Nancy Kula has taught high school art since 1980 at Anamosa, IA, the birthplace of Grant Wood, the creator of American Gothic. In those years, she has helped thousands of students learn how to throw on the wheel. She gave every pot she threw on the wheel at school away to those students because she felt they should enjoy what may become a once in a lifetime pottery experience.

Now, Nancy would like to share her personal work with you. Each vessel is a one of a kind earthenware piece hand thrown by Nancy Kula on a wheel in her farm studio.

After the clay is thrown and trimmed by hand into a beautiful form, each piece is kiln fired to 1915º. This particular firing technique was taught to Nancy by Christine McHorse of Taos, New Mexico. Christine's work can be found at the Denver Museum of Natural History; Museum of New Mexico; National Museum of American Art of the Smithsonian Institution; Navajo Nation Museum; Rockwell Museum of Western Art.

Each pot is sanded and then fired again in oak sawdust and certain chemical reactors, where the fire and smoke creates an original pattern on each pottery piece.

After each piece is allowed to cool for 24 hours, the pots are cleaned by hand. Five coats of varnish are applied.

Four final coats of lacquer are applied to create a lustre and shine to each piece. A certificate of authenticity is included with each pot ordered.

These pieces are not considered waterproof, so if you want to use these pieces as vases, put a glass jar inside to hold water.

Because Nancy will continue her nationally-award winning teaching career, once these pieces are sold out, they will not be recreated until the next summer. Every year Nancy Kula will update her forms and firing techniques offered, so you will have a limited edition piece with every order.


Dimensions are the size of the base, height, and the widest part of the pot in inches. Weight is in pounds.