My name is James Lewis and I am the founder of Jamesware Ceramics.
I have been working with clay for over twenty-five years, starting as a potter in high school. I can easily recall the first time I watched someone throw a simple vase on the potter’s wheel, an art teacher who loved to pot–it was awe-inspiring to me, something I needed to try, and just like that, I was hooked!
About Jamesware Ceramics
In my experience, hand-thrown pottery is perfectly suited to experimentation and innovation, every piece offering the opportunity to create something unique. Over the years, I’ve made hundreds of bowls, serving dishes, casseroles, plates, cups, and vases. Many of the shapes that I have created respond to needs I've had in the kitchen or things that I’ve wanted in my home. Success or failure has been determined over time—I end up loving this bowl for cereal, that one for salads, this one for serving pasta...I've figured out what works best for me through trial and error.
Jamesware Ceramics brings together what I have learned over the years and provides the means of sharing my pieces more broadly.
The Process
Small-batch, production pottery involves a great deal of craftsmanship and attention to detail—after the pieces are molded, they need to be trimmed, sponged, stamped by hand, and glazed individually. While there is a drive towards uniformity and consistency in making these pieces, they are all hand-made, introducing slight differences and variations in their finish, color, and shading; no two pieces are exactly alike, each is ultimately unique.
