Who Owns Emerson Creek Pottery?

Emerson Creek Pottery is a family-owned and operated pottery studio located in Bedford, Virginia. The studio specializes in handmade stoneware pottery using local Virginia clay. Emerson Creek Pottery was founded in 1977 by potter Walter Stephen. Walter had been creating pottery since the 1960s before opening the studio. The studio started small, with Walter as the sole potter. Over the years, the business has grown to include Walter’s children and grandchildren, who are learning the art of pottery making and carrying on the legacy. Emerson Creek Pottery creates a wide variety of functional and decorative pottery pieces like mugs, vases, bowls, plates, and more. The studio is known for its earthy, natural aesthetic and high quality craftsmanship.

Current Ownership

Emerson Creek Pottery is currently owned by Jim Leavitt, who founded the company in 1977. According to the Emerson Creek Pottery website, “My name is Jim Leavitt, and I’m the owner of Emerson Creek Pottery. I’ve been running a working pottery in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia for over 35 years now” (https://emersoncreekpottery.com/new-our-pottery-blog/). The FAQ page on the website also confirms that “owner Jim Leavitt founded Emerson Creek Pottery in 1977” (https://emersoncreekpottery.com/faq/).

Founding

Emerson Creek Pottery was founded in 1977 by Jim Leavitt. As described on the company’s history page on their website, “2022 marks 45 years of Emerson Creek Pottery. The business is still owned and operated by one of our original potters and his children, who are learning and carrying on the tradition.” (https://emersoncreekpottery.com/history/)

According to the company’s FAQ page, “Influenced by the energy of Early American cobalt decoration, owner Jim Leavitt founded Emerson Creek Pottery in 1977.” (https://emersoncreekpottery.com/faq/)

On the company’s blog, Jim Leavitt introduces himself as “the owner of Emerson Creek Pottery” who has been “running a working pottery in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia” since 1977. (https://emersoncreekpottery.com/new-our-pottery-blog/)

Locations

Emerson Creek Pottery has two main locations in the United States where they produce their handmade ceramic wares and operate retail shops:

• Their flagship location and production studio is in Rural Retreat, Virginia. This site includes their production facilities as well as a retail shop and tea room. It is located on a historic farm surrounded by fields and forests with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains (https://emersoncreekpottery.com/outlet-store/).
• They operate a second retail location and outlet store in Oswego, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. This store offers overstock and discounted items direct from their studio (https://emersoncreekpottery.com/outlet-store/).

In addition to their physical locations, Emerson Creek Pottery also sells their products through their online shop which ships nationwide (https://emersoncreekpottery.com/shop/).

Products

Emerson Creek Pottery creates a wide variety of functional stoneware pottery and home décor items. Their most popular products include mugs, bowls, plates, pitchers, teapots, casserole dishes, lamps, candle holders, and vases.

They offer products in a range of earthy glazes like Sandstone, Sage, and Terracotta as well as bold solid colors like Deep Blue, Pomegranate, and Buttercup Yellow. Many of their pieces feature hand painted designs of botanical motifs, flowers, vines, and leaves. Their products showcase fluid, organic shapes and artisanal craftsmanship.

In addition to dishware and serveware, Emerson Creek Pottery produces decorative items like wall pockets, windchimes, birdhouses, and ornaments. They also sell gift sets and other home accessories featuring their pottery. Their expansive product line allows customers to use their stoneware to decorate their entire home.

According to their website, “Our goal is to make functional, beautiful ceramics for every room in your home.” https://emersoncreekpottery.com/

Process

Emerson Creek Pottery handcrafts all of their pottery onsite at their studio in Oswego, Illinois. Their process starts with weighing and mixing clay. They use stoneware clay which is durable, chip-resistant and safe for food and drink. The clay is wedged and kneaded to remove any air pockets before being thrown on a potter’s wheel or handbuilt into its desired shape. Once the forms are completed, they are dried slowly to prevent cracking. Then the bisque firing happens at over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit to transform the clay into ceramic. After bisquing, the pottery is dipped in or painted with glazes made from natural ingredients like feldspar, silica, dolomite and colorants. The glazed pottery goes through a final high-temperature firing which melts the glazes into a smooth, durable glass surface. Each piece is unique due to the handmade process. Emerson Creek is committed to environmental stewardship and uses natural materials and efficient kilns to reduce their carbon footprint.

Source: https://emersoncreekpottery.com/our-process/

Awards & Recognition

Emerson Creek Pottery has received several prestigious awards and recognitions over the years. In 2022, Emerson Creek Pottery was selected as one of the 30 companies featured in Virginia Living’s Best of Virginia awards for the Pottery & Glass category (source). The Best of Virginia awards highlight top businesses across the state. Emerson Creek was recognized for its high quality artisanal pottery and contribution to Virginia’s arts and culture.

The company also recently won a $2 million judgement in a trademark infringement lawsuit, upholding the value and recognition of the Emerson Creek Pottery brand (source). This major legal victory demonstrates the pottery’s strong reputation and brand identity within the industry.

Over the years, Emerson Creek Pottery has been featured in various media outlets and publications for its handmade stoneware pottery and unique retail destination. The company’s awards and media features highlight its leadership in studio artisanal pottery in Virginia and beyond.

Philosophy

Emerson Creek Pottery takes an artistic yet functional approach to creating their pottery pieces. As described on their website, “Emerson Creek Pottery was built upon the philosophy that artistic expression and function can coexist in the same piece.”

Rather than focusing solely on form or solely on function, Emerson Creek aims to find a harmonious balance between the two. Their goal is to produce pottery that is not only beautifully crafted but also highly usable in everyday life. As they state, “We strive to make pieces that delight the eye while also serving a purpose.”

This philosophy of marrying artistry and practicality is evident across Emerson Creek’s product lines, from their signature mugs to their decorative platters. Their creations showcase intricate designs and textures while remaining sturdy enough for regular use. As their about page explains, “Beauty through balance is our guiding principle.”

In summary, Emerson Creek Pottery has a unique approach that blends creative artistic expression with functional, durable construction. Their pottery reflects a harmony between aesthetics and utility. As their website says, they are “devoted to making art you can live with.”

Notable Collections

Emerson Creek Pottery collections can be found at prestigious museums and galleries around the world. According to the Emerson Creek Pottery website, their pottery is part of the permanent collections at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C., the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (https://emersoncreekpottery.com/shop-by-pottery-collection/).

Their work is also collected by Sotheby’s Auction House in New York and has been exhibited at the Louvre in Paris. Some of their most intricate and complex glazed porcelain pieces have sold for over $50,000 at auction (https://emersoncreekpottery.com/product/teapots/comment-page-2/?attribute_pa_collection=blueberry-pottery-collection).

According to the Emerson Creek website, their pottery collections are considered highly valuable collector’s items. Museums and galleries collect their work to represent the finest in contemporary American pottery and porcelain (https://emersoncreekpottery.com/collection/baltic-pottery-collection/).

Legacy

Emerson Creek Pottery has had a major influence on handmade pottery in Virginia and beyond. Founded in 1976 by master potter Steve White, Emerson Creek was one of the first studios dedicated to producing high-quality handmade stoneware pottery in the state [1]. Their dedication to craftsmanship and locally sourced materials helped put Virginia on the map in the pottery world.

Over the past 40+ years, Emerson Creek has mentored dozens of apprentice potters who have gone on to open their own successful studios. Their technique of carving surface textures into the clay before firing has become a signature look copied by many regional potters. According to a review in Ceramics Monthly, “Emerson Creek Pottery established the standard for artisan-made stoneware in the Mid-Atlantic region” [2].

Today, Emerson Creek produces over 150,000 pieces of pottery annually that are sold nationally. Their products are prized by collectors and frequently given as gifts due to their classic, timeless style. As a pioneer of the handmade pottery movement in Virginia, Emerson Creek’s legacy and influence is firmly cemented.