Meet the Maker

Some stories are told with clay. Others are written with ink.

At Ink & Kiln, Stacy and Rick create handcrafted pottery and artisan writing instruments designed to be held, used, and enjoyed for years to come. Working from their home studio in North Myrtle Beach, Rick and Stacy believe the objects we reach for every day should be both functional and meaningful.

Rick turning a writing instrument at the lathe in his South Carolina workshop
Rick at the lathe

Meet the Maker

About Rick

Rick has always enjoyed working with his hands. After more than 50 years in infrastructure and telecommunications, he traded conference calls and job sites for a workshop apron and a lathe. What began as a retirement hobby quickly became a passion for creating handcrafted writing instruments that combine precision, craftsmanship, and creativity.

He is especially drawn to woods with a story to tell. Whether it's material salvaged from a historic location, wood gathered during his travels, or a piece that carries personal meaning, Rick enjoys transforming it into something both beautiful and functional. No two writing instruments are exactly alike, and that's part of what he loves most about the process.

For Rick, making a writing instrument is about more than the object itself—it's about creating something meaningful that will be used and appreciated for years to come. Some of his favorite projects have been custom writing instruments made for friends and former colleagues, celebrating friendships, milestones, and shared experiences. There's a special satisfaction in taking a piece of wood with its own history and giving it a new life in someone's hand.

Meet the Maker

About Stacy

Stacy has always been drawn to things with a story.

Books with dog-eared pages. Handmade quilts passed through generations. Well-loved coffee mugs that somehow make the morning taste better. The objects we live with every day become part of our lives, carrying memories long after we've forgotten where they came from.

Pottery entered her life later than expected, but it quickly became more than a creative outlet. Working with clay taught her to slow down, pay attention, and embrace the beauty of imperfection. Every piece begins as a simple lump of earth and passes through countless small decisions before reaching the kiln. Some days the clay cooperates. Some days it humbles her. Either way, it continues to teach.

From her studio near the South Carolina coast, Stacy creates functional pottery designed to be used, not tucked away in a cabinet. She hopes her work becomes part of everyday rituals—a favorite mug for morning coffee, a bowl pulled from the shelf for family dinners, or a vase holding flowers from someone's garden. The greatest compliment she can receive is hearing that a piece has become part of someone's daily life.

When she's not in the studio, you'll usually find her with a book in hand, spending time with family, or dreaming up the next creative project. She believes beautiful things don't have to be reserved for special occasions. The ordinary moments are worth celebrating too.

Stacy centering wet clay at the pottery wheel in the Ink & Kiln home studio
STACY AT THE POTTERY WHEEL

Together

About Us

Together, Stacy and Rick share a love of craftsmanship, creativity, and the stories that everyday objects carry with them. Through clay and wood, they create pieces designed to be used, enjoyed, and woven into the rhythms of daily life. Every item from Ink & Kiln is handcrafted in their North Myrtle Beach studio with the hope that it will become part of someone's story for years to come.

In the studio

Rick turning a writing instrument on the RIKON lathe in his workshop, surrounded by chisels and finishing supplies
Rick shaping a writing instrument on the lathe, hands steady on the gouge
A tray of finished handmade wooden pens on the workshop bench with a wood lathe softly blurred in the background
Stacy's clay-covered hands shaping a small vessel on the pottery wheel
A cylinder rising on the spinning wheel head as Stacy smooths it with a sponge
Freshly cut clay discs resting on a work mat beside Stacy's hands