Artist Spotlight | FLM Ceramics
Written by Carin Jacobs
The shop at Petaluma Pottery
Nestled in the heart of the bourgeoning Warehouse District sits Petaluma Pottery, part production studio, part classroom, and part showroom. The owners at the center of that Venn diagram are Forrest Middleton and wife Beth Schaible, who first opened the business on the east side of Petaluma in 2018. In 2022, they moved to the current location at 301 2nd Street, where the business runs in tandem with FLM Ceramics and Beth’s letterpress, design and bookbinding studio. Forrest conceived of the model right out of grad school, recognizing he couldn’t make a living operating only as an artisan, and wanting to give back through education. Equal parts makers, educators, and shopkeepers, the owners both have very deep backgrounds in the world of craft that go beyond the local landscape. They met at Penland School of Craft in North Carolina, and Forrest explains that he is more of a dreamer, while Beth is more a nuts-and-bolts personality. When asked what he is most proud of, he shared, “that Beth and I can do this together, spending 24 hours a day together and genuinely not get tired of each other. “
Beth Schaible & Forrest Middleton
On a warm day in early fall, we got a very detailed tour of the showroom, classroom and the members spaces (currently there are 80 members) with the public facing spaces at the front of the building and the “behind the curtain” activity further back, sort of like the “front of the house” and “back of the house” zones at your favorite restaurant. While some of the information was a bit technical for my lay sensibilities to fully grasp, a few key themes stayed with me. FLM Ceramics is clearly influenced by both culture and geography. Collaborations include a visiting artist from Korea, an Iranian calligrapher and a master carver whose tile designs reflect the texture and dimensionality of his pottery. This 3D aspect can also be found in some of the custom projects that cater to very particular client tastes. Standout carved patterns include a pinecone from North Carolina and an art deco building from NYC. Many tiles are silkscreened, and FLM makes their own ink for the screening, while underglazes can be printed in the full Pantone spectrum. Unglazed tiles read more like stone or concrete, feeling slightly waxier after being sealed as the final step in the production process.
Image via FLM Ceramics and Kinforged
FLM sells direct to consumers and designers, and twice a year they have a highly anticipated members sale where the line can be around the block. Forrest generously loaded Christin up with samples in various colors, shapes and patterns, including the amazing Einstein tile based on a geometric algorithm invented by mathematical physicist Roger Penrose. From the elegant displays of coffee mugs in the window to the symphony of kilns, sanders and shop dogs, to the pizza oven out back made entirely from tiles crafted by members, this unique space is a perfect blend of craft, commerce and community.
