Wilson Creek Pottery 50th Anniversary Party

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Ray + Kelly Photography

Two people pull a kiln open.

Ashley Pfannenstiel (left) and Shannon Porter open the kiln at Wilson Creek Pottery.

media release: Wilson Creek Pottery is thrilled to be celebrating 50 years of creating handmade, functional stoneware for its community of Spring Green, WI. Reaching this milestone as a rural, exclusively woman-owned, artist microbusiness is cause for celebration indeed! Join them for their 50th Anniversary Party on Saturday, September 30. Full details about the event and timing are available at wilsoncreekpottery.com. Catch more stories about the 50-year history and the upcoming celebration on their social media (Instagram: @wilsoncreekpottery; Facebook: WilsonCreekPottery)

In 1973—after apprenticing with Betty Woodman, a renowned ceramic artist—Peggy Ahlgren converted the defunct cheese factory, which had once served the Wilson Creek valley, into her pottery studio. Peggy set up her own shop and started creating the mugs, bowls, and plates that have been gracing the tables of this Driftless Wisconsin valley for decades.

Peggy worked tirelessly to create tens of thousands of wheel-thrown pieces using her proprietary clay body, which proved durable and long lasting. She was essentially a one-woman shop, with intermittent helpers throughout her 39-year tenure, and garnered an extensive and committed following of customers and enthusiasts. Customers still come into the shop to share stories of dish sets that have been in daily use for over 30 years. 

Ready for retirement, Peggy began the search for a new potter to take over at Wilson Creek Pottery. Ashley Pfannenstiel and Shannon Porter caught wind of the sale through a mutual friend. In April 2012, the couple purchased the business, and Ashley and Peggy spent that summer working together to help Ashley transition into the space and business. Ashley worked side-by-side with Peggy, learning the ways of the production process, the large hand-built kiln and its firing cycle. She grew her skills on the wheel, making bowls, pie plates, and more in a similar tradition to Peggy’s. 

With a college degree in art, Ashley came from an artistic background but had not studied ceramics or wheel throwing extensively. Instead, she had focused on sculpture using found objects. While living in Chicago, Ashley had worked in outdoor recreation for nearly a decade when the itch to return to art came calling. Shannon was even more novel to ceramics, but the two could not pass up the opportunity to move away from the city and get their hands dirty. The lifestyle was a leap of faith, but somehow they have been able to hold the landing and maintain both the business and the relationship. 

Currently, a tight-knit trio creates Wilson Creek Pottery. Ashley, at the helm, leads the creative direction and production process, which starts with her throwing every piece that comes off the wheel and ends with her tending to every 30-plus-hour firing that creates the finished product. Shannon handles all other business operations as well as some production, and Katie Wyer holds things together as an enthusiastic production assistant. 

The brick and mortar retail shop is open daily (Monday - Sunday) in Spring Green from 10am until 6pm with the whole of their collection available for sale. At certain times of year, they open up their online store to purchase plates and to make items available to those who can’t get to Spring Green.

With evidence of pottery from the Late Woodland Indians (1000 BC - 1000 AD) found in the Wilson Creek valley, Ashley and Shannon are deeply honored to join the lineage of local potters and to create pieces that serve, nourish, and uplift their community. You will find Wilson Creek Pottery serving everyday meals across the community and at local restaurants like Sardine, Homecoming, and Reunion. 

To honor the community that has supported and valued this work for the past 50 years, Wilson Creek Pottery will host an open house event at their studio on Saturday, September 30. The open house will include studio tours, demonstrations, local snacks and treats, and an official toast at 3pm. The potter invites the celebration to continue at Homecoming, a favorite restaurant in downtown Spring Green. Homecoming will be serving their usual fare of wood-fired pizza, specialty salads, entrees and cocktails, and all are invited to dine there after visiting the studio. The celebration will close with silent disco-style dancing starting around 8pm at the Sh*tty Barn, the renowned local, and totally unique music venue. All are welcome to join the celebration at any time. The studio will be open that day, as it is every single day, from 10am until 6pm.