Updraft Pottery Studio

About the studio

I am from the Seattle area. It was not until the last semester of my senior year at the University of Puget Sound that I discovered pottery. I was drawn in by the wheel, and the tangible results that were available. Ken Stevens was my first instructor.

In 2007 I returned to ceramics, taking classes at Green River College from Ed Brannon, John A. Taylor, and Paul Metivier. I also learned a great deal from the instructional tech, Vic Rivet. It was at Green River that I really started to get a feel for clay and how to fire a gas kiln to high temperatures.

From 2010 to 2018 I worked with Elinor Maroney at her studio in Covington, Washington. Elinor has been working in clay for more than 50 years and is a wonderful artist. I learned immensely from Elinor, and in turn I assisted with the heavy lifting. I constructed a soda kiln at the studio so we could experiment with atmospheric glazing and learn the fine details of this challenging process. You can see that project on the kilns page.

Updraft Pottery Studio is my studio in Tacoma. It has the right electrical to run kilns, wheels, and lights at the same time, and a propane kiln undergoing the 12th (ish) rebuild. Follow along with new work and kiln openings on Instagram and Facebook.

Smiling bearded man in a flat cap and navy jacket on a Puget Sound beach at low tide
Meet the potter
Aaron Filson standing in front of the open soda kiln
At the soda kiln
Snow-covered Mount Rainier rising above the Tacoma tideflats and city on a clear day
The mountain is out
Forested mountain ridge with mist on the peaks under a lavender dusk sky
Dusk in the mountains
Selfie in front of a tall stepped Maya temple under a clear sky
At Tikal
Selfie in a rain-soaked jacket and hood with a covered backpack among evergreens
GTNP last day hike out
Selfie in a blue Mariners jersey at a crowded baseball stadium
Go M's
Small scruffy white and tan dog asleep on a bed in stripes of sunlight
Sunbeam nap
Small scruffy white and tan dog curled on a couch with its chin on a pale blue pillow
Supervisor at rest

First look at new work

An occasional email when new pieces come out of the kiln. No spam, and you can unsubscribe anytime.