The Kiln & Quill Society

A literary pottery club at Beale Pottery

Bringing together fantasy, storytelling, and hands-on ceramics in Northwest Indiana.

The Kiln & Quill Society is a seasonal membership experience filled with books, pottery, and meaningful conversation.

The Society is a space for those drawn to all things ancient, romantic, mystical, and unusual. It’s a place where stories become something we can hold in our hands, where imagination meets clay, and where we can share our love for fictional worlds while creating something entirely our own.

Our First Season | January–April 2027
Three monthly book gatherings, followed by The Epilogue, our seasonal glazing gathering.

Pottery + Book Dates: January 16th · February 20th · March 20th
The Epilogue: April 17th
Time: 6–8:30 p.m. Central [confirm Epilogue time]
Location: Beale Pottery · [studio address]
Seasonal membership: $225 per person
Ages: 18+

Step Into the Story

Each gathering invites you to slow down, step away from the everyday, and immerse yourself in a thoughtfully curated literary experience. Each month brings a new book, theme, atmosphere, and a little bit of magic. Sydney will bring each story to life through carefully chosen details that transform the studio into a cozy, welcoming space.

We’ll gather to discuss the book, share our thoughts and favorite moments, unpack the characters and themes, and connect with others who share our love for getting lost in a good story. Along the way, we’ll create a one-of-a-kind piece of pottery inspired by the world we’ve explored.

Members will personalize studio-prepared leather-hard pottery—clay that has dried enough to hold its shape but is still damp enough to carve, texture, and add decorative details. Using carving, sculptural additions, stamps, and surface decoration, you’ll transform each prepared form into something entirely your own.

This approach leaves plenty of room for creativity and experimentation while allowing conversation, connection, and the joy of making to remain at the heart of each gathering.

To complement each month’s theme, light refreshments, including tea and small finger foods, will be provided. Please let us know about dietary restrictions or allergies when registering.

Above all, we want the Kiln & Quill Society to feel welcoming. You don’t need to be a seasoned reader, an experienced potter, or an expert in fantasy to belong here. You just need a little curiosity, a willingness to create, and a love for discovering something new. Whether you’re here for the books, the pottery, the atmosphere, or the chance to find your people, there’s a place for you here.

The First Season’s Reading List & Projects

January | The Court of Venus

By Bel Banta
Pottery project: Celestial Luminary

Tudor-inspired · Courtly intrigue · Rivals to lovers · Magicians · Astrology · Slow burn

January marks the heart of winter, when the nights are long, the skies are dark, and the warmth of the firelight feels magical. Inspired by the celestial mysteries and romantic intrigue of The Court of Venus, this month’s gathering invites us to find enchantment in the quiet of winter.

Sydney will have slab-built cylinders prepared for each member, ready to be transformed with your own celestial embellishments, from moons and stars to intricate cosmic patterns. Whether you’re drawn to the mystery of the night sky or the romantic, otherworldly atmosphere of our January read, you’ll have the opportunity to create a luminary designed to cast a warm, atmospheric glow.

February | The Knight and the Moth

By Rachel Gillig
Pottery project: Medieval Fortress Bookends

Forced proximity · Enemies to lovers · Morally grey characters · Epic quest · Found family

There’s something timeless about stepping into a world of castles, knights, and ancient fortresses. Inspired by the gothic tone of The Knight and the Moth, this month’s gathering draws on medieval architecture, where towering stone walls and hidden passageways feel as though they hold centuries of secrets.

Sydney will have the foundational structures of each set of bookends prebuilt and ready for members to bring to life. You’ll add the finishing architectural details, from textured stonework and sweeping arches to windows and doors, transforming simple clay structures into miniature medieval fortresses.

Whether inspired by the grandeur of ancient castles or the shadowy strongholds of gothic fantasy, you’ll create a piece that brings charm to your bookshelf.

March | One Dark Window

By Rachel Gillig
Pottery project: Matchbox Striker

Unique card magic system · Forbidden love and magic · Slow burn · Found family · Monster within

March marks the transition from winter’s lingering darkness toward the first hints of spring, a season caught between shadow and renewal. Inspired by the eerie atmosphere and unique card-based magic system of One Dark Window, this month’s gathering invites us to explore imagery drawn from tarot, oracle cards, and the magic of the unknown.

Sydney will have slab-built matchboxes prepared for members to transform with their own imaginative surface designs. Drawing inspiration from tarot imagery, oracle decks, and antique mystical illustrations, you’ll create a personalized matchbox striker that feels like a treasured artifact from a mystical world.

Think symbolic imagery, mysterious motifs, and a touch of magic brought to life in clay.

April | The Epilogue

Our seasonal glazing gathering

Each season concludes with The Epilogue, a special glazing gathering where we’ll add the finishing touches to the pottery created throughout the season.

It’s an opportunity to revisit the stories we’ve explored, celebrate the friendships we’ve formed, and reflect on the little pieces of magic we’ve brought to life together.

Your projects will stay at Beale Pottery throughout the season for drying and bisque firing. After The Epilogue, we’ll complete their final glaze firing. Your finished collection will be ready for pickup one week later.

Your Membership Includes

• Three literary gatherings with guided book discussions

• Three studio-prepared pottery projects to personalize

• All clay, glazes, tools, and bisque and glaze firings

• The Epilogue seasonal glazing gathering

• Tea and seasonal refreshments at each gathering

• Thoughtfully prepared discussion prompts

• Priority registration for future seasons

Membership covers the full four-month season. Individual gatherings are not available for separate registration.

An Evening With the Society

6–6:20 p.m. | Arrive & Settle In
Enjoy tea, seasonal refreshments, and time to get acquainted.

6:20–8:30 p.m. | Books & Clay
We’ll share a guided discussion of the month’s book and personalize our pottery projects, with thoughtfully prepared prompts and plenty of room for natural conversation. Sydney will provide guidance as you explore the tools and decorative techniques.

Before You Join

Read before we gather.
Members are responsible for obtaining and reading each month’s book before attending. Books are not included in the membership price. Print books, ebooks, and audiobooks are all welcome. Discussions will include the full story, including the ending.

For adults ages 18 and older.
Some selections may contain mature or explicit content and sensitive subject matter. Please review each book’s content warnings before reading.

Check all four dates before registering.
Due to the nature of the club, no makeup classes are offered. Cancellations are nonrefundable.

Pottery pickup.
Projects remain at the studio until the seasonal glazing gathering and final firing. Finished pottery will be ready for pickup one week after The Epilogue.

Behind the Kiln & Quill Society

A note from Sydney

After nearly a decade of not reading novels, I stumbled upon a popular book series and decided to see what all the hype was about. Not to be dramatic (maybe just a little), that series changed my life in more ways than one. It opened the door to new worlds, magical discoveries, and a part of myself I didn’t even realize I was missing.

I’m still at the beginning of my reading journey, but fantasy novels have quickly become a special kind of escapism for me. There’s something about getting lost in an entirely different world, falling in love with its characters, and discovering the magic woven into its pages that makes me feel alive. These stories remind me of the beauty that still exists in the world, inspire my creativity, and give me hope for humanity in ways I never expected a book could.

But as I started reading more, I realized there was one thing I wanted almost as much as finishing a good book: someone to talk about it with. I wanted to unpack the characters, discuss the magic, and sit with all the feelings a story leaves behind. The only problem? Many of my friends hadn’t read the book!

And so, an idea began to take shape. What if, instead of doom scrolling on BookTok, I could create a real, in-person community? What if I could bring together two of the things that have brought so much meaning to my life - reading and pottery?

Beale Pottery studio has introduced me to such a special community, and I’ve always felt there’s something inviting about creating alongside other people. I wanted to bring that same sense of connection into the worlds I was discovering through books. What started as a small idea slowly grew into something I couldn’t stop thinking about, and eventually, the seeds of the Kiln & Quill Society were planted.

And now, I’m so excited to share it with you.

If you’ve ever wished you could step into the pages of a book, spend hours discussing the worlds and characters that have captured your heart, or bring a little piece of that magic into the real world, I created this society for you.

Welcome to the Kiln & Quill Society. I’m so glad you’re here. ♡

~ Sydney