Horsehair Pottery

Horsehair pottery is made by removing a pot from the kiln at 1200° F. and draping horsehairs over it. The hairs burn their own unique pattern onto the surface of the pot. Though horsehair is usually used for this process because it is long and coarse, it is possible to use human hair, pet hair, and even feathers, each creating a different type of mark.

Horsehair pottery is an ideal gift for a horse-lover, or a perfect memento of your own horse. I can decorate a pot using my own supply of horsehair, or you can have a pot made using a few hairs from your own horse. Whether you are celebrating a new equine companion or memorializing one who has passed on, a pot decorated with hair from a special horse makes a permanent one-of-a-kind memento.

Horsehair pottery is unglazed and should not be used to hold water. All pots shown are hand-made. For my horsehair pots, I often use micaceous clay, which is traditionally used by Pueblo Indians for cookware.

This clay contains bits of mica, which makes it naturally beautiful and also makes it resistant to the shock of being taken out of a hot kiln.

Pots decorated with (clockwise from upper right)

• feathers
• horsehair
• dog hair
• human hair