How to Make a Square Pouring Pot Kurt Anderson

I love Kurt Anderson's casual approach to ceramics. He happily admits that his production schedule runs on deadline pressure rather than discipline. And when the pottery gets old, he carves plywood creatures similar to those that adorn his pots, and then finds them homes around the neighborhood.

In this article, an excerpt from the June/July/August 2026 issue of Ceramics Monthly, Kurt walks through his process for throwing and altering a pouring pot. –Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor

PS. To see how Kurt adds his signature slip and sgraffito decoration based on his doodles, check out the full article in the June/July/August 2026 issue of Ceramics Monthly. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today!

Initial Approach

I generally use a brown or red mid-range stoneware, which I then cover in a white slip. I’ll use whatever commercially produced clay I can get my hands on. Porcelain is just too high maintenance for my laid-back demeanor. I need a clay body I can ignore for a day or two without being scolded. I realized how much I preferred a darker clay body when I made the Salad Days plates for the Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts in 2016. I really like the layering that occurs when you brush slips on. This also allows for the utilization of the sgraffito technique, which has a similar feel to doodling on paper.

My pottery-making cycles tend to ebb and flow as needed, with upticks occurring as deadlines approach. My busiest times of the year are May/June and October. I’ve never been the type of potter who can make dozens of the same form over and over. I prefer to switch things up and keep it interesting.

I’ll confess that there are times when I become completely tired of making pottery. During these times, I turn to other creative endeavors, such as making plywood cutouts of creatures and finding fun places for them to exist. This activity started out as a lark, but now people are requesting that I come put a creature at their house. Do you want one at yours?

My pouring pots start with roughly 1 pound (0.5 kg) of clay (1) thrown as bottomless cylinders (2), then they are paddled into a squarish shape (3). After they set up a bit, I add a ¼-inch (6.3-mm) slab to the top and bottom. Then, I use a Mudtools’ shredder to further accentuate the squareishness (4). I add a spout and a short flange, both thrown off the hump, for the cork (5). The corks may or may not come from my favorite brand of mezcal. Who can say for sure?

To learn more about Kurt Anderson and his work, visit www.kurtandersonpottery.com or follow on Instagram @kurtandersonpottery.