Hands in clay, surrounded by handmade ceramics glazed in deep mountain greens and blues. That is the kind of afternoon North Carolina does better than almost anywhere else.
A small pottery studio has been winning people over one visitor at a time. Working studio, gallery, and teaching space all under one roof, run by a ceramic artist who genuinely loves the craft and built this place to show it.
Every mug, bowl, and vase on those shelves carries the color and spirit of the Blue Ridge Mountains in a way that feels completely intentional. This is not a souvenir shop.
This is the real thing. The kind of creative space that makes a trip to Asheville feel richer and more memorable than expected. Get your hands dirty.
Take a class. Pick up a piece to bring home. North Carolina mountain towns are full of talented makers, and this studio belongs at the very top of that list.
A Gallery Worth Browsing
Walk through the front door and the first thing that hits you is color. The gallery at Plays In Mud Pottery is filled with handmade pieces glazed in rich greens and blues that feel pulled straight from the Blue Ridge Mountains surrounding Asheville, North Carolina.
Every item on the shelves is wheel-thrown and hand-stamped with original designs. Kelsey creates small, self-designed stamped shapes that build into intricate patterns across the surface of each piece.
No two items look exactly the same, which means every mug, bowl, or vase you pick up feels like a one-of-a-kind find.
The range is impressive. Mugs, vases, bowls, planters, candle holders, and full tableware sets line the shelves.
All glazes are food safe, lead-free, and zinc-free, so you can actually use what you buy every single day.
Visitors say the pieces feel amazing in your hands, and that the quality is immediately noticeable.
Many pieces also feature Asheville names or local insignia, making them perfect souvenirs that carry a real story. If you are looking for a gift that feels personal and handcrafted rather than mass-produced, the gallery at Plays In Mud is the right stop.
Could you really leave without at least one piece for your kitchen shelf?
The Story Behind The Studio
Some people find their calling in a classroom, and for Kelsey Schissel, that classroom had clay-covered walls and a spinning wheel. She earned her BFA in Ceramics from UNC-Asheville, a degree that planted the seeds for what would eventually become one of West Asheville’s most beloved creative spaces.
Kelsey launched Plays In Mud Pottery in 2009, building it from a personal passion into a full studio, gallery, and teaching center. Her father, Lyle Wheeler, is a master chairmaker and blacksmith, and his dedication to handcraft shaped the way Kelsey approaches her own work.
That family connection to making things by hand runs deep in everything she creates.
North Carolina has always had a strong tradition of Appalachian craft, and Kelsey honors that tradition through her membership in the Southern Highland Craft Guild, an organization committed to preserving handcraft heritage in the region. Her work is not just art for art’s sake.
It is functional, thoughtful, and rooted in a real place.
What started as one artist’s dream has grown into a community anchor. Visitors who pop in just to browse often end up signing up for a class.
How often does a studio manage to turn a casual shopper into a committed student?
Classes For Every Skill Level
Not everyone walks into a pottery studio already knowing what they are doing, and at Plays In Mud Pottery, that is perfectly fine. Kelsey has designed her class offerings to welcome complete beginners while still giving experienced potters plenty of room to grow.
The studio runs 4-week handbuilding courses, 6-week beginner-friendly or themed programs, and 8-week in-depth sessions. Each format covers different ground, from wheel throwing and handbuilding to surface design.
All necessary tools, clay, glazes, and firings are included in the class fee, so you show up and just focus on learning.
One detail that visitors consistently appreciate is how small the classes are kept. Kelsey intentionally limits enrollment so every student gets real, one-on-one attention.
That personal focus is what makes the difference between walking away frustrated and walking away proud of what you made.
Visitors say their skill genuinely blossoms under her direction, and that her sessions often become the highlight of their week.
Kelsey As Your Teacher
There is a real difference between someone who teaches pottery and someone who makes you love pottery. Kelsey Schissel falls firmly in the second category, and the people who have taken her classes are quick to say so.
Visitors describe her as patient, encouraging, knowledgeable, and genuinely fun to be around. She creates a space that feels completely free of judgment, which matters a lot when you are trying something new and your first clay bowl looks more like a lopsided bowl of regrets.
Laughs are had, and according to visitors, friends are made.
What makes Kelsey stand out as an instructor is her ability to adapt. She notices where each student is struggling, mirrors the technique on her own wheel, and then shows exactly how to move forward.
That kind of responsive teaching is rare and genuinely valuable for anyone trying to build real skills.
She also shares freely about her process and is happy to answer questions about her craft. A local ceramic artist who visited the studio put it simply: Kelsey does not mind volunteering information about how she works.
In North Carolina, where craft traditions run deep, that kind of open generosity feels exactly right. What would it feel like to leave a class knowing you actually improved?
The Studio Atmosphere
Some studios feel intimidating the moment you walk in. Plays In Mud Pottery feels like the opposite of that.
The space has a warmth to it that makes even first-time visitors feel like they belong there.
The studio sits in the creative heart of West Asheville, a neighborhood in North Carolina known for its independent shops, artists, and community-minded spirit. The location fits the vibe perfectly.
You are not walking into a sterile gallery where you are afraid to touch anything. You are walking into a working creative space where things are made, used, and appreciated.
Students who have taken classes here mention that Kelsey’s positivity fills the room. Even when a piece on the wheel goes sideways, the atmosphere stays encouraging.
One visitor noted that even their biggest flops still felt meaningful because of the energy Kelsey brings to every session.
The gallery section of the studio adds another layer to the experience. After class, students often wander through it, mesmerized by the finished pieces on display.
It gives you a clear picture of where the craft can take you with time and practice. Is there a better motivator than seeing beautiful work made in the very room where you are learning?
Mountain Inspired Pottery Designs
Every potter has a visual language, and Kelsey Schissel’s is unmistakably tied to the landscape around her. Her work draws from nature, sunlight, shadow, and the layered patterns found across the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
She uses small, self-designed stamps to press intricate shapes into the clay surface before glazing. These patterns build up across a piece the way light builds across a hillside at different times of day.
The result is pottery that feels alive and specific to a place, not generic or mass-produced.
Her signature glazes lean toward green and blue tones, colors that echo the forested ridges and sky visible from Asheville on a clear morning. Visitors say the pieces have an elegant quality that you simply will not find anywhere else.
One person described the style as unique and rich, with classic accents that genuinely take your breath away.
Kelsey’s artistic influences also include her father Lyle Wheeler’s blacksmithing work, which shows up in the structural precision and attention to detail in her pieces. The gallery also features some blacksmithing accessories alongside the pottery, giving the space an added layer of craft history.
Perfect Souvenirs To Take Home
Finding a souvenir that actually means something is harder than it sounds. Most gift shops sell the same mass-produced items you could find anywhere.
Plays In Mud Pottery is a completely different experience.
Every piece in the gallery is handmade by Kelsey herself, which means you are not buying a product off a factory line.
You are taking home something that was shaped by hand, stamped with original designs, and fired in a real studio in West Asheville, North Carolina. That story travels home with the piece.
Many items feature Asheville names or local insignia, making them instantly meaningful as gifts or personal keepsakes. Visitors say the prices are reasonable for the quality, and that the craftsmanship is immediately obvious when you hold a piece.
Mugs feel solid and balanced. Bowls have a satisfying weight.
Vases carry color in a way that looks different depending on the light.
If you are traveling with family or looking for gifts for people back home, the gallery has enough variety to cover just about everyone on your list. Candle holders, planters, tableware, and more fill the shelves.
All glazes are food safe and lead-free, so every piece is as practical as it is beautiful. What could be a better reminder of a trip to North Carolina than a handmade mug you use every single morning?
Visiting Hours And Tips
Planning a visit to Plays In Mud Pottery is easy once you know the schedule. The studio is open Friday through Sunday from 12 PM to 6 PM, so it fits naturally into a weekend trip to Asheville, North Carolina.
The address is 735 Haywood Rd C in West Asheville, and the neighborhood itself is worth exploring while you are there.
Haywood Road is lined with independent shops, cafes, and creative businesses that give West Asheville its distinctive character. A visit to Plays In Mud fits perfectly into a relaxed afternoon of exploring the area on foot.
Classes fill up because they are kept small by design, so reaching out early gives you the best chance of getting a spot.
Visitors say the owner is warm and welcoming, and that even a quick stop to browse feels like a genuinely friendly experience. The studio also gives back to the West Asheville community during the holidays, which says a lot about the values behind it.
North Carolina is full of talented makers, but few studios manage to combine a working gallery, a teaching space, and a community spirit quite like this one. Ready to plan your visit?