About Us

 

The Ceramic Shop was created by Philadelphia ceramic artist and educator Mark Lueders. As a teacher at University of Pennsylvania, Mark was a driving force in the introduction of ceramics into the university’s curriculum. Years later, combined with his interest in ceramics and design, Mark invented the Hydro-Bat - a fast drying, durable bat used to make removing work from the wheel more efficient. In 2001, the Hydro-Bat business outgrew its original location and moved to a larger facility in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia. Wanting not only a venue for distributing his product, but to also fill the void for a much needed ceramic supply store in the Philadelphia area, The Ceramic Shop was born. What was started as a manufacturing house for Hydro-Bat and an online supply store, The Ceramic Shop has grown into one of the largest Ceramic Supply companies in the world. With a huge selection of supplies in our showroom and over 40,000 items online and growing. In stock are top brand names such as Amaco, Skutt, Shimpo, L&L, Kemper, Spectrum, Speedball, Laguna, Olympic and Sio-2 Clay. There is also an assortment of high and low-fire clay bodies, dry materials and chemicals, and a lot more.

In 2006, The Ceramic Shop acquired Roselli Pottery Inc., the leading manufacturer of kiln stilts, bead racks and specialty kiln furniture. That same year, our cone 6 electric line of professional dry glazes was launched and has been a huge success. In 2012 we launched a new product line called Mr. Mark's, a series of unique products for decorating and repairing ceramics. Wax On, Wax Off, Ware Repair, and Crack Pot have all been successful additions to our own product line.

As of May 2017, The Ceramic Shop took yet another big step and moved to a much larger facility in up and coming Norristown, PA. This new building features roughly three times the amount of space as our previous location, a private fenced-in parking lot, and a long list of other improvements that we know will delight our customers. Visitors give rave reviews of our showroom, which is open Wednesday through Saturday from 9:00-5:00. We pride ourselves on being a knowledgeable, friendly staff here to answer any questions. 

The Ceramic Shop believes that by making quality ceramic supplies available at fair prices, backed with a knowledgeable staff, that any artist - from the seasoned professional to the weekend hobbyist - can attain their goals of reaching their full creative potential. Innovation and creativity is encouraged not only in our customers everyday but within our own staff, of which over 70% are also artists. Our founder and President is actively involved with every aspect of the business and continues to lead us into the future. 

Who Is The Ceramic Shop?

Mark Lueders

Mark Lueders

President & Founder
Victoria Smith

Victoria Smith

Vice President
Bryson Kerns

Bryson Kerns

Operations Manager (He/Him)
Heidi Corkill

Heidi Corkill

National Sales Manager (She/Her)
Kelly Eaton

Kelly Eaton

Equipment Sales (She/Her)
Maggie Magill

Maggie Magill

Wholesale Manager / Buyer (She/Her)
Evan Epstein

Evan Epstein

Webmaster / Graphics Lead
Lauren Kratz

Lauren Kratz

Inventory Manager / Buyer
Mary Saring

Mary Saring

WebOrders Operations Manager (She/Her)
Emilie Gardner

Emilie Gardner

Accounting
Mandee Beatty

Mandee Beatty

Retail Store Manager
Mike Carty

Mike Carty

Warehouse Manager (He/Him)

Where Is The Ceramic Shop?

Map to The Ceramic Shop

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