About Us
The Vermont Potters at York Hill Pottery
Elizabeth Saslaw (Liz) was raised in Poughkeepsie, New York. Growing up, the “toys” that interested her most were scissors, glue, and found objects—including fabric remnants, beach glass, and shells. Her first explorations into the craft world began with sewing quilts and clothes, and knitting hats, scarves, and other accessories. During her college years, she became attracted to photography, as well as to the medium that would interest her for life: pottery. Once introduced to the tactile experience of shaping damp clay on a whirling wheel, she never looked back. After graduating from the University of Vermont with a bachelor’s degree in fine art/art history, she founded York Hill Pottery in 1980. Elizabeth lives in Lincoln, Vermont with her husband, Joe; daughter, Bridgette; and Australian Shepherd, Foster. She enjoys examining pottery collections from around the world, participating in community theater activities with her daughter, skiing, biking, and flower gardening.
Susan Kuehnl, a native of Kenosha, Wisconsin, attended the Philadelphia College of Art, where she studied ceramics, sculpture, and painting. Prior to joining York Hill Pottery in 1990, Susan had her own studio, working as a painter, collage artist, and a hand-builder of large-scale, sculptural pots. Her sophisticated knowledge of glaze chemistry and knack for troubleshooting all things mechanical are valued assets at York Hill Pottery. Susan lives in Starksboro, Vermont with her husband, Robert, Weimaraner, Greta and horse, Cooper.
How We Work
On the east side of York Hill Pottery’s one-room studio, Elizabeth throws and trims the pottery items on an electric wheel. On the west side of the studio, Susan formulates and applies glazes, and paints on the decorative brushwork. In the middle of the studio stand two electric kilns; Susan manages the loading, while Elizabeth takes care of the weekly firing. (Foster and Greta lead the humor committee and sweep the studio floors.)