In Focus: Laura Lynn Pottery in Brainerd Creating Customized Pottery

An art teacher in 2017, Laura Kotsmith decided took up pottery to see what could become of it. Once she got the hang of it, she started selling her work on Etsy, and it took off.

Through her business, Laura Lynn Pottery, customers can order from her store and request a name or a special saying for their mugs. From start to finish, it takes about 10 days, but the actual time it takes to complete a ceramic piece can be less than that. This is because she waits on things to dry or for them to come out of the oven.

There is more that meets the eye and still a lot to complete the process. It is only Kotsmith and one other person on staff, and they do it all. While Kotsmith makes all the pottery, she also puts on the handles and does the stamping. She has since hired another employee, and that person does all of the packaging and glazing.

Her process can be summed up like this: it all starts on the wheel to be formed into shape and then goes to dry. When it is at the leather-hard stage, the handle is attached. After that, the stamping of personalization comes in. It then dries for three days and goes into a fire to be glazed. This will be done a second time and soon will receive the end result of a successful product.

Laura Lynn Pottery does most of their business online and can be found through Etsy.