Ceramics Kilns & Studio
The Ceramics areas at the GEP are divided into three main areas: Our upper outdoor kiln area, our side electric and methane power kilns shed (New! - under construction for 2025), and our indoor lab for classroom instruction.
UPPER WOOD-FIRE KILN AREA:
Our Upper outdoor kiln area houses two wood-firing kilns. An Anagama Pottery Kiln is based on ancient Japanese designs and American inspiration. The 200 cubic foot kiln is fired using wood and waste vegetable oil as fuels and consistently reaches temperatures of 2400 degrees F (Cone 10).
A second kiln is used for salt & soda-fired pottery, while the main chamber is reserved for traditional wood firing.
Both kilns were designed and built by Preston and Sara Tolbert of Hemlock Pottery. https://www.hemlockpottery.com
GAS & ELECTRIC KILN SHED:
New for 2025! We have plans to initiate a new outdoor area to house both electric and methane gas-powered kilns. An enclosed area will also house a pug-mill mixer for clay-making.
THE INDOOR LAB:
Our newly renovated indoor lab space will act as a multi-genre instructional space for a variety of the creative arts classes we plan to offer to the public in the coming future.
Hand and slab-building classes are in the works for this space, which currently houses a slab roller and basic ceramic instruction equipment and tables for both instructional and studio practice.
KILN FEATURES:
200 cubic feet Anagama Kiln.
Free-standing cubit feet salt kiln
20 cubic feet: salt-fired chamber
Cone 10 temperatures (2400 degrees F); higher temperatures possible
Passive, down-draft design
Kiln rental includes access to the GEP gallery for product sales.
AVAILABILITY:
Dates for use must be secured at least 1 month in advance
Qualified *Fire Boss required for all firings.
(*) A Fire Boss leads the kiln-firing effort and gives direction to the group on the placement of pots, temperature profiles, and firing schedule. Several GEP-approved potters offer services as a Fire Boss. Fees vary and are based on the size and scope of firing.
Potters experienced with wood firing can serve as their own Fire Boss.
CERAMIC KILN RATES:
Salt Chamber (20 cu ft) — $75
Main Wood Chamber (200 cu ft) — $300
Kiln rental is calculated at roughly $2/cu ft and does not include fuel. Renters can bring their own wood or purchase wood from the GEP at market prices.
We encourage both public and private use. Rental is open to schools, professional potters, general artists, hobbyists, groups of individuals, and more.
CERAMIC STUDIO CLASSES:
As we pursue the development of greater ceramic facilities at the GEP. One of our goals or first steps is to begin offering basic ceramic classes for our ever-growing community. Please look out for new offerings in 2025!
Glass Studio
The GEP Glass studio is divided into three areas: Glass Blowing, Lamp Working, and Stained Glass.
The main creative glass pursuit at the park is Glass blowing and we are host to one of the only hot shops in the world that uses landfill gas as a renewable, carbon-neutral fuel to heat the glory holes.
Our contemporary glass-blowing studio is available for rent on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis to qualified glass artists. Using landfill gas allows us to offer professional quality working studios at a very reasonable cost.
GLASS BLOWING STUDIO FEATURES:
HOT SHOP FEATURES:
1100 sq ft hot shop
400lb Stadelman electric furnace
Two glory holes fired on methane gas from the landfill
Two annealing ovens
Color box
Torches and tables
Pipe cooler
Garage
Hand tools – jacks, diamond shears, paddles, blocks, etc.
COLD SHOP FEATURES:
400 sq ft cold working shop
Diamond blade tile saw
Diamond blade band saw
Polishing arbor
Pumice/Diamond pad wheel
Dynafile
Wet belt sander
Sandblaster
Two grit wheels
GLASS SHOP RATES:
HOT SHOP
Hourly Rental
$32 per hour – 1 hour minimum up to 40 hour mark.*
Bulk Discount
$25 per hour – after the 40-hour mark.
*4-hour hot shop rental includes 1 hour of cold shop time.
*Maximum 20 pounds of class per scheduled session. Larger pieces or greater glass use is an extra cost at the current market value.
COLD SHOP RATE
$10 per hour-1 hour minimum
THE INDOOR LAB:
Our newly renovated indoor lab space will act as a multi-genre instructional space for a variety of the creative arts classes we plan to offer to the public in the coming future.
In terms of the Glass arts, this new space will operate as the location for glass torch lamp-working and stained glass instructional classes and individual use.
GLASS STUDIO CLASSES:
The glass-blowing facility has and continues to offer park-organized and individual artist-organized classes. In general, the GEP has offered classes every first Sat of every month. We hope to increase that to two offerings a month soon. In addition, the GEP hopes to restart both glass lame working and stained glass classes at the start of the coming year. Please look out for new offerings in 2025!
Metal Studio
The GEP Metal Shop is divided into three areas: Blacksmithing, Metal Fabrication, and Metal casting or foundry.
Features the first blacksmith forges and foundry ever fired on landfill gas. The studio spaces were designed and built by Master Blacksmith William Rogers, a respected professional with over 30 years of experience.
Our three forges typically achieve temperatures of over 2000° F, running on gas being harvested straight from the landfill.
The GEP foundry has been successfully utilized for several bronze and aluminum metal pours.
The studio also houses equipment for general metal fabrication & welding.
We are a proud member of the Artist Blacksmith’s Association of North America (ABANA).
Studio rentals include the use of all equipment and hand tools, free fuel gas, and access to the GEP gallery for product sales.
METAL STUDIO FEATURES:
2500 sq ft shop
3 gas forges operating on landfill gas
Foundry– bronze and aluminum
Plasma cutter
Dedicated welding area
2 Mig welders
Arc welder
Oxy/ acetylene torch
Fly wheel press
Drill press
Bandsaw
Horizontal Bandsaws
Combination sander
Hossfeld Bender
Sandblaster
Gantry crane
3 steel layout tables
3 knife-making 72x2 sanders
Basic hand tools
BLACKSMITHING / METAL STUDIO RATES:
Hourly Rental
$10 per hour – 1 hour minimum
Bulk Discount
$200 - 40 hour block
*All consumables are to be covered by the artist.
METALS STUDIO CLASSES:
The Metals/Blacksmithing studio has and continues to offer park-organized and individual artist-organized classes. In addition, the GEP hopes to restart metal arts classes like knife-making, blacksmithing, and foundry as community-offered classes at the start of the coming year. Please look out for these new offerings in 2025!