About Stoke Hole Pottery

Stoke Hole Pottery owner, Birch Frew, grew up in Indiana, Pennsylvania attending Marion Center High School.  At age 15 he began taking classes through the Continuing Education Program at Indiana University of PA (IUP).  He continued attending classes until the age of 18 when he enrolled as a full time art student at IUP.  From 1998-2002, Birch's studies concentrated in ceramic art at IUP.  In the summer of 2000 he continued his study of pottery at the University of Manitoba, in Canada.  In 2001, Birch took residency in New Zealand, to work under the instruction of pottery Alan Rhodes.  During his stay in New Zealand, Birch participated in the daily activities of running a pottery store.

Throughout Birch's studies he participated in a number of workshops, and attended countless presentations.  He also served as a technical assistant for the IUP Ceramics Dept., and taught a number of Continuing Education classes at IUP.  In the summer of 2002, Birch volunteered his expertise to the IUP YES Program, a program devoted to providing children with educational activities during the summer months.  There, Birch introduced the exciting world of clay to kids. 

Combining all of his experience, and love for pottery, Birch opened Stoke Hole Pottery in 2002.  Stoke Hole Pottery was built not only to serve as a personal studio for Birch, but also as a school where he could share his passion for pot making with others.  Stoke Hole Pottery offers pottery lessons to students of all experience levels, and personally customizes the degree of instruction to what they require.  Classes are taught weekly, and enrollment is always open for eager young artists. 

Since the opening of Stoke Hole Pottery, Birch has continued his own learning process of clay by attending workshops that assist him in creating new concepts and ideas.  Like any professional potter, Birch is constantly producing his own work.  He is currently wholesaling his pots to retailers including:  The Warren Wilson Store, Asheville, NC, Glass Growers, Erie, PA, The Clay Place, Pittsburgh, PA, and Smicksburg Pottery, Smicksburg, PA.  As an active member of Indiana's local potters community, Birch and his studio are recognized as members of the Indiana Potters Studio Tour.  The tour is a yearly event that includes "open studios" to a number of the ceramic studios in Indiana.  It is a time for the community members to visit the individual artists' studios, and see their shops, kilns, and work. 

As for the future of Stoke Hole Pottery, it's very bright!  Renovations are in process right now for an exciting expansion project.  Stoke Hole Pottery is building a beautiful gallery adjacent to its current location with will serve as an outlet for Birch and his students to display and sell their work.  The gallery is projected to be completed in June 2005.