Campfire Pottery
by Benjamin Camp
This is a story about Campfire Pottery and the people who created it. Also, to whom it may concern, I’m related to the owners of CP. It's an obvious conflict of interest, however, I’m not being paid by CP, nor do I strictly adhere to the AP Writing Handbook; it's more like guidelines than actual rules.
Campfire Pottery is a ceramics company that finds the perfect harmony between function and form. CP is owned and operated by Joe and Kristen Camp. They said, “We make handmade ceramics designed to inspire the art of entertaining.” They started the company in 2015, working out of the basement of a triplex just outside of Portland, Maine.
Kristen is a multifaceted artist with experience in ceramics, floral arrangements, 2D art, and interior design. She received a BA from Bob Jones University in 2010. Kristen said she had trouble finding her style or voice in painting, but she took a ceramics class and everything clicked. She said, “I really enjoy the utilitarian side of pottery and being able to use it in every aspect of our daily lives.” Kristen believes there is an intrinsic value in creating something with a tangible function.
Shortly after meeting Kristen for the first time, Joe took his first poetry class in 2010. He said, “It was a good excuse for us to hang out. Kristen said, “He was sweet on me.” Kristen may be the creative director but she stressed the fact that it would have never worked if not for the support of her husband. Joe is a master builder, a chef, a car mechanic, and a musician. According to Kristen, Joe was instrumental in leading the business side of the company in the beginning.
The business began to grow and quickly became too large for a basement. In 2017, they moved to The Mill in Westbrook, ME. They established their new company in a studio space and started pursuing their mission. By 2020 they had nationwide recognition. Joe said they’ve shipped to at least 47 different states and 6 different countries. Kristen said they had a great staff that helped them expand their reach. By the fall of 2020, they had 4 employees, a studio, and a store in downtown Portland, ME.
With the outbreak of COVID-19, there was a major increase in at-home pottery studios. Kristen said, “Of all the mediums to make a living at, ceramics is probably one of the hardest,” nevertheless, people all over have started making their own pottery! As a result, they have noticed a saturation in the market. They said it's an understandable shift—if someone has a family member who makes pottery, then they’re not going to buy expensive pottery from other artists.
However, CP still makes an effort to stand out. Kristen said, “I think one thing that makes our stuff extra special is consistency. We've carried the same collections for quite a while and plan to continue doing that. We created a line that as we grow, still feels relevant and timeless.” According to CP, they have a large number of customers who are building their dinner sets one piece at a time.
Kristen is one of five girls and Joe is one of six, two girls and four boys. Coming from such large families, it’s no surprise they have a passion for inspiring people to gather around a large dinner table for laughs, delicious food, and old stories.
When they were married in 2013, they felt God calling them to help start a church in Portland, Maine. The church plant was a hard and challenging journey, especially for newlyweds. Despite the efforts of all those involved, the church would later dissolve and the Camps were left with a difficult decision: pack up and go home or stay and trust God to lead them through the unknowns of living so far from friends and family. They took a leap of faith in choosing to stay, and shortly after the pottery business started to get traction and they found themselves invested in a community.
Five years ago this April, they had a baby girl, Florence Etta Camp. She lends a hand in the marketing and social media aspect of the business, but only when she has the time—being five is hard.
In more recent months, they have moved the business into their house in Gray, ME. Kristen had mixed feelings about leaving the studio they had worked so hard for. They loved having such a large space for inventory, production, and shipping, but they said the move allows them the most flexibility to take the company where they want it to go. They currently run production out of the garage and use the basement for shipping and inventory. While this is not the dream scenario, it speaks to the type of company Campfire Pottery is: They will do whatever it takes to inspire people to experience life through the art of entertaining. If you're looking for a balance of utility and aesthetics, look no further than Campfire Pottery.
The End.
Special thanks to “The Photo Spot” for film processing.