After 30 years spent teaching art in the Altoona School District, Richard Millheiser never shook his desire to create – something his garage knows well, having become a temporary pottery studio for Millheiser after retiring.

After buying a kiln of his own from a friend, Millheiser knew he needed a larger space dedicated to his pottery. Thus, Claymore Pottery began, joining the ranks of local artists who have made Banbury Place their home base. 

“I have three goals: Pay for my rent; pay for my materials; and make sure my kids don't get left with 10,000 pots.” –Richard Millheiser, Claymore Pottery

While Claymore Pottery is quite recognizable to locals today (and lines The Local Store's shelves) – with work ranging from intricate butter dishes to mugs and other functional kitchenware to staple ceramic chicken sculptures – Millehiser was not always a ceramics artist. Prior to teaching, he was a sketch artist and painter.

“I would make a mess of anything I touched,” he recalled. After learning how to work with clay properly from internationally renowned local artist Randy Johnston, Millheiser accepted a simple truth: The more you try to make a pot perfect, the more you ruin it. There is a personal touch to a small “mistake” that keeps a piece innately human.

Millheiser accepted a simple truth: The more you try to make a pot perfect, the more you ruin it. There is a personal touch to a small ‘mistake’ that keeps a piece innately human.

Millheiser has sold so many mugs that he can imagine that, at any given minute, someone is drinking out of one. It excites him.

Claymore Pottery keeps Millheiser quite busy with pending orders and local gallery and market events, though he strives to find balance between the “want-to’s” and “have-to’s” in life. “I have three goals: Pay for my rent; pay for my materials; and make sure my kids don’t get left with 10,000 pots,” he laughed.