Entry No. 45 — the Columbus file — filed under: pottery
The Kiln Room
Situated in 'The Fort' industrial complex, this artist-run, community-centered ceramic studio offers a collaborative space for clay art and pottery.
The story
Tucked inside The Fort—a 240,000-square-foot former industrial complex on South High Street in Steelton Village—The Kiln Room isn't some polished retail storefront. Founded by ceramic artist Eric Rausch after a decade of planning, it started as an artisan production workspace producing planters for neighboring shop STUMP before evolving into a massive, workhorse clay studio. You didn't hear it from us, but don't bother looking for fancy neon signage from the road; just look for the giant industrial water tower looming over 2050 S High St and head for the door directly beneath it.
While most city art spaces shudder at open flames, this hub leans straight into intense thermal shock. Beyond standard wheel-throwing and handbuilding tables, they run specialized outdoor Raku firings. Pre-made ceramic pieces get glazed and blasted in an outdoor kiln up to 1,700-plus degrees Fahrenheit. Instructors pull them glowing orange-red with metal tongs and plunge them directly into sealed trash cans packed with combustible paper, sawdust, feathers, or horsehair. The sudden oxygen starvation locks unpredictable metallic glazes, iridescence, and deep carbon smoke trails into the clay.
What it's like
Navigating into the building feels like sneaking into an active factory floor: pull into 2050 S High, park near the loading dock or lower lot, and head for the door right under the water tower (or use the courtyard entrance if you're arriving after hours). Inside, the space is sprawling and dust-coated, lined with rows of wheels, glaze buckets, and member storage racks. The vibe is gritty, noisy, and completely unpretentious. If you sign up for a introductory two-hour wheel experience, the instructors skip lengthy technical lectures and focus on getting your hands on the clay to center and open pieces quickly. You can spin as many pots as time allows, though you'll pick your two favorites for the studio to fire and glaze.
The move: Inquire about booking a private Raku Firing Party, where you glaze pre-made pottery and watch them get pulled red-hot from an outdoor kiln and plunged into combustibles for unpredictable metallic patterns.
- 📍 South Side
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 2050 S High St, Columbus, OH 43207
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- The Smithery — Located in the exact same Fort complex, you can easily pivot from shaping wet clay on a potter's wheel to hammering silver at a metalsmithing bench.
- LÖ-LU Sauna — A mile north in Merion Village, follow up an afternoon beside a 1,700-degree outdoor raku kiln with a relaxing wood-fired Finnish sauna session.
- The Book Loft of German Village — Head two miles north into German Village to dust off the dry clay and wander through 32 maze-like rooms of books in a historic building.
- Columbus Glass Art Center — Head west into Franklinton if pulling red-hot ceramics from an outdoor kiln leaves you wanting to try working with molten blown glass next.
Good to know
How do I find the entrance to The Kiln Room?
Drive to 2050 S High Street and look for the large industrial water tower at The Fort complex. The main studio entrance sits directly underneath the tower, or you can enter through the courtyard door.
What happens during a private Raku firing party?
Your group glazes pre-made pottery pieces, then watches as they are heated in an outdoor kiln, pulled out red-hot with tongs, and plunged into combustible materials like sawdust to create unpredictable metallic and smoky patterns.
Do I need prior ceramics experience to take a class?
No. The studio offers two-hour, beginner-friendly 'One Time Experiences' for both wheel-throwing and handbuilding, alongside multi-week beginner class series.
Can I bring my own pottery to be fired if I make ceramics at home?
Yes. The Kiln Room offers a 'Drop and Fire' membership that gives independent artists access to their bisque, cone 6, cone 10, and raku kilns, billed by weight and firing type.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: kilnroomcolumbus.com · blockfortcolumbus.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-21