The East Fork Journal The Journal

Two people smiling and standing outside a craftsman home.

The Key to Ending Homelessness

An introduction to our Q2 Community Partner, Homeward Bound

A black and white photo of Alex Matisse kneeling in front of large ceramic pieces in a wood kiln

Why Is It Called East Fork?

Alex Matisse, East Fork’s founder, on how the company got its name and why it represents a “little private victory” for him.

Various sizes of ceramic plates and tiny bowls in a rainbow of earthy colors are artfully laid out together against a white background.

Color Theory: Core Colors

Our Head of Design, Nicole Lissenden, shares the details of how we built our core color palette.

A person wearing a black sweatshirt is holding a ceramic terracotta mug with 2 hands.

How We Make The Mug

Want to know everything there is to know about how we make The Mug? It’s your lucky day. Get the behind-the-scenes on how we make our iconic ceramic mug.

A ceramic pottery factory with large kiln carts filled with pots, assembly lines, and two people working in the center.

Update on How Our Pots Get Made

East Fork’s manufacturing floor stands on the precipice of a big change. We’re preparing to move to a new clay body and glaze recipe that’s been three years in the making.

A Mother's Care

A group of doulas in Western North Carolina offer care to women of color from pregnancy to delivery and beyond.
A Morning With Elah Hale

Singer-songwriter Elah Hale shares her morning with us—plus an exclusive interview on art, music, and cooking at home.
The Familiar Matters of Everyday Life

Jehanne Dubrow writes about her favorite East Fork Mug in this personal essay.
Hecho en México

A conversation with Hans Kritzler of Anfora, a century-old dinnerware manufacturer based in Mexico. Bonus! Hans shares some Mexico-based ceramicists he admires.
How We Make The Mug

Want to know everything there is to know about how we make The Mug? It’s your lucky day. Get the behind-the-scenes on how we make our iconic ceramic mug.
The Collective Good

An interview with Andrea Golden and Jackie Fitzgerald of Asheville’s PODER Emma, the collective network that is the recipient of East Fork’s Wealth Reclamation efforts in early 2021.
What Are Seconds?

Learn about how we make the call when we determine "Seconds" quality pottery. Seconds are flawed pieces we sell online and at pop-ups at a discount.
Our Favorite Glaze Combinations

We put together an assortment of our favorite glaze combos—from classic to downright funky.
Last Night I Ate for the First Time

Jefferson Ellison finds himself at “the universe’s table” in the first of a new series of dream dinners.
Food Sovereignty & Food Justice Resources

Resources for making fresh, healthy foods a basic human right and dismantling systems that lets conglomerates alone decide what gets grown and by whom.
Marvels in Glass: R+D Lab of Milan

In appreciation of glassware, timeless and special, and the people who design it and create it with their breath and hands.
In Praise of Marcella Hazan

We love Italian food so much, it defies words. So instead, we thought we’d tell you about our Italian cooking hero, Marcella Hazan.
Woodworking with Andy McFate

The East Fork collection has a new serving board we’d like to tell you about, along with our friend and conspirator in wood, Andy McFate.
Samin & Connie Go Deep

Our Connie Matisse caught up with Samin Nosrat on a video chat. They spoke wistfully about gathering with friends over meals, food justice, a new glaze coming out in early 2021, Samin sang a song about pinto beans and much more more. Watch the video here.
The Pottery Peep Show

Pottery Peep Show is a glimpse into the cabinets and closets of serious East Fork collectors, dishing the dishes with our own Annie Schambach. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry (though if you cry it’s probably cuz of other stuff cuz nothing cryworthy really happens here), you’ll want a time machine to go back and get what they’ve got.
Clay Buddies: Donna Casellas-Banks

Donna Casellas-Banks’s title here at East Fork is sales associate but it should be professional listener.
At Your Service

A conversation on Southern Hospitality with cocktail historian and Atlanta-based bartender, Tiffanie Barriere.
Cravings, Aversions, and a Crispy Eggplant Salad

A reflection on cravings, pregnancy, and motherhood from Whitney Otawka and a crispy, herbal salad recipe to follow.
Rituals Rooted in Ease

For Alex Elle, self-care is so much more than a buzzword—it’s a necessary tool for growing and maintaining self-love.
A Note on Soapstone's Departure

The July 2020 announcement that Soapstone would leave East Fork's core glaze collection later in the year, in preparation of refreshing and expanding the year-round, core colorway.