Research and Consulting

Research and Consulting: NRRI Project

The Pottery Program is a testing ground for the use of indigenous materials in the pottery process as well as a laboratory to test natural resources from throughout the region.

Saint John's has received grants from the Central Minnesota Community Foundation and the Central Minnesota Arts Council to enable Grotto Apprentices to research indigenous materials during their internships.

The Pottery has also received grants from the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) to conduct research and to provide consulting services.

The first grant, in 1989, was to test and fire samples from more than 200 clay deposit throughout the state. This testing process resulted in the discovery of many new applications for indigenous materials from rural Minnesota and the Dakotas that present extraordinary economic opportunities for these communities.

In December 1996, the Pottery Studio received a second grant from NRRI to assist the Cortland Clay Company in developing a line of specialty clay formulations using indigenous Minnesota clay.

The Pottery Program has provided consulting services to several other clay developers and pottery programs as well.