I'm Daniel Smith, a potter living in St. Jospeh, MN. I make pottery with local clay and ash glazes at the Saint John's Pottery.

I got my start in pottery at community ed classes in Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis, followed by an apprenticeship at the Saint John's Pottery with Richard Bresnahan. I apprenticed at this multi-generational studio for four years and have been the studio manager ever since.

The studio's model of working with deep respect for our local and global environments inspired me to pursue a life in clay, and to continue in a tradition of making functional wood fired pottery for everyday use.

Unloading the Johanna Kiln after each wood firing is a process of discovery, and this site is a collection of some of my favorites.