Hi there! My name is Evan Twichell, I'm a potter from Minneapolis, MN. I make pottery and teach pottery classes and workshops in my community. I'm working towards a long time goal of having my own at home pottery studio and am currently saving money to purchase my very own pottery kiln! I currently teach and fire my pottery out of a lovely community studio in Golden Valley, MN. It's a great place to teach and work out of; with so many potters and unique pottery around, there's inspiration everywhere. However I am limited in the firing schedule and firing types that the community studio sets. With my own kiln, I'd be able to expand my pottery business in a multitude of ways!

The Why

For one my gas bill would take a niiice little dive into a more comfortable range. With schlepping my pottery back and forth from home to the studio and back again, I do a lot of traveling with my pots. Not only would this decrease trips but also decrease chances of my pottery getting damaged en-route when I have to slam on my brakes for crazy drivers (yes it has happened, it is mad stressful to drive with pottery). Save the planet and my blood pressure and help me buy a kiln!!!

I'd also be able to do different types of firing. Different clays and glazes fire to different temperatures so I'd be able to broaden the range of my pottery work. I have also started doing a lot of glaze testing and ceramic chemistry experiments and being able to fire to different temperatures would be instrumental in deepening my knowledge of the super fun chemistry that is ceramics. Do it for science and my mad scientist aspirations and help me buy a kiln!!!

Lastly having my own kiln would speed up my process and reduce kiln mishaps that can happen in a community pottery studio. No more waiting around for the next scheduled firing at the community studio, I could do a firing back to back to back to back until the end of time! So many pots!!! And no more ruined pots; when your pottery is next to someone else's in the kiln who used the wrong type of clay or glaze, your stuff gets melted on or gets ceramic shrapnel from an exploding neighbor. Save my pots from shrapnel and help me buy a kiln!!!!

The Kiln

The kiln type I'm hoping to acquire would be something comparable to the Skutt model 1027-3 which currently run for about $4,900. I'll also need to upgrade my home's electrical capacity from 100 to 200 amps which I have quotes for from $3,000-$5,000. Along with your help I am also saving towards this goal so I've sent the Gofundme amount at $8000.

Top kiln name choices so far: The Brave Little Toaster, Val Kilner (RIP loved you in Willow), The Heat Miser, Brick Sanchez, Kiln Bill, and Kilny McKilnface. I am taking suggestions for other names so please let me know if you have any ideas!

If you want to see a little more of me and my pottery journey head to my website.

*Disclaimer: no raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or returns on investment are offered in exchange for any donations made.