Hi, I'm Rachel, the artist, perpetual dirt-enthusiast, and one-woman show behind Baxter Creek Pottery.

My background is actually in biology, but my high school ceramics teacher, Mr. Tomasik, got me on the wheel early and I never really looked back. I vividly remember spending an entire spring break carving a detailed vase at home while my friends were most likely off on beaches somewhere. Later, I earned a minor in studio art in college, and admittedly spent far more time elbow-deep in clay than I did inside my biology labs.

In the summer of 2020, amidst a very loud and chaotic world, I made the leap to pursue pottery full-time. I bought a wheel, built some sturdy worktables, and hauled in my first 200 pounds of clay. It felt like finally sinking into exactly what I was meant to do. The uncertainty of that era couldn't stop my studio momentum—though it did send me straight to a therapist, which remains one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. (Highly recommend.)

I ran Baxter Creek Pottery until 2022, then stepped away for a couple of years of environmental field work. While I appreciated the structure of collecting soil samples and managing data, corporate restructuring ultimately cut that chapter short. It was a tough transition, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise—it cleared the path for me to return to the clay full-time, bringing my scientific eye along with me. Today, my biology background directly inspires every woodland sculpture and earth-toned mug I create.

As of 2026, I am officially back. The wheel is spinning, my hands are happily dirty, and I am genuinely thrilled to be making things for your home again.

Thanks for being here and supporting this dream. I hope you love bringing my work into your everyday spaces as much as I love making it.

With muddy hands,
Rachel Baxter