Located just down the street between the Your Dekalb Farmers Market and Avondale Estates, MudFire Studio and Gallery has maintained a commitment to supporting local potters and ceramicists for nearly 25 years. Originally founded in 2005 in a strip mall in Brookhaven, the makerspace offers studio space and kiln access for clay-based artists.
“Pottery is magic because it is an antidote to what we are all experiencing right now; being trapped inside of our phones and living in a very thinking, scrolling way. Pottery requires you to turn that part of yourself off and be present with the clay,” said Daphne Dail, who owns MudFire with her partner Deklan Ranlett.
The two first met when taking lessons from Kathy King, and they purchased the studio from former owners a little over a decade ago back in 2013.
“Both Dex and I have ceramics degrees, but there is something way more powerful about working together as opposed to working in our own home studios,” said Dail. “That’s really what MudFire is. It’s a group of folks who have a preference for working together.”
The community element of MudFire’s business model cannot be overlooked for its importance, and their commitment to diversity and inclusion makes it a safe space for all to gather and create. By bringing hobbyists together with professional ceramicists and potters the studio has built an organic community of makers with a shared passion for clay.
In order to fully understand the importance of makerspaces such as MudFire, you’d have to know a bit about the complex processes for working with clay.
As opposed to many paper or canvas-based artforms, the clay-based mediums come with a significant need for space and tools. Wheel-throwing requires wheels, of course, and access to a kiln is paramount for finishing any ceramic creations. For most artists, their homes are not big enough to be well-suited for a full ceramics studio, not to mention the exorbitant price tag of kilns and related equipment.
And that’s where MudFire comes in. Offering a number of tables for hand-building and wheels for throwing, there are plenty of workspaces at the studio. They also have six electric kilns – two for bisque firing, three for glaze firing, and one for special firings – as well as a gas Bailey car kiln, a soda kiln, and a raku firing kiln. In 2025, they plan to acquire a tenth kiln at an estimated cost of around $8000, including installation. A price tag such as this makes having a kiln at a home studio practically unachievable for most artists.
Beyond offering space and equipment, MudFire also has 60+ glazes, rollers, underglazes, and various hand tools for artists to use. Dail explained that part of the ethos of MudFire is to make ceramics more accessible to all, even if they lack the resources to practice at home.
Dail also explained the many risks involved in working with clay. The dust generated by ceramics contains silica, which can damage lungs when not handled properly. At MudFire, they change their filters monthly and have strict rules about cleaning procedures in order to diminish any risk. Wet clay also can host mold growth and bacteria, and therefore can trigger allergies in some people.
An impressive array of 250 members use the facility at MudFire, along with 20 resident artists who share a separate studio behind the main space. They offer around 18 classes and 57 hours of open studio time per week, which allows for many local ceramicists and potters to take advantage of their resources. One-time classes enable prospective students to try out wheel throwing and hand-building for themselves.
Dail chuckled knowingly as she told me that some of her students try a one-off class for the first time after already buying the materials to start making pottery at home. “One of the funniest things we constantly hear is when folks come in to do the class, spend 1.5 to 2 hours, and they make a tiny little pot. They tell me it’s harder than they thought it was going to be.”
The education that members, students, and resident artists receive at MudFire is not limited to the act of creation. Dail explained that it is a core focus to act as a business incubator of sorts, to address the needs of emerging artists.
Many who graduate with ceramics degrees might not know how to market themselves, how to track the hours that their creations make, and how to price their finished pieces. Additionally, all who step foot in the doors at MudFire gain an appreciation for the amount of work that goes into handmade ceramics and pottery.
An annual tradition
One of MudFire’s most beloved annual traditions is their MudFire Holiday Sale. From the weekend after Thanksgiving through the first half of December, they sell resident artists’ handmade goods in their newly refurbished gallery space. In one corner you can see a stone wall inlaid with stained glass, a nod to the building’s history as a stained glass studio
Lining shelves and tables are hundreds – if not thousands – of ceramic creations crafted within the walls of MudFire Studio and Gallery. Whether you’re in the market for functional ceramics, such as mugs, bowls, and plates, or something more decorative like an ornament or a vase, there are plenty of unique and high-quality ceramics available for purchase.
“A lot of potters fall in love with making handmade functional work, and hands down our best sellers are mugs,” said Dail. “People love mugs.”
Supporting local artists
For many of the artists who find a home at MudFire, the Holiday Sale is one of their first forays into selling their goods to the public. It also can introduce shoppers to the concept of buying handmade items that were created by local artists, rather than shopping in a faceless, big box store.
“We are so disconnected from so many things in our daily lives. We don’t know where they are coming from, so when you have a mug that you use everyday and you know the maker and how they made the piece, there’s something magical there,” Dail told me.
For some who first encounter MudFire Studio and Gallery during the annual Holiday Sale, the experience is actually a catalyst to try ceramics and pottery as a maker themselves.
There is a natural sort of progression at work here, from a person’s initial introduction to clay-based art forms in the gallery which can lead to someone trying the art form for the first time. Dail has seen it time and time again – someone comes in to take a one-off class, or to buy something from the gallery, and is inspired to become a member or a resident artist.
MudFire Studio and Gallery is more than just a makerspace for established artists. It offers an opportunity to try something new. It’s a home for local ceramic and pottery artists. It’s a resource for the community and neighbors who appreciate handmade goods. And it’s got really good vibes, too.
So if you’re still in the market for gifts this holiday season, don’t miss your chance to shop the incredible array of handmade ceramics at the MudFire Holiday Sale. The sale is open through Sun., Dec. 22. For hours of operations and more details, check out the MudFire website.