About

Wood Fired Pottery School is an artist-run pottery studio based in New Lynn, Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), founded by artists Jack Tilson and Kristal Gallagher. The studio brings together contemporary ceramics, wood firing, and arts education through workshops, long-term studio programs, exhibitions, and community-based creative practice.

Location

We’re a 9-minute walk from the New Lynn transport hub.

25a Titirangi Road, New Lynn, Auckland 0600

Our teaching spaces are equipped with a range of pottery wheels and tools, including traditional Leach wheels and Korean Kerokuro wheels. Many of the tools we use are handmade.

Teaching Philosophy

Our approach is grounded in community and a deep respect for the processes of working with clay and fire. The studio is shaped by the following values:

A safe and inclusive space
A supportive environment where people feel comfortable experimenting, learning, and expressing themselves.
Clay at the centre
We love clay and honour its many forms, behaviours, and histories.
Fire as a creative force
Fire is treated as a collaborator. Our kiln is a tool that produces outcomes beyond full control.
Community first
The school is built around shared knowledge, diverse perspectives, and learning together.
Natural materials
Each season we rotate the clays we use, working with natural stoneware and porcelain. Our kiln is brick-built and fired with pine and windfall wood.
Honouring the past
Our focus on kick-wheels and wood firing connects us to long traditions. New ideas emerge through an ongoing dialogue with past, present, and future practices.
Embracing chance
Wood firing invites unpredictability. Every piece that comes from the kiln is one of a kind.
Earth-friendly practice
The studio sits beside a stream and near native bush on the edge of the Waitākere ranges. We minimise impact by using non-polluting clay and glaze materials.
Weather-wise firing
For safety and care of the environment, we only fire when weather conditions are suitable.