Joseph Miranda Pottery

One of kind pottery fired in unique kilns with reused and recycled materials. Wood Fired, Soda Fired, and Electric Fired functional ceramics.

About Me

My name is Joseph Miranda, and I work with clay

My goal as a crafts-person is to create living objects that gain a sense of belonging in your homes, hands, and minds as they pass from me to you. Each piece is unique, yet part of a family. Just like families -either given or made- come together to eat and be merry, I hope my work reflects aspects of community building that are built on reciprocity, love, joy, and belonging.

I try my best not to make work that is too intricate or detailed, and keep my prices as reasonable as I can as well in the attempt to build a life of beauty for everyone. If my work is to expensive for you, please let me know and we can work out a price that benefits everyone.

I work with as many local materials as I can. Using local wood ash for my glazes for now, I am working towards gathering my own clay within the area of Fort Collins, and building mills to process rocks for my work as well. If you would like to share any knowledge on local clay deposits, I would love to chat! Another passion of mine is to work for other potters, as I appreciate the community oriented nature of folk pottery. Currently I am a proud employee of Judson Pottery, at Phantom Canyon Ranch.

I love to teach, and do so at Fort Collins' Smokestack Pottery Studio. I have been making work for roughly 15 years in various capacities.

You can find me sometimes making tea at Ku Cha House Of Tea in Fort Collins. My work is sold at Happy Lucky's Tea House, Smokestack Pottery Studio, Equinox Center for Herbal Studies, and Arboretum Coffee. I participate in local markets in Fort Collins as well. For more information about upcoming market dates visit the Events page.

Offerings

Private Lessons

$40 for 1 hour of personalized lessons.

I teach wheel throwing, hand building, glazing, trimming, and decorating in my home studio for $40 an hour. Clay, glaze, and firing costs are included. I have two wheels, plenty of work space, and several glazes and slips to choose from.

Private lessons are a great way to hone in on your pottery skills and learn a lot in a short period of time. If you are just starting out, private lessons will bring you forward much faster than larger group classes.

If you would like to use my studio without lessons, I offer a $15 an hour fee. You have access to my wheels, table space, clays, glazes, and slips. Firings and materials are included, and I will personally care for your work in order to maintain the water content. Studio time is by appointment, and I require that you take at least one hour of private lessons before using the space independently.

I have been teaching ceramics for about 7 years, two of which were at Camp Thunderbird for Girls, in Bemidji, MN. There I gained experience working with kids ranging from 8 to 14 years old. I've been teaching adult group classes at Smokestack Pottery Studio in Fort Collins, CO, since 2020. I enjoy teaching people of all ages and backgrounds!

Laura Arledge, owner of State. Interior Design Studio in Fort Collins, CO. Photo credit: Hannah Kutner

We worked on a custom tile project together as I gave insight into how they are made.

Commissions are Welcome

I would be happy to make what you desire! Whether that is a set of dinnerware, or a custom, one of a kind piece, please reach out to me and we can work together to create something unique.

Custom orders are priced accordingly, and a 50% deposit/retainer is required upfront. There is typically a 3 month lead time for projects, so plan accordingly.

Kiln Repair

$35 per hour

I have worked with a variety of kiln types: replacing elements, wiring, relays, and switches. I can replace/fix hardware, and troubleshoot electrical issues. I have constructed and dismantled kilns as well. If you are having specific issues with your kiln and cannot troubleshoot it yourself, give me a call!

Additionally, I'm able to do a variety of handyman work, from light carpentry to painting, so if you would like any work done on your property, please reach out as well.

Firing Services

$35 per firing or $3 a pound

I have two midsize electric kilns that I will fire your work in through many temperatures. If you would like to either put work in one of my firings, or rent out the whole kiln, feel free to reach out to me via email or telephone

Soda Firing at Smokestack Pottery

$5-$7.50+ per piece and $10 base fee

I regularly fire the soda fired kiln at Smokestack Pottery and it is open to the public to participate and put work in the kiln. Please reach out to me via phone or text to join the soda club email list and gather more information on the process