Feeatured Potters Jim and Shirl Parmentier

We have followed Jim and Shirl Parmentier for about 15 years. We were thrilled to finally get the opportunity to meet them and to have some of their work for our gallery.

Shirl and Jim have been making pottery together since 1975. They work on their vessels as a team, both in design and in the making of the pieces. They live in western North Carolina.

Their vessels are made with a high fired stoneware clay body. The clay body is transformed into vessels using coils and slabs of clays.They make their coils with an extruder and roll slabs of clay and cut them into the desired shape.

The slabs are scored and coils added for the foot and neck of the piece. After forming the shape of  each vessel is altered with files and rasps while it is in the hardening state of drying then they alter the surface by carving designs into the piece.

Their pieces are glazed with ash glazes by dipping, spraying or pouring then fired in a gas car kiln which takes about 18 hours from start to finish. Slow cooling takes another 36 hours before the kiln can be opened. The glaze results with a gas kiln are always a true mystery and surprise.

These two potters have won many awards and teach whenever they get the opportunity.

See more of their pottery on our website by clicking here.

- Janet Francoeur