Behind the Cedar Door: The Story of Cedar Door Clay Designs
Behind the Cedar Door: The Story of Cedar Door Clay Designs
There is a quote by J.R.R. Tolkien that says the two most beautiful words in the English language are cellar door. We heard that and thought, "What about Cedar Door?"
That small shift says everything about who we are. We took something beautiful and made it our own. That is what we do with clay, too.
It Started With a Class I Didn't Want to Take
Six years ago, I was a stay-at-home mom with no plans to become a ceramic artist. My husband, Bobby, who knows me better than I sometimes know myself, enrolled me in a slab-building class without asking. I went reluctantly.
By the time that first class ended, I was hooked.
There is something that happens when your hands meet clay for the first time, something grounding and honest that is hard to put into words. Clay does not pretend to be anything other than what it is. I did not know it then, but that was exactly what I needed.
Why Starting at 51 Was the Best Decision I Ever Made
Starting a business later in life is not for the faint of heart. Kilns are expensive. The learning curve is real. The commitment is significant. And the voice in your head that says is it too late? It can be loud.
We now have three kilns.
I started Cedar Door Clay Designs at 51, and I will tell you honestly, the fear was there. But so was something else. A clarity. A sense that this was mine to do, and that the timing was exactly right, even when it did not feel that way.
If you are reading this and wondering whether it is too late to begin something that matters to you, I hope our story answers that question.
Bobby Was Here First
What most people do not know is that Bobby was working with clay almost two years before I ever touched it. He throws on the wheel. I slab build. Our techniques are entirely different and yet, somehow, perfectly complementary.
We work together but separately. Two hands shaping the same vision from different directions. That combination is what allows Cedar Door to offer such a range, from wheel-thrown pots to hand-built jewelry and wall hangings, and to keep evolving in ways that feel natural rather than forced.
If it were not for Bobby, Cedar Door would not exist. That is simply the truth.
What the Name Means
Look closely at our logo. The two O's in Cedar Door are connected, like wedding rings. That was intentional.
Cedar Door is not just a business name. It is a reflection of us, a partnership, a home, an open door. You never quite know what you will find behind it. The inventory changes. The pieces evolve. Every collection is shaped by what the clay wants to become and what we feel called to make.
We are welcoming and ever-changing. That is the Cedar Door way.
On Imperfection
I did not set out to build a brand around imperfection. It just happened, the way most true things do.
People are not perfect. The world is not perfect. And I have come to believe that the flaws, the variations, the unexpected textures and uneven edges are not things to be hidden. They are the most interesting parts.
Every piece from Cedar Door has unglazed edges. You can see the raw clay. You can see where the hands were. That is not a mistake. That is the point.
If the world loved its flaws the way I love the flaws in a piece of clay, I think we would all be a little kinder to each other.
Opening the Kiln
There is a moment every ceramic artist knows. You have done everything right, the clay, the glaze, the firing, and then you open the kiln door and hold your breath.
Fear. Excitement. Anticipation. All at once.
What clay has taught me, more than any other lesson, is that I am not in control. And that is not always a bad thing. Some of the most beautiful pieces I have ever made came out of the kiln looking nothing like I planned.
There is grace in surrendering to the process.
The Customers Who Stay With Us
We have cried with our customers. Over urns. Over earrings. Over pieces that carried meaning we could not have anticipated when we made them.
When someone finds meaning in something built by our hands, when they carry a piece of our heart and soul with them, that is not something we take lightly. Ever.
That is why every piece is made with intention. That is why we do not rush. That is why Cedar Door will never be a mass-production operation, no matter how much we grow.
Come See What's Behind the Door
Cedar Door Clay Designs is based in Wyoming, and every piece is handcrafted by Heather and Bobby…slow-made, intentional, and one of a kind.
If you have been looking for something that feels real in a world full of things that do not, we would love for you to take a look at what we have made.
Because behind every Cedar Door, there is something worth finding.