What Sets Ashwood Pottery Apart

Ceramics is a field rich with methods, and my background allows me to draw from a wide range of them. Whether wheel-thrown, slip-cast, press-molded, or hand-built, I tailor each process to what best suits the piece—its form, finish, and the quantity needed. This flexible, process-driven approach ensures thoughtful craftsmanship, reproducibility, and design solutions that are practical as well as beautiful."

Building Ashwood Pottery

Ashwood Pottery began as a long-held dream. When my husband and I found a property with a spacious studio building—perfect for a future production space—that dream finally had room to grow. Today, I’m in the process of outfitting the studio with equipment, building systems, and preparing for full production here in Boyertown.

Who We are

My name is Emily Hampson. I’m the founder and owner of Ashwood Pottery. Right now, it’s a very small team; just me, with part time help from my sister-in-law, Sharon. I am hoping to grow and expand the team here soon!

A Lifelong Commitment to Craft

My journey with clay began when I first sat at a pottery wheel at age 13. What followed was more than two decades of learning, refining, and exploring the many paths ceramics can take.

I earned my Studio Art degree from Messiah College, concentrating in ceramics and 3D studies, and later shared that passion as an adjunct ceramics professor at Harrisburg Area Community College. My experience expanded into the world of tile while working at Carlisle Columbia Clay, where I developed a deep appreciation for handmade architectural ceramics. During that time, I pursued my Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics at Hood College, focusing my thesis on manufacturing processes—an exploration that continues to inform and inspire my work today.

After graduate school, I joined Felt and Fat, a tableware company in Philadelphia, as a mold maker. That experience strengthened my expertise in designing and producing consistent, functional ceramics on a production scale.