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.

Our Values

In 2017, with the help of a facilitator, we invited our staff to co-create a list of company values. In conversation with each other, with customers, with vendors, with our greater community, we ask ourselves five questions: Am I speaking sincerely and inviting others to do the same? Am I aware of an uneven power dynamics that might be present in this conversation or decision-making process? Am I ready to hold myself and others accountable for our actions and inactions? Am I in the proper mindset to engage compassionately with conversation or decision at hand? Am I ready to be flexible and adaptive in order to reach our goal?
Coloring Pages

Emilja made coloring pages! Click for a happy, calming distraction. Then share your artwork with us @eastforkpottery
Motherhood in Quarantine

East Fork's CEO Connie Matisse was thinking of her pregnant friends, her friends raising kids alone, her mom friends who work in restaurants and bars and of her own mom, who was far away when she wrote this essay.
Thoughts on Lean Manufacturing from our Process Technician, Jeff Linton

About a year and a half ago, Alex told me about Bob Chapman’s book, Everybody Matters, I read it and I got excited. It talked about lean as a method for giving people autonomy over their work processes and the deep trust between workers and management that was made possible through lean.
Weaving with Deanna Lynch

Virginia Knight talks with Deanna about production work, their crafty grandmothers and why hemp fabric is going to be the next big thing.
Textiles with a Purpose — MINNA

MINNA is a tight-knit team of seven artists, creators, and thinkers based in Hudson, NY. They are a queer woman-owned and majority queer or woman operated business, working with master artisans in Central and South America to create multipurpose products for the home.
Getting to Know Holland Bowl Mill

We chatted with Kory Gier, VP of Holland Bowl Mill, on her journey of expanding a 4th generation, 94-year-old mill from making wood shoes to contemporary bowls in Holland, Michigan.
Sing-a-long

We made some playlists for you.
Urgency & Rest

"If the bowl is dirty, wash it." There's calm in the call to action to tend the gardens we've sowed.
Let's All Slow Down

Take a moment and enjoy an East Fork crossword with us. If you're quick, you may even win a prize.
Glassblowing with Hayden Wilson

Glass blowing is wild. The art behind the glassware and dinnerware you use every night from the expert Hayden Wilson.
Between Two Bowls: Ice Cream Bowls vs Breakfast Bowls

Wild news, y’all. You can eat breakfast in the Ice Cream Bowl and ice cream in the Breakfast Bowl. Our handcrafted bowls can be used in so many different exciting ways.
Visiting Asheville?

A few of many very fun, delicious, energizing, relaxing things to do, eat, see, drink, and experience in Asheville, North Carolina, home of East Fork.
Everybody Deserves A Home

Four times a year, we raffle off a highly collectible piece from the Small Batch Studio to raise funds for a justice and equity-minded Western North Carolina nonprofit. First up for 2020 is Homeward Bound, an organization working to end homelessness in the Asheville area. We’re hoping to raise $5,000. Please help us get there!
From the Earth: Heilbron Herbs

A warm, earthy, subtly sweet tea we love: Color Therapy. Learn how it is grown and cultivated with Saralyn of Heilbron Herbs of Western North Carolina.
Tokens of Love

We asked our team, here at East Fork HQ, to share their plans for Valentine’s Day (or previous ones), no matter if it’s love-related or not, and we got some juicy responses.
Mental Health

If you're feeling anything but merry and bright this season, we just wanted to remind you and ourselves that you are not alone...
A Holiday PSA

This holiday season, we hope you’ll join us in remembering that real humans are opening our emails and answering our phone calls.
Night Swim & Friends...

Night Swim is an unexpected JOY to behold alongside so many past East Fork seasonals.
Colorful Pages Coalition

Kids are able to imagine a future rife with possibilities when their images are reflected on the pages of their books.