About Gifts In The Garage
Our Craftsmanship
Our custom creations showcase the importance of individuality. Each piece we craft is a testament to our love for pottery, designed to bring a piece of our heart into your home.
As we craft each pottery piece whether wheel thrown or hand built, we aim to highlight their distinct character, embracing the variations in color, appearance, and texture that make every item truly one of a kind. Expect each piece to bear the marks of individuality.
meet the artists
LORRI
DASH, BUGSY & JAZZY
LORRI
From a young age, I was surrounded by creativity, inspiration, and the gentle art of pottery, thanks to my extraordinary mother. She would often say that pottery is not just about shaping clay; it’s about shaping one's identity and expressing emotions. I learned to see beauty in imperfection and the magic in the transformation process.
From a young age, I was surrounded by creativity, inspiration, and the gentle art of pottery, thanks to my extraordinary mother. She would often say that pottery is not just about shaping clay; it’s about shaping one's identity and expressing emotions. I learned to see beauty in imperfection and the magic in the transformation process. She taught me how to appreciate art on every level.
Today, I carry my mom's legacy with me, her soul embraced in mine. While the journey has been mostly self taught, the outcome has been magical. My pieces reflect my artistic vision with the love and passion of clay. I aim to share a piece of my heart with you all.
KIM
DASH, BUGSY & JAZZY
LORRI
From crafting my first wooden creation on a scroll saw at the age of nine to sculpting unique pottery today, my journey has always been about shaping beauty with my hands. Each piece tells a story of passion and dedication.
Thank you to My Dad, who patiently showed me how to handle tools safely and skillfully. His encouragement gave m
From crafting my first wooden creation on a scroll saw at the age of nine to sculpting unique pottery today, my journey has always been about shaping beauty with my hands. Each piece tells a story of passion and dedication.
Thank you to My Dad, who patiently showed me how to handle tools safely and skillfully. His encouragement gave me confidence to experiment with life and be strong while doing so.
And My Dear Sister, whose unwavering belief in my potential pushed me to take creative risks and pursue my dreams.
DASH, BUGSY & JAZZY
DASH, BUGSY & JAZZY
DASH, BUGSY & JAZZY
Our studio would not be complete without our three "apprentice" rescues!
WE BELIEVE IN GIVING BACK
Giving back to the community is such a meaningful and impactful way to make a positive difference. With every purchase a percentage of sales are donated directly to NAMI - National Alliance on Mental Illness and/or AZCR - The Arizona Chihuahua Rescue
Gifts In The Garage: A Visual Journey
WHEEL THROWING
Wheel throwing works through the combination of centrifugal force and relative control by the potter. As the wheel spins, the clay is inclined to stretch and move outward. The potter controls the clay with their hands to push it towards the center and shape it in an even manner. The potter clay is at the center of the wheel, adding water to assist in the smooth, slow movement of the
HAND BUILDING
Handbuilding offers unparalleled creative freedom, allowing you to shape the clay in any way you choose. We use our hands and simple tools to manipulate the clay into various forms.
With both hand building & wheel throwing, the finished piece is covered with plastic and placed on a bakers rack for drying. They drying time can range from a week to several weeks dependent upon several
BISQUE FIRING
Pottery is considered "greenware" at this stage. The greenware is placed in the kiln for the first time and will go through it's first chemical change, call a “bisque” fire. The kiln will heat up to 1836 degrees Fahrenheit. It will take about 24 hours from the time we hit start to the time we can open the kiln up and pull the pieces out. The pieces become more sturdy and will change
GLAZING
At its core, the science of glazing is all about chemistry. A glaze is essentially a carefully balanced mixture of silica, alumina, and fluxes. Each of these components plays a crucial role in how the glaze behaves during firing and how it interacts with the clay body beneath it. There are thousands of glazes available however the wet glaze applied looks VERY different than what will end
GLAZE FIRING
After glazing, the pottery will go through the kiln firing once again. This time it will be fired to 2234 degreed Fahrenheit and it will take a little over 30 hours to heat up to temperature and cool all the way down. The clay and glaze will go through one more chemical and color change and become like glass.
THE FINAL PRODUCT
Opening a glaze kiln is by far one of the most exciting things we do in the studio because the color change the glaze goes through in this process is amazing.
just another day in the studio videos
Bugsy
Glazing in the studio and Bugsy has to be involved. Besides, its hard to throw when he thinks the pottery wheel is a pedestal for his bed!
Apprentices
Our little helpers are enjoying every minute in the pottery studio!
Loading the Kiln
Each piece of pottery requires two fires in the kiln, the bisque and the glaze firings. The bisque is somewhat straight forward and the margin of error slim. However, the glaze firing is much more meticulous and requires patience. Just a few considerations when loading: spacing, proper positioning, weight distribution, loading order, ventilation, kiln furniture and kiln wash.