Lowell Hill Pottery produces traditional hand-thrown dinnerware and accessories for the home. I specialize in faithful, accurate reproductions of the beautiful red earthen wares of Rowantrees Pottery. As such, I carry on a tradition and heritage of over 75 years.
Lowell Hill Pottery is named for the hill on which I live and work in Penobscot. I built my new shop here after spending five years in the former Rowantrees Pottery facility.
By way of introduction, my name is Geoff Miller. I am a former Rowantrees potter and founder of Lowell Hill Pottery. My mission is very simple; to assure that those who wish to own and enjoy the simple elegance of Rowantrees products may continue to do so well into the future.
I value the Rowantrees heritage, so I continue the practice of making each piece one at a time by hand on the potter’s wheel. Where practical, I continue the tradition of using local materials in the glazes that grace the wares as long as I can maintain quality control. I am committed to high standards of quality and customer satisfaction.
Where necessary, I have made changes to assure the safety and continued availability of my products. But at every turn my decisions are made to assure that the final product is as indistinguishable from the original as possible. Put simply, Lowell Hill Pottery respects the past with an eye on the future.
I also value our environment. At Lowell Hill Pottery, I do all I can to keep my impact on the Earth as gentle as possible. I recycle clay and glazes, using them over and over to avoid waste. I do the same with the water I use. I lower my carbon “footprint” by using materials that can be fired to full strength at lower temperatures than many potteries use. I fire my kiln with electricity instead of fossil fuel, and the kiln walls are 3 inches thick for added efficiency. My new studio is as efficient as it can be too. It is well insulated and very inexpensive to heat in winter. In summer, it is far cooler indoors than out.
Finally, I value your safety. Long gone are the days when potters could use trial and error until they found a glaze that looked nice and sold it without much regard to its durability or safety. Lowell Hill Pottery tests its glazes rigorously to make certain that they remain stable for as long as you own them. This is one place where science plays a clear role in my process. You can read more about the boiling and freezing test that I use on the Lowell Hill Pottery Blog.
To me, pottery is the most sacred of works. It is fashioned of earth and water, dried by the air and quickened by fire. And like all true art, it is inspired by spirit.
Thank you for joining me on the journey!
About Lowell Hill Pottery on YouTube
(Video made at the Rowantrees facility)
Making a Teapot at Lowell Hill Pottery
(Video made at the new Lowell Hill Studio)
About the Lowell Hill Pottery Logo
The tree in my logo is a stylized Mountain Ash. I chose this to honor the Rowan, which was the inspiration for the Rowantrees name. Several Rowans grace the grounds in Blue Hill, and it is my intention to have a couple here on the hill!