About Webster's Works Wood's Ceramics

In 1984, after taking a 6 week ceramic class in college, Laura J. Webster developed an interest in ceramics.  Laura’s late Aunt June Stevens, at that time was an avid hobbyist but slowly looking to retire from this hobby.  After Aunt June sold Laura a few hundred molds, paints and a kiln, Wood’s Ceramics slowly began to grow.  Working in a small corner of her basement Laura began making items. 

Working in clay and having fun began to take a turn to displaying the finished pieces at small area craft shows and then into donating items for the developmentally disabled population to paint.  As time went on husband Rick Wood, son Brian and Laura’s mother June Webster were introduced to the hobby further captivating the interests of others and increasing production. Wood’s Ceramics became an official registered business in 1996, obtaining a partnership in 2001 as Webster’s Works, Wood’s Ceramics.  More doors were then opened to allow for larger, more recognized craft shows, fund raising venues, home parties and consignments in local businesses including stores in New Jersey and North Carolina. During all of this Laura was introduced to Jim Hansgate, her husband’s uncle.  Jim is a well know artisan whom manufactured molds to include creating forms in which some of the architecture in Buffalo, NY was repaired.  As Jim so graciously shared his knowledge, Laura made a few molds with help from Jim and an artistic friend, John Bager.  Jim has since retired from his hobby, giving Laura some rare knowledge and many of his original molds, as well as the opportunity to obtain copyrights on her own molds.  This was the onset of working in terra-cotta.  Her work in terra-cotta, opened even more doors and the business became very demanding of needed product, the creation of a catalog, more consignment stores, fund raising for schools/organizations and an over-whelming schedule of wanted home parties. 

Their small corner of the basement grew to having over 3000 molds, 3 kilns and an electric powered slip casting table that would hold over 30 gallons of the liquid clay needed to make the start of a ceramic piece.  Through the years, the business has been recognized for its creativity, uniqueness, contributions to the developmentally disabled organizations, and fund raising events.  Today they have down sized some to having a little over 1800 molds and only 2 kilns.  June, at age 82 still helps paint, Rick and Laura work together to pour, clean, fire and add the finishing touches creating a unique home or garden accent.   Brian, well he prefers to say out of the “dungeon” as the work area is fondly referred to and work on the technical end, such as this web-site.

Webster's Works Wood's Ceramics

e-mail:lwood@woodsceramics.com

Laura & Rick Wood, Lake View, New York 14085