Jay Stewart’s studio, "Otter Woods" is surrounded by rain forest in the Neacanicum river valley located at the foot of coastal mountains in NW Oregon. The environment surrounding Otter Woods remains a sanctuary for  Roosevelt elk, deer, and wild ocean-going steelhead and salmon that return year after year to spawn in nearby streams and rivers.

Jay makes a full line of tableware you can complement with casseroles, baking dishes, bowls, and other serving pieces.

His simple yet elegant forms are decorated with subtle shades of creamy white, blue, red, teal, green, black and brown that capture the hues and mood of the environment in which the pottery is made.

The clean, uncluttered design of Jay Stewart  pottery make it both a pleasure and a functional asset to have in the house. These twin qualities form every piece of stoneware Jay produces.  Years of schooling, apprenticeships, and experience is represented in each and every piece of Jay Stewart's pots.

All pottery, from the simplest mug to the largest platter or vase, is made exclusively by Jay Stewart.

Jay mixes his specially formulated clay and then cures it to the proper age before he is ready to "throw" the clay on the potter's wheel.

The potter's hands guide and mold each lump of clay on the wheel, as each quickly takes the shape for its intended use.

Years of experience guide the potter's sure hands to lend form to each piece of clay before it is set aside to air dry in the studio for several days.

 See our Retail Price List page.

The beauty of pottery is in its individuality. Each piece of hand-made pottery is similar, but never the same.

Jay’s hands touch each piece of pottery he produces many times before you, the customer, pick it out.

Jay uses clay and glazes mixed with raw materials that meet his exacting quality standards. Nevertheless, a “drift” naturally occurs from batch to batch of pottery that emerges from the kiln. This means that some pieces may appear darker or lighter from one firing to the next.

See our About the Glazes page for details on how Jay produces the distinctive glazes he uses in his stoneware.

When ordering a set of dinnerware, bowls, cups, or other pieces for your table, we recommend ordering a set that meets your needs to ensure that the glaze match will be as close as possible.

After the thrown wet clay has dried sufficiently on the drying racks in the studio, Jay returns to his wheel to trim and decorate each piece before they are set aside to dry completely, then they are loaded into the bisque kiln.

After the raw clay pieces emerge from the bisque kiln, they are ready for the glazing process.

During the glazing phase, Jay either hand dips, hand paints, or uses a combination of both to glaze each piece from an assortment of colors before they are ready for the final firing.

See our About the Glazes page for details on how Jay produces the distinctive glazes he uses in his work.

Jay then carefully loads each piece of glazed pottery into his gas-fired reduction kiln for the final firing that reaches 2,400° F and takes 36 hours to complete.

Jay guarantees the pottery against any defect in craftsmanship or material for one year from date of purchase.

With normal care, stoneware will give you years of durable use and enjoyment.

All of our stoneware is dishwasher safe. Should any breakage occur, mail or ship your pieces back for replacement.

Otter Woods Pottery is a small family business. We ask for your patience when ordering.

Please allow six to eight weeks for delivery. We are happy to answer any questions you may have via e-mail or our other contact information.

See our Retail Price List or E-mail for more information.