Terry Porlier

When Terry attended the University of Washington, his original major was Ceramic Engineering. Then, just to try something different, he signed up for art classes and so his minor became . . . yep you guessed it . . . art. So, Terry has a real different ‘take’ on clay and art! He is always telling people that every piece he makes ‘is just a test’ . . . and hopefully when he opens that kiln . . . it will be Christmas with the perfect ‘test’ being beautiful.
 
When he graduated from the U, there were no Ceramic Engineering jobs in Washington State and so he bought his first small ceramic business. Terry became a Certified Art Instructor of Ceramics and Pottery with the National Ceramic Manufacturer’s Association – teaching people nationally how to decorate clay products. Eventually he purchased his supplier of clays, glazes, etc. That business was regional and supplied schools, military bases, ceramic studios and potters in Washington, Idaho, Alaska, Oregon, Hawaii and Canada. You have probably seen a lot of brick on a number of buildings in town with black and white color (glaze) on them. Yep, Terry manufactured that glaze for the brick manufacturer – Mutual Materials.
 
True to his nature, today, Terry still does ‘commission work’ whether artistic or technical.
 
When he brought his wife into the business, she started suggesting what she thought might be good products to develop and so . . . true to his nature and wanting to keep his wife happy . . . he created a number of copy-written and Trademarked products, including Hydrostatic Planters, Crystalli Glaze and the porcelain product to compliment it, and then StoneSoup, a stoneware slip clay for people who knew a lot about working with molds and nothing about working with stoneware.
 
As a couple of youngsters, having no clue what they were doing, they proceeded to take StoneSoup Line of products international, and the rest is history. He designed and developed the Hydrostatic Planters (a self watering planter), Crystalli glaze line of High fire porcelain and StoneSoup. He also manufactured specialty products for the Westin Hotels and technical products for The Boeing Company.
 
Terry was commissioned to make a large mural for the Snowy Owl Theater.  The mural is made up of 77, 12” hexagonal tiles representing the Basalt pinnacle rocks here in the NCW valley.  There are four different tiles ranging in thickness of ¾” to 2 ½”.  This gives the mural depth and again represent the Basalt pinnacle rocks.
 
Today Terry only thinks he is retired! He is still teaching young and mature alike how to do ceramics and pottery. He has opened his “Art Studio” in Leavenworth, WA (Leavenworth Pottery, LLC) and does what he loves most – helping and teaching people to understand different clays, different temperatures, what will work and what doesn’t work.  He also finds local clays and uses them in his pottery.
 
You can find him at Pybus Market on most Saturdays from 10am - 3pm.
 
There are those in our community that call him “The Clay Wizard”!
 

Contact Information

Website: 
 http://www.leavenworthpottery.com/

Email: 
 tporlier@wildblue.net

Phone: 
 (509) 548-2057

Address: 
The Art Studio,
PO Box 295
Leavenworth, WA  98826