Ellison Bay Pottery Studios

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• Google User

  06 August 2022

  We love ❤️ Ellison Bay Pottery studios! Beautiful, hand-made, one-of-a-kind pieces crafted by a Door County master. Definitely worth a stop!

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• Google User

  02 August 2022

  After visiting nearby Door Bluff Headlands County Park, we dropped in here on a whim as the signage for this studio was located right on the same Garrett Bay Road that leads out of the park. And we are very glad we did, as it was a unique business and cultural Door County experience indeed. The gravel and dirt road leading to their secluded studio is like being right back in the park, and after a little bit of roadway, their studio appears out of the woods. Ha, perty different and interesting to say the least!
  
  Off to the side of the studio was Diane McNeil who greeted and welcomed us. Hidden back in his workshop was John Dietrich, the master potter at work. We browsed around the gallery and there was a lot of colorful and artistic pottery to look at, but nothing really clicked for us buying-wise on this trip anyway. But the best part was that after browsing, we got to chatting with this delightful and engaging and long time husband and wife team. Their gallery is actually a converted historic 1934 vintage apple barn. On the premises behind their gallery is their home too. You can tell this business is their love and livelihood. We learned yet again it's a small world. Diane actually hails originally from Glen Ellyn, IL and still remembers now bustling Naperville as open pasture land! John was raised in Appleton WI and trained from his college days to be a master potter, but both of his parents were actually renowned painters from Oak Park, IL! There are other potteries in town we noticed later, and I'm sure each has their own story, but their particular story here was one that gave us a sense of connection. Drop by to meet this welcoming couple, go off the beaten path, and see if any of their work might be what you're looking for!

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• Google User

  25 June 2021

  Wow, amazing pottery studio with the kindest couple who owns it. He showed us his pottery studio where he creates and told us about his methods and mediums. A must stop for sure if you love art.

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• Google User

  22 June 2021

  Decades of experience are behind these incredible pieces. The variety of methods, designs and colors is stunning. This has been my favorite pottery spot in Door County for years. A rare 5+ stars from me.

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• Google User

  17 August 2019

  We try to make this stop every time we visit. Today it was for a set of goblets for a wedding gift and a coffee mug... Just because. While we are not pottery snobs, this is by far our favorite artist. John's pottery is just so different from anything we find elsewhere

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• Anynomous

  24 June 2017

  John Dietrich, the potter in "Ellison Bay Pottery", taught me to throw on the wheel in the early 1970's at Abe Cohen's legendary "Potter's Wheel" in Milwaukee.
  John's was good then. Now he's been at it for 50 years and he is the master of his craft.
  
  His work excels in subtle decoration and well executed form. I look at the pieces we bought from him every day and see something new to enjoy.
  
  It's possible that my training at John's hand skews my judgement, and indeed, I do think that that does inform my enjoyment, but I also think anyone can see the high value in his work at some level.
  
  If you're headed for Door County, Wisconsin, stop at the Ellison Bay Pottery and see what you think.

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