Birlow Ceramics

Birlow Ceramics is a collaboration of partners Bill Hudnut and Thom Graves. Their studio is nestled in the Adirondack woods near a mountain lake, and the natural environment serves as inspiration for their current line of functional ceramics. Bill, a seasoned ceramics artist with a background in architecture, creates the shapes and forms out of dark brown stoneware. Thom, who studied illustration in college, then uses the forms as a clay “canvas” on which he “paints” his abstract designs.

In developing this play of light vs. dark, many prototypes were made and extensive glaze testing was conducted to achieve a palette reminiscent of the bay waters and local context. Each handmade object embraces the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi — finding beauty in the imperfect, tranquility in the simple — and is evident by the finger marks, hand-shaped rims, and flowing glazes unique to each piece.