We Strive to Create Pottery Tools That Help Empower Ceramics Artist
“There is a great satisfaction in building good tools for other people to use.”
– Freeman Dyson
Friends, Partners, Founders, and Makers
Today, Marc Gaiger and Carol Bell live happily together in their Fairport, NY home, but their story began back in the late ‘90s, when they first teamed up to blend their unique creative talents—Carol as a potter and Marc as a metal artist.
When Carol met Marc, he was forging knives, performing live art, and exploring various ways to showcase his broad range of fabrication skills. Carol was both intrigued and amused by his unconventional approach, and the two quickly became friends.
As the cold New York winters settled in after art festival season, Marc and Carol began brainstorming ways to collaborate. They experimented with Carol's ceramic tiles in every shape and size, while Marc brought his expertise in sheet metal, plasma cutting, and press braking into play.
Their first creation was a striking timepiece, blending Marc's custom metalwork with Carol's intricate ceramic tiles. This sparked a series of signature artworks, and soon, they were showcasing their pieces at over 20 art shows a year, winning more than 30 awards and shipping their work to galleries nationwide.
Work Continues at the Pottery Studio Back Home
Even while focused on shows, Carol was working to build up a ceramic community in the Rochester, NY suburb of Fairport, NY.
At first she welcomed a small group of students and renters to her studio. As time went on, studio membership grew, and with it the needs that only a talented fabricator could address.
Marc, an ever talented maker and inventor at heart, once again collaborated with Carol to help build the Turk Hill Craft School , which she operates to this day. Marc brought his fabrication skills and his ideas, building custom extruders, tables, stools, shelves, and more for the quickly growing ceramics school.
These unique, custom design contributions were just the beginning of Marc’s contributions to the studio. Custom Raku tongs, kiln vents, sanding tools and more were developed, creating a pottery studio experience like no other. Classes increased, shelves were quickly rented, and countless special workshops were scheduled and hosted.
Between helping to improve the pottery and attending art shows, Marc was finding various ways to showing off his talent for making, and his love of helping others. He assisted with the buildout of the Turk Hill complex, and he took on countless commissions. This includes everything from custom glass and metal tables, to a stunning, one-of-a-kind custom fabricated stair railings, complete with built-in LED lights.
Soon though, a new challenge would arise. Could the process of centering and opening clay be made easier for a production potter?
Strong Arm Pottery Tools are Born
Always motivated by a desire to help others, a new idea for a collaboration was born. Carol approached Marc looking for a way to help speed up the production of wheel thrown solar lanterns.
Shows were frequent, the studio was growing, and Carol needed a way to complete the work faster. Not only that, she wanted to protect her body, and eliminate unnecessary stress on her wrists and shoulders.
Marc quickly got to work, developing the first prototype of the Strong Arm. Carol was overjoyed, this centering and opening tool allowed her to produce twice the work in half the time. And, not only was production easier, but she found herself no longer wondering if she would have to stop making pottery, something she loved so much, due to wear and tear on her body.
Soon others were asking how to get their hands on these centering tools. Marc quickly got to work creating a space to manufacture the Strong Arm Centering and Opening tool.
Meet the Team
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Marc Gaiger
Co-Founder, Lead Fabricator and Idea Guy
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Carol Bell
Co-Founder, Inspiration, Motivation, and Business Whiz
