Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

During the off-season months (October-April) our showroom hours vary. It is best to phone ahead. Call 701.872.3855.

Prairie Fire Potter has been in business in Beach, North Dakota since 1995. However, we have been making and selling pottery since 1985.

Yes, we do. As long as we have enough staff working, we'll be happy to give you a tour.

Phone: 701.872.3855. 
Email: info@prairiefirepottery.com
Website: http://www.prairiefirepottery.com
Mail: PO Box 190, Beach, ND 58621

Sorry, we do not give lessons.

Yes, Prairie Fire Pottery donates to a variety of fundraising events. But we try to be both fair and accommodating to the many requests we receive. This means we may not donate repeatedly to the same events or organizations. This allows us to more widely distribute our limited donation budget.

Pottery can be kiln-fired to a variety of temperatures. The higher the temperature, the stronger the pottery. We fire our kiln to 2400° or Cone 10. At this temperature pottery is considered high-fired. For reference, 2400° is the same temperature the Space Shuttle would reach on re-entry to the Earth’s atmosphere. It is nearly white heat. Aside from added strength, firing to this temperature also produces the most beautiful, fluid, and complex glazed surfaces possible.

The best way to answer this often-asked question is to lay out both arguments. On one hand, the interior of a dishwasher is a harsh environment. In order to thoroughly scrub pots and pans dishwasher soaps are made abrasive. Over time, exposure to these abrasives can etch or dull the surface of practically anything.

On the other hand, high-fired pottery like ours is very tough stuff and will stand up well even in dishwashers. But over time (and here we are talking years), some dulling of the surface might occur. The determining factor is time. Frequent exposure to a dishwasher (on a daily basis) will produce a greater risk than will infrequent exposure which has very little risk.

Our advice? Don’t worry about it. Enjoy your high-fired pottery. It’s tough stuff and made to be used.

Yes, absolutely. If your coffee has cooled off, don’t hesitate to pop your mug into a microwave and warm it back to temperature. Now, placing pottery into a conventional oven requires a bit more caution. But microwaves are not a problem.

We offer two kinds of pottery, overware and decorative. Our overware pieces are the Loaf Pan and the Bread Baker. Both are designed specifically for baking and can be placed directly into a hot oven. But this is not recommended for our decorative pottery. Here, if you have to put them into the oven, it should be a cold oven. Then let the pottery pre-heat with the oven. What you want to guard against is thermal shock - going too suddenly from one temperature to another. But, yes, with our decorative pottery there is some risk of cracking.

Yes, completely. We do not even own any lead.

The smaller electric kiln, which is the first firing, transforms the pottery from greenware to bisqueware. That firing takes about 7 hours. It will take another 24 to 36 hours to cool. The big gas kiln, the second firing, takes from 12 to 14 hours, not including a slow, overnight warm up. It will take about 3 days to cool.

Pottery-making is both an art and a science. In order to arrive at a pallet of rich glaze colors, a good deal of time must be invested in understanding glaze chemistry. It is all about the recipe and the delicate balance of its ingredients. For the most part, these ingredients are all finely-ground rock and minerals. Some of these, for example, will cause the glaze to melt, others will inhibit melting. Some will form clear glass, while others will produce opacity. It is only through experimentation and testing that glaze colors are slowly developed. In addition, every glaze must be paired with the clay body. Specifically, their rates of thermal expansion and contraction must be closely matched. If one expands/contracts too quickly or too slowly, bad things can happen like cracking and crazing.

All of the glazes used at Prairie Fire Pottery are made from scratch, based on original recipes. We do not use any commercial glazes.

The next big factor in producing vivid glaze colors is how the kiln is fired. Tama fires to 2400° (Cone 10) in a reduction atmosphere. The term “reduction” is referring to the amount of free oxygen that is made available to the kiln during the firing process. By reducing the amount of free oxygen, the forces of combustion seek out and strip away molecular oxygen held in chemical bond within the very clay and glazes themselves. This is a transformative event that dramatically changes the look of the pottery.

First, ceramic glazes are not paint. They are ground rock and minerals. They have many of the same properties as clay itself. Hence, they can be readily blended together. Once carefully measured and mixed with water, glazes take on the look of muddy water. Their thickness or viscosity can also be controlled which further affects their appearance when fired. Some glazes have a color tint, but most are monochromatic. Color will appear only after firing. When applied to the clay body, glazes absorb into the pours of the clay. During the firing process the clay and glaze become fused into one.

Tama received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. During those years she was fortunate to work closely with Japanese ceramist, Kesuke Ueno, from whom she learned much about glaze development and kiln firing.

We utilize a variety of production techniques including wheel-throwing, hand building, and pressing.

Yes, absolutely. And that goes for every product in our showroom. Everything at Prairie Fire Pottery is made in America.

Yes. There are a couple of different ways we do it. Our production pieces (these are items that we replicate in large quantities) are stamped with a pottery mark. Whereas our one-of-a-kind pieces have an inscribed signature and date.

In addition to the pottery mark or inscribed signature, every piece will have the mark of the production assistant who also worked on that piece. These symbols will vary. You might see, for example, a musical note or a turtle. Each one is associated with different production assistant.

Sometimes, but not often.

Yes, we can certainly make a multi-piece dinner set. The best way to proceed is to phone or email us with your request. We will arrange a meeting with Tama to discuss all the details and timeline.

Yes, we can put together complete dinner ware sets in various quantities and glaze combinations. For that, it is best to contact us and we’ll have you discuss the details directly with Tama.

Yes, we do. We try to keep a assortment of styles and sizes on hand including smaller urns for dividing ashes or for pets.

Our packing skills are second to none. Next to the beauty of our pottery, we are best known for our superb packing. Each pottery order is stretch wrapped securely onto a thick corrugated cardboard flat that fits snugly into a cardboard box. Its contents are further protected by an assortment of foam, packing peanuts, and large bubble packs. It is a rare event when we have pottery damaged in shipping. By “rare” I mean something on the order of one claim every 3 or 4 years. Rest assured, your pottery will be well protected.

Shipping costs are calculated by weight, zip code, and package dimensions. We offer UPS, Fed Ex, or U.S. Postal Service delivery. We do not charge any packing or handling fees.

During checkout you will be given the choice of UPS, Fed Ex, or U.S. Postal Service. Within each service there will be a variety of options to select from.

Contact us immediately. We will notify the carrier and handle all the details. We will also work with you in determining if you would like a replacement piece or a refund. Damage claims are rare. But when they happen we’ll step in and make it good.

Yes. We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on every purchase. If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase you may return it for a refund, exchange, or store credit within 30 days of purchase.

We accept all major credit cards.