The Kiln

“Allow yourself to be a beginner.” That’s what Megan Shifflett tells all her students at The Kiln Studio and Gallery on Church Street in Fairhope. A teacher at heart, her enthusiasm is infectious!

Born and raised in Long Beach, California, Megan moved with her family to Yankeetown, Florida on the Withlacoochee River when she was 13 years old. She attended undergraduate college at the University of Montevallo and earned her degree in Painting and Ceramics. She also met her future husband at a mall in Birmingham while in school.

She earned her master’s degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School for American Craft in 2010. Her thesis was “As I Recall,” stories of her life. She was offered a position at the University of South Alabama after receiving her master’s degree teaching ceramics and 3-D design. She says, “It was about dirt and power tools.”

Megan loves teaching. She wants her students to learn the language of ceramics so they can speak intelligently about their work. “Lines, texture, value, shape, and color,” she says. “How you order the elements is important. I want my students to understand the elements of design and composition as they work on their projects.”

She had met Susie Bowman, who first opened and operated The Kiln in Fairhope while Megan was attending Montevallo. The University of Montevallo had the only Anagama Kiln in the area, and Susie often brought her work there to be fired. While teaching at South, Megan and her husband, James, had a business in Ocean Springs selling clay, glaze, and equipment. Susie kept up with Megan and contacted her when she decided she decided to sell The Kiln. Susie said, “I think you’d be great at this.”

Megan purchased The Kiln in 2019, right before Covid. She and James moved to Fairhope's Fruit and Nut neighborhood right before Hurricane Sally hit. Since it was already an established business, Megan says she’s had a lot of support from Kiln members since taking over. Members are artists that have taken classes and pay a monthly membership fee to have access to all the Kiln has to offer.

“We are a family,” said Megan. Sue Thompson, a member working on a project while I was visiting, chimed in, “Feels like a family. People care about you here. You are a part of something. Everyone is nice and you make a lot of friends.” Megan added, “Members help a lot. A few were already teaching classes when we took over.”

Claire Lawry, one of the teachers at the Kiln says, “Allow yourself to be a child again,” especially when starting with wheel-throwing classes. Donna Kemp teaches hand-building classes that involve molding, sculpting, and shaping with your hands. The two most popular classes are the nighttime wheel-throwing and hand-building. Kids' hand-building birthday parties for 8+-year-olds are also fun, where they make trays and tumblers and get to experience working with clay

The Kiln Studio and Gallery supports Mobile’s Loaves & Fishes annual fundraiser, a non-profit for the homeless and needy by creating bowls by local artists to sell. This is The Kiln’s biggest charity participation. “So far members have made over 70 bowls for this year’s event.” Megan says, “Last year we donated over 120 bowls and then had a big party afterward.” The Kiln represents over 20 local and nationally known ceramic artists. All of their work is one of a kind with no reproductions.

The Kiln is a perfect setting for family groups, date nights, team building, Christmas parties, bridal showers, and college reunion get-togethers. They offer private lessons and also have had grandparents come when the grandchildren are in town. It is a wonderful place to find your artistic talents. “I love meeting new people and watching them discover their creativity,” says Megan.

‘We are definitely a family.” Megan was diagnosed with malignant melanoma and had surgery in 2021. She had another surgery in 2022. “Everyone bonded together and supported me with food, babysitting my two children, Edward, 5, and Charles, 7, and kept the Kiln going while I was recovering.”

Megan says, “This is my happy place, my endgame. I love teaching people to love clay.” What is the aha moment? “Watching someone get into it is so cool. If a student is struggling at the wheel, and suddenly it clicks, or they get something out of the kiln and realize; I made this! You can see it in their eyes!”  

‍