Bill Van Gilder - Trimming Plates

Bill van Gilder has been a professional potter for more than 30 years. With his home, studio and kilns in Gapland, MD, Bill travels widely giving pottery workshops and collaborating with John Thies on their kiln building projects. Bill has served on the faculty of The Art League, Alexandria, VA, and is founder/director of The Frederick Pottery School, Frederick, MD. He also writes a Teaching Techniques column for Clay Times magazine and is the creator, writer, and host of Throwing Clay, the DIY Network Television series about making pottery.

         "I make pottery with the hope and anticipation that the pots will invite use.  By using a slow momentum kick wheel, soft clays, and a wood-fueled kiln, I pursue the casual nuance of form and surface I admire so much in some historical pots. I make multiples of similar pots, and within each series there is discovery.  The process is complete when the pot is held in the hand, connecting the maker to the user -- a subtle form of communication and enough reason for me to make pots again."  van Gilder Pottery

You can find Bill's pottery here at The Cooley Gallery or at our online store