We hand make authentic wheel-thrown pottery in Coromandel, New Zealand, creating authentic functional homeware items that add something special to your everyday use.
Our history in pottery dates back to 1973, when the late Barry Brickell’s vision of a shared studio styled pottery came to life. Now as a not-for-profit organisation, we continue Barry’s legacy of enriching the artistic community and enhancing our natural environment.
We believe in creating a circular product life cycle and a lifelong connection with you handmade pottery. If any of our pottery breaks during its life, you can send us the broken bits and receive a 30% discount for the same item. We will crush the broken pottery and repurpose it in our clay to reduce waste and our impact on the environment.
We hand-wedge each ball of clay to remove air and create a consistent texture. Then slap it firmly on the potters wheel to begin centering it, and then guide the clay into shape while it spins.
Bisque Firing & Glazing
Once the pot has dried, we then place it in the kiln to be bisque fired at 950°C. The bisque-fired pottery is dipped in our own handmade glaze to seal the surface and add colour depending on the materials used in the glaze.
Final Firing
The pottery is then stacked back in the kiln and fired at 1280°C. At this temperature, the glazes melt, change colour and fuse with the clay, creating a durable finish that is ready for use.
Driving Creek first started selling handcrafted pottery after Barry built New Zealand’s first wood-fired stoneware kiln in 1974. Since then, Driving Creek’s journey has been marked by innovation, resourcefulness and a love for pottery.
Remaining true to Barry’s legacy, we use a mix of our own terracotta clay with other New Zealand clay, we recycle pottery through our clay making process, and our designs and colours are inspired by Barry’s work and rustic aesthetic.
Each piece of our pottery is a testament to the artistic journey that has unfolded at Driving Creek for over 50 years.
Driving Creek first started selling handcrafted pottery after Barry built New Zealand’s first wood-fired stoneware kiln in 1974. Since then Driving Creek’s journey has been marked by innovation, resourcefulness and a love for pottery.
Remaining true to Barry’s legacy, we use a mix of our own terracotta clay with other New Zealand clay, we recycle pottery through our clay making process, and our designs and colours are inspired by Barry’s work and rustic aesthetic.
Each piece of our pottery is a testament to the artistic journey that has unfolded at Driving Creek for over 50 years.
After purchasing the 24 Ha property, Barry set out to return the farmland to a thriving native forest and planted over 27,000 native trees.
Today, our property is covered in second-generation self-seeding native forest. We continue Barry's legacy of protecting and enhancing our environment by operating pest animal and plant control programmes, performing environmental research, running free conservation events, and connecting people with New Zealand’s natural qualities through enriching, educative and unique experiences.
Word of Driving Creek’s unique grass roots pottery attracted potters from around the world. However, visiting artists were required to contribute to the place for the privilege to stay, leading to a thriving culture of creativity, shared learning and growth.
Driving Creek continues this ethos today by offering artists a unique free opportunity to stay and create in our studios for up to a month.
We offer pottery classes and workshops to share our love of pottery, providing an opportunity for you to create your own unique items. Our classes and workshops cater to all skill levels, whether it’s your first time wheel throwing or you’re looking to develop your skills further.
Driving Creek also cares for Barry’s personal collection and the New Zealand Ceramic Heritage Trust’s Collection, and we host exhibitions to showcase talented artists’ craftsmanship.
We invite you to become a part of our legacy. Whether it's by bringing our pottery into your home, participating in one of our learning programs, applying for a residency, or simply visiting to explore Driving Creek, your contribution enriches our community.
Join us at Driving Creek, where pottery becomes a way of connecting, learning, and growing together.
