About us
Since 1988 Pure & Simple Pottery Products has been solving problems for studio potters around the world. Our tools make clay work easier, freeing up time and energy for the fun and creative heart of what we all do as artists…create.
I started my career in clay as an apprentice at a production pottery studio in Sonoma, California. While making dinnerware using the traditional methods, I came to realize that the process did not create a scenario where you could make a living wage. It was just too laborious. So finding a new solution to make the process easier and more productive was my first goal. The tools on the market at that time did not address many of these studio problems. Besides wanting an easier and more profitable way of making lids and plates, I wanted a locking plaster bat that would instantly be centered and secure. Many long hours at the wheel gave me time to work out the ideas in my head and gradually the designs took shape.
I soon came up with the “Quick-Release” wheel head attachment which gave me the locking mechanism that I needed and an economical way to produce a superior plaster bat. The Quick-Release Bat Mold System, a staple of Pure & Simple Pottery Products, has made thousands of studio potters clay work less difficult and more profitable - freeing up time for creativity.
My next challenge was to improve my productivity in Hand Building using my new slab roller. I began making my own molds but found the process was complicated, time consuming and messy. I then realized I could create a reversible design that would offer twice the benefit: a slump and a hump mold and for one affordable price. This would solve not only my studio problems, but those of other potters, as well. The “SlumpHump" molds were a hit and the product line grew over the years to include molds for platters, plates, trays and baking dishes.
Clay is indeed a difficult way to make a living - my parents were right about that! Yet, seeing how many studio potters and schools have utilized and integrated these simple tools to better their success and profitability, has been such a tremendous reward over the years. We may not get rich in this business, but if we love what we do and can create the lifestyle we want, we have a richness that goes well beyond what money can buy. It is not then just our work, but our life’s work.
Here’s to your creative success!
-Sheila Jenkins
We craft the tools for the craft
