Sheffield Pottery

Sheffield Pottery is an oasis for potters, from professionals to barely-​hobbyists like myself. They have items from local potters for sale, ranging from «Um, I could make this in my sleep» to «Holy Clay Gods, how did you make this?!» and everything in between. The prices, for the most part, are affordable and should be considered a steal for how much work is put into making the individuals pieces.
While you may find inspiration in the pieces on display in the store, downstairs is where the fun lives. First of all, there’s a cat. He’s friendly and cute and wants to be pet. He may follow you around and mew if you’re ignoring him. Second of all, they have just about every tool you’ve ever (or never) heard of. They’re better quality than you’ll find at the generic artsy box stores and better prices than you’ll get at your local actual-​art-​supply store. I came across texture plates that I wanted to buy in bulk.
My one complaint (and the reason this review is 4 stars instead of 5) is that they didn’t have any molds in stock. I asked the lovely woman who was helping us where the molds were and she said «You know, we don’t have any in stock. I’m not sure why, since a lot of people ask for them.» and pointed us to a catalog. I was very disappointed. Without knowing the size or quality of the molds, I didn’t want to spend my time ordering something and having it paid to be shipped to me. Even if they just had molds on display, that would make a world of difference to me.

We always try to stop here and browse the pottery store when we are in the area. They have some really nice American-​made pottery by local artists. I love to browse around the store, and I usually come home with something unusual and beautiful. They also make specialty items like personalized mugs and plates for birthdays, anniversaries, etc. (just ask).

So let’s just say you aren’t a teacher and can’t get a lock on a good, solid supply of clay. And you don’t want to pay craft store prices for something that you need an awful lot of for your project. What do you do? If you leave anywhere near Massachusetts, you go online to
and order up yourself some clay. Need tools? They got ‘em. Need some kind of obscure custom blend? No problem. And if you just happen to be a school teacher, you’re in luck: there are discounts for you. The rest of us pay retail. Unless we buy in bulk.
If you are planning to build a cob house, pour a clay tennis court, or use clay in any large-​scale setting, Sheffield can accommodate.
Delivery can take a while if you order something they don’t have in stock. It took me more than a week to get what I ordered — my item was custom and I had them ship it when I could have saved time by picking it up. If you are not sure what kind of clay you should buy, it is a good idea to give them a call. They’re always happy to help, even if they have to call you back (they’re a small company and can’t always get to every call as it comes in).