Dirty South Pottery

Dirty South Pottery Made-from-scratch pottery created in the heart of Kentucky. Shop in store or online
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06/24/2026

Another Week as a Full Time Potter - Day 2

I’m not only a potter in this company, but a co-owner & the acting CEO, COO, CFO & about another 20 titles for the company. So one day a week I dedicate to all the administrative jobs that must be done to keep the company running smoothly.

These tasks include: Paying bills, ordering packing & shipping supplies, updating our website, submitting orders for third party items, making production lists, paying sales tax, creating social media posts, scheduling out content, photographing our work, creating graphics for projects, planning upcoming events, answering emails, creating & sending invoices to our partners, solving issues, finding new suppliers when needed, making new website listings, submitting market applications, sending IRS payments, payroll duties, doing odd jobs in the studio, helping with shipments on heavy days, updating various profiles online, and hosting quarterly meetings to make sure our team is on track.

Today included these tasks: Pay bills, create production list, make & email new candle order, update our Pottery Studio Essentials list, submit monthly sales tax form & pay, solve issues with AT&T account, create reels & plan social media posts, and research new potential add-on to our website.

Our team also took a rare out-of-studio lunch break to visit a newly opened spot, Mady’s Bagels. Mine was 10/10, and I can’t wait to go back for a breakfast sandwich.

This isn’t the most visually exciting day of the week as a potter, but it is absolutely crucial that I have this time to take care of the back end of our business. Being a creative person/ tends to mean that doing the bookkeeping and paperwork is hard, however it must be done to keep the business afloat.

06/23/2026

Another Week as a Full Time Potter - Day 1

My weeks start with a full day of glazing. Because we are a small studio, the area we have for glazing is rather small so Carvel & I take turns spending a full day each week glazing.

I start by looking at our current inventory, current wholesale orders, and upcoming limited releases to see what needs to be prioritized. This week I am preparing for a limited release that’s coming up, so those mugs are the biggest part of my day. Along with them I have several Everything Plates, Dinner Plates & a few random items.

Step one is to use an air compressor to blow off any dirt or debris from the pieces. We don’t have easy access to water this far back in our studio, so this is our alternative to dunking into water. I’ll stamp every piece with our maker’s mark using a glaze ink pad & a custom stamp, and this round of special mugs get an extra stamp.

From there it is time to wax the bottom of the pieces to prevent glaze from adhering to that part of the pottery. For most, we will use our heated wax method. But for the Dinner Plates, I’ll hand apply a different kind of wax resist.
From there, I spend the day mixing up each glaze thoroughly, and dunking pieces. I usually only do 3-4 pieces before I will remix the glaze to ensure it hasn’t thinned or separated.

Repeat for about 6-7 hours.

At the end of the day, I’ll load up our bigger kiln to be fired to Cone 6. This usually takes me about 20-30 minutes, depending on a few factors. Once that’s done, we close up the kiln, turn on the exhaust, set the kiln off, and record the details on our kiln calendar.

Come back tomorrow to see what an Administration Day for a small pottery shop looks like.

06/22/2026

COMING SOON: Americana Mugs . $40 each . June 27th . 10:00 am EDT . In store & online

The Americana Mug was born from a brainstorming session between our two owners, going back and forth on what ideals, imagery, and themes that we value most from our nation. What we kept coming back to is what some folks call Americana: the music, the style, the attitude.

What we love about Americana is that it is born from the foundation of America being a melting pot. From Indigenous Peoples, to the Black community, to Europeans who became Appalachian & every single person who ventured here; we are the sum of all of those who came before us.

For these mugs, we wanted to focus on the iconography that we know as American, but with our own artistic imprinting. You’ll find both stars & stripes on them, with the iconic 3 colors of our country. But instead of vivid versions, we opted for a muted palette that feels warm & warn in, like something that has been around for a while. A comfortable pair of your favorite blue jeans, ready for another adventure into the wild.

We also created a stamp for the bottom, marking them as a celebration of our nation’s 250th anniversary.

These mugs were handmade by our artist, Ashley. They will hold 12-14 oz comfortably, are dishwasher & microwave safe.

06/18/2026

Have you seen Bigfoot?

The mystical creature is a source of conversation around our studio. Are they real? Are they aliens? Interdimensional walkers? Ghost of a Neanderthal man?

No matter what, they have become a symbol of mystery, of remote places, and maybe whimsy.

Shown: Bigfoot Mug ($38) . Sasquatch Towel ($12) . Sasquatch Hat ($32) . All available on our website

06/17/2026

10+ years developing this method, and it hasn’t failed us yet. 🤞🏻

1. Quality Magnets
2. Quick drying epoxy - we won’t use anything other than this brand! No negotiations.
3. A small dollop (little pea size) goes a long way
Smoosh (official term) a plain magnet with one with epoxy, to coat each. If your project only requires one circle magnet, still do the smoosh method! Just do it for two.
4. Say it with me: twist, twist, twist - push
5. Repeat.
6. Put off to the side, and keep going!

We’ve made magnets like this for over a decade and have never had one fail us. This method can be used on other ceramic projects, we used it for years on cake stands.

All supplies are linked here: https://www.dirtysouthpottery.com/blogs/the-lady-of-the-south/pottery-studio-essentials

Would you give it a try?

06/13/2026

Today is the day to be in downtown Wi******er! Beer Cheese Festival is happening from 10-5pm today and today ONLY. You can sample beer cheeses from vendors (tickets needed) or just shop around & enjoy the food & beverages. Parking is available in surrounding areas, but don’t forget that there is a FREE shuttle service that picks up from Robert Campbell & Conkwright Schools.

Carvel is out front throwing on the wheel, and we have our Beer Cheese Bowls available now both in-store & online. Grab your sunscreen & head to our neighborhood!

06/12/2026

Just added - a Rainbow/Spectrum version of the Kentucky Mosaic Magnet ($20 each).

These are a continuation of the mosaic line that we introduced in April, and we are in love with the way they turned out. So vivid! 💛🧡❤️💜💙💚

Available in our shop & online (our website -> Special Releases -> Kentucky Mosaic Magnets)

06/11/2026

You can’t talk Kentucky history without one of its icons: Beer Cheese

What is it? First and foremost it is a bright orange cheesy spread that has its origins in Clark County, KY - where we live. Everyone has a different recipe, but overall it is sharp cheese with a mix of garlic, peppers, dry mustard and secret blends. Though we have traveled around the US and found beer cheese on menus, most of what we have tasted outside of the state is more runny than what we deem as authentic beer cheese.

The history of beer cheese is much like that of bourbon: a little contentious. Though several businesses/brands/families lay claim to the honors of being the first, it is widely considered true that the Allman’s were the first to mix it up at their restaurant in Clark County.

Personally, I am more interested in what I can eat today than the prize of who came first.

For me, as a life-long Wi******er resident I definitely have my preferences. I like the hot versions the best, with a thicker consistency that doesn’t move when you scoop it. Currently, our household’s favorite is Full Circle Market’s Hot Beer Cheese, but we also like Kentucky Beer Cheese.

And wouldn’t you know it, this Saturday June 13th is the annual Beer Cheese Festival in downtown Wi******er - right outside of our door! We will be releasing an updated version of our Beer Cheese Bowl, as well as doing live demonstrations on our wheel out front. You can try beer cheese from a row of vendors, shop local goods, enjoy music & entertainment, and sip on a beer from this year’s sponsor, Mirror Twin.

Visit the Beer Cheese Festival’s official website for all the details.

06/10/2026

COMING SOON: Beer Cheese Bowl . $25 . Saturday June 13th . 10:00 am

It’s time again for the Beer Cheese Festival in downtown Wi******er, which means that we will have our classic Beer Cheese Bowl back in stock. We have updated the coloring this year, and I think this one is going to stick around for a bit.

Bluegrass Blue satin glaze coats this bowl, with the lettering popping in white. It can hold a 8 oz container of beer cheese comfortably, and is dishwasher & microwave safe.

Will be released in-store & online at the same time. No preorders or holds.

Address

38 N Main Street
Wi******er, KY
40391

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+18597490314

Website

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