About KJ Pottery
WE ARE LOCAL
KJ Pottery operates out of a simple studio in the Hillyard neighborhood of Spokane, Washington. Our small team is composed of everyday folks who decided to turn their enjoyment of making things into a pretty sweet day job. When you purchase a KJ piece, know that it was made with love by real hands, which your transaction helps to sustain.
WE ARE
WOMAN-OWNED
What began as Kelsey Johnson throwing pottery for her friends as a student side-hustle, was eventually established as KJ Pottery in 2015. Kelsey remains the sole owner and artistic director of our studio, in addition to being a therapist and a passionate dog-owner. What Kelsey has literally built from her own two hands not only allows her to pursue what she loves, but also feeds her soul in how she gets to care for you, our customers, by crafting something beautiful and meaningful for you to enjoy.
WE ARE
COMMUNAL
Think of all of the conversations that the dishes in your home or establishment will bear witness to over a lifetime. Birthdays, morning cups of coffee, warm bowls of soup on a cold winter’s night; anniversaries, tearful goodbyes, conversations in which relationships are born or in which they end. We can’t think of anything more beautiful than inspiring people to connect and be together, which is exactly what our wares are meant to do.
WE ARE
HANDMADE
In an era where everyday household items are mass produced and sold cheaply, KJ Pottery maintains that there is still significant value in a handmade, artisan piece. Every piece takes intentional time and individual skill to create. We want you to be able to boast a piece that is inviting and striking to anyone who uses it.
OUR TEAM
Katy
Katy joined our team in 2024 as our packing/shipping extraordinaire. She loves being a part of a small team, where every member is working on a step of the process each day. Katy finds delight in staff meeting Mondays and organizing shit. Beyond her packing prowess, she's a plant-based health coach and cooking class instructor. An outdoor adventurer at heart, Katy can be found trail running with her husband, bike packing, climbing mountains and rocks, urging the kale in her garden to grow faster, burning marshmallows over a fire and convincing her tiny human to not get too far ahead when they're backpacking.
Aaron
Aaron has been our jack-of-trades around the studio for a couple of years, but is mainly our production guy. He loves the color pink, has an insatiable sweet tooth, and a good sense of humor (well, he likes to think so anyway). While generally found slapping some clay around into familiar shapes, he’s usually entranced in a fantasy audiobook, a sociological or theological podcast, or an unhinged deep dive into an obscure topic.
Michael
Michael is our glaze guy. He can be found waxing and glazing wares while admirably resisting the urge to acquire every freshly fired creation. When he's not in the studio, Michael can be found doing home improvement projects or exploring the outdoors with his pups. Whether hiking through scenic trails or gardening, his ankle biters are by his side, eager to make new friends and leave their mark on the world.
WE ARE
PURPOSEFUL
When you receive a KJ piece, you’ll notice that it is lovely to hold and look at in addition to being high quality, and well-made. The truth is, making pottery is simply what we do, but bringing joy, meaning, and purpose to your life is why we do it. You can trust that each ware is designed with specific intention and made by hands who care about doing good in the world and taking care of others.