Anyone who has ever tried their hand at making pottery will tell you it’s a complex art form. It requires creativity, mathematics, chemistry and a healthy balance of precision and acceptance. And when all those things come together in a harmonious way, the resulting artwork is as unique as the person who makes it.

Brian Fuller fell in love with the complexity and beauty of pottery making in high school when a friend talked him into taking a class.

“Something just clicked and soon I was spending all my time in the studio,” he said.

Years later, after pursuing a career as a heavy duty mechanic, he decided to take another pottery class that was soon followed by a leap of faith.

“I always knew I wanted to have a pottery studio — it was always that thing in the back of my mind,” Brian said. “When we moved to Washington, it just seemed like the right time.”

In 2018, Brian and Wendy Fuller took a chance and started Fairview Lake Studios with one pottery wheel in their laundry room.

Today, their operation has grown into a thriving family business that creates handmade, functional stoneware pottery in Sequim.

This ramen bowl made by Fairview Lake Studios artists include a notch for chopsticks.

One of their best sellers and Brian’s favorite thing to make is their line of travel mugs. Another popular piece is their ramen bowls.

“People love the ramen bowls we make,” Wendy said. “They have chopsticks and a little notch that the chopsticks sit into. We have a lot of customers buying them for their grandkids and their kids.”

In addition to their large production studio, Brian and Wendy also run a community pottery studio. People new to pottery can sign up for beginning and ongoing classes, and more experienced potters can use the studio space to hone their craft while cultivating friendships within the community.

There’s something so wonderful about owning a piece of functional art made by an artist you know. It’s a purchase that has meaning because it supports someone who decided to follow their heart and spend their days doing work that they love.

For those that decide to take home a piece from Fairview Lake Studios this market season, let it be a tangible reminder of what Brian and Wendy’s story can teach us: so much good will come when you build a life around the things you love.

Layla Forêt is the marketing manager for the Sequim Farmers & Artisans Market.

Sequim Farmers & Artisans Market

Open: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays through October

Location: Sequim Civic Center Plaza and Centennial Place, downtown Sequim

More info: director@sequimmarket.com, 360-582-6218

On the web: sequimmarket.com