Maine Pottery Tour

Looking for something to do this weekend? The first weekend in May is pottery weekend in Maine! Ceramics studios around the state open their doors to the public during this annual event. It’s a chance to watch creativity at work and see the spaces where the magic happens. Meet the potters, peek in the kilns, maybe try the wheel or paint a plate, and shop for fine handmade pottery, from the hands that made it.

Event hours are:

Saturday, May 6^th 10-5
Sunday, May 7^th, 11-4

Except where otherwise noted

2017 is the sixth year of this event, which began when a local potters’ guild, the Central Maine Clay Artists, decided in 2012 to hold their spring open studios event concurrently, to pool their promotional efforts. This year 39 studios, from Alfred to Warren to Phillips, will participate.

“The Pottery Tour is starting to get some attention,” said organizer Lori Watts, of Fine Mess Pottery in Augusta. “Last year we had visitors from as far away as Minnesota. There was a couple from Massachusetts who visited every single studio.”

Many studios are offering activities during the tour. The Potters House, a studio in Litchfield, will be holding a decal workshop May 6^th at 10 am, and again May 7^th at 2 pm. Tyler Gulden, a potter from Walpole who is hosting several guest artists, will be opening his kiln Saturday morning. Watts’ studio, Fine Mess Pottery, will be offering a drawing to give away a handmade bowl, and a chance for visitors to paint their plates with their own designs.

Check out the slideshow for a sneak peek at some of the potters you'll meet on the tour: