Trevor Youngberg Studio & The New England Wood Firing Conference
255 Ansonia Rd, Woodbridge, CT 06525
Host: Trevor Youngberg
Guest Artist: Kate Casner, Claire Engelhardt
Visit Trevor Youngberg’s home studio and discover the New England Woodfiring Conference (NEWFC). This unique, 11-day celebration invites potters of all levels to join one of NEWFC’s active Host Kiln crews for a true wood-firing immersion.
Participants can fire their own high-fire work in a selected Host Kiln, visit additional firings and unloadings, enjoy studio sales and demonstrations, and connect with the vibrant New England wood-firing community. The experience culminates in a weekend of centralized conference programming in the greater New Haven, CT area.
Trevor Youngberg is a ceramic artist and wood-firing potter based in Woodbridge, Connecticut, known for his dedication to traditional firing methods and community-centered clay education. Working primarily with high-fire stoneware, Trevor’s work reflects the dynamic surfaces and natural ash effects created in anagama and other wood-fired kilns. In addition to producing his own functional and sculptural pieces, he is an active organizer and facilitator within the regional ceramics community, most notably through his involvement in the New England Woodfiring Conference and his collaborations with fellow potters across the Northeast. His studio serves as both a creative workspace and a gathering place for artists passionate about the craft and culture of wood firing.
Kate Casner
Kate Casner is a ceramic artist and educator based on Connecticut’s western shoreline. She teaches middle school ceramics and leads classes for all ages at community studios, including Silvermine Arts Center and Farmington Valley Arts Center. As a dedicated community organizer, Kate is proud to play a role in establishing the CT Clay Guild and the CT Clay Crawl.
Kate’s work is driven by a fascination with the energy that flows through both the creative process and the use of her finished pieces. She explores this energy through visual tension, emphasizing dynamic forms, shifting shadows, and the interplay of negative space. Through these elements, she creates an illusion of movement, inviting viewers to engage with her work and experience it as something lively and kinetic.
Claire Engelhardt
Claire Engelhardt (she/her) is a Philly based ceramic artist and educator.
“Woodfiring has been the linchpin of my artistic practice. It challenges me to engage with the balance of control and letting go. Knowing the presence of my hand in each sculpture while embracing the surprises that come from collaborating with an undulating atmosphere. Each critter emerges from the kiln their personality crystalized on their surface, marked by their journey.
To me woodfiring has become synonymous with being in community. To bring together our knowledge and our questions. We succeed through our ability to labor, learn, and rely on each other.”
