Our Founders
Originally called Castroville Pottery, the business was founded by Tim and Gloria Kelley in July of 2008. Mr. Kelley, a native of Vermont, took his first pottery class in Castroville at Lorna Francis’ house, beginning a life-long friendship.
He founded Castroville Pottery to share his love for pottery, converting his storage building into a working pottery studio, buying a kiln, and making pottery. The Kelleys eventually built a full pottery studio off Fiorella Street, where Firebrand Pottery is located today.
In 2018, Tim and Gloria became friends with the DeLaune family. The DeLaunes began as avid customers, giving the pottery to clients and family members. As Tim and Gloria looked to travel more, they chose the DeLaune family to take the business forward.
Family Owned
Firebrand Pottery is owned and operated by Shannon and Holly DeLaune and their twins, Mason and Madison. Shannon oversees the business side of pottery, glazing, and kiln firing. Holly works in product development and production, sales, and marketing. Mason and Madison help in the summers by sweeping, cleaning, and greeting customers.
Artisan Made
The hand-crafted pieces are created by professional potter Mark. Ty runs the gallery and serves as a studio tech, from glazing to bisque firing, and greets customers at the Castroville storefront.
To learn more about how Firebrand Pottery is made, visit Our Process or follow Firebrand Pottery on social media.
Why Firebrand Pottery?
When the DeLaune family purchased the pottery business in 2022, they remodeled the store and the brand so more people could discover it. The showroom had been in a small historic building in front of the wooden pottery studio; the studio’s front room is now the Firebrand Pottery Showroom.
Inspired by Castroville’s Alsatian influence, the showroom brings the store and the working pottery operation together under one roof so customers can see where and how pieces are handcrafted.
Firebrand Pottery’s custom-orders division works with interior designers, retail stores, and corporations on individual pieces, products they helped design, and corporate gifts. The Firebrand name also reflects that every piece is fired up to 2400 degrees in the kiln.
The Castroville studio continues to create the quality pieces customers have loved for years, turning clay into a loved work of art.
The Process
A Lump of Clay
A lump of clay is hand thrown on a pottery wheel by the professional potter.
Bisqueware
The first kiln firing turns pottery into ceramic material ready to glaze.
Glazing
Each piece is dipped in desired glaze colors for a specific amount of time.
Kiln Fired
Inside the kiln, the glaze interacts with heat to create its unique color.