless of where I’m shipping, I’m not profiting off it.

Returns are accepted with the following conditions:

a) returns must be initiated within 14 days of your receipt of your order,

b) returns must include emailed photos of the item to be returned to provide evidence of its condition,

c) returns must be received by me within 14 days of the return process being initiated,

d) return shipping is at the buyer’s cost,

e) returned items are received by me in the same condition they were when I sent them to the buyer. (Note: this means that if an item breaks at any point, it is ineligible for return/refund.)

If all of the above conditions (a-e) are met, I will refund the purchase price of the returned item(s). If one or more of these conditions are not met, the refund may be reduced accordingly or refused at my discretion. Shipping costs are non-refundable.

Note: Mystery pieces are non-returnable.

I will consider commissions that leave me enough room to be creative. Reach out and let’s discuss possibilities.