About Us

Karla Glotfelty brings warmth, creativity, compassion, and steady leadership to the heart of Glotfelty Pottery. Married to Randy Glotfelty for 34 years, Karla has been not only the love of his life, but also his biggest supporter, encourager, and adventurer in the journey of building a life rooted in faith, family, creativity, and craftsmanship.

With a natural gift for hospitality and organization, Karla helps hold the many moving parts of the studio together. Her creativity adds beauty and care to the Glotfelty Pottery experience, while her attention to detail helps create an environment where classes, workshops, studio time, and art shows feel welcoming, thoughtful, and well cared for.

Karla's Southern hospitality shines through in every interaction. Whether greeting a first-time student, helping a customer at an art show, or supporting artists during a workshop, she has a way of making people feel genuinely welcomed and appreciated.

A Registered Nurse by vocation, Karla brings the same compassion and care from her nursing career into the creative community at Glotfelty Pottery. Her heart for people helps shape the studio into more than just a place to make pottery. It becomes a place where students, artists, and customers feel seen, encouraged, and connected.

At Glotfelty Pottery, Karla's presence reflects one of the studio's deepest values: a welcoming community where creativity can grow.

Randy Glotfelty was born and raised in Lakeland, Florida, where his lifelong connection to ceramics began at an early age. A graduate of Lakeland Christian School and the University of South Florida, Randy grew up as the youngest of six children, alongside his identical twin brother.

His love for ceramics was first cultivated in his mother's ceramic shop in the heart of Lakeland's Dixieland area. After school and during summers, Randy spent time surrounded by clay, glaze, kilns, and creative people, developing a deep appreciation for fired arts that would shape the direction of his life.

After college, Randy and his older brother opened a porcelain slip manufacturing company using one of their mother's recipes. That beginning launched a 35-year journey through many areas of the ceramic and fired arts industry. Over time, the business expanded into kiln manufacturing, where Randy became part of the continued legacy of the Jen-Ken line of kilns, a trusted American kiln brand with roots dating back to 1954.

Although primarily self-taught, Randy has spent decades refining his craft. He has traveled throughout the country to attend workshops with some of the world's finest ceramic artists and has also studied abroad to further develop his skills. His work reflects a lifelong commitment to craftsmanship, function, beauty, and mastery of the ceramic process.

Randy's pottery has been recognized with awards including the Award of Distinction at Lakeland Arts by the Park and Best of Show at Art Crawl 2024. His work includes pottery made for restaurants, custom mugs for coffee shops and bakehouses, and heirloom-quality functional ware sold at the Lakeland Farmers Market and other outdoor art events.

Today, Randy continues his ceramic journey through Glotfelty Pottery, where he combines decades of experience with a deep love for teaching, making, and building community. He is now joined by his son Chandler, a gifted instructor, inspiration, and ceramic artist in his own right. Together, they are helping shape Glotfelty Pottery into a destination for outstanding ceramics, professional instruction, and meaningful creative growth in Central Florida

Born in 1997, Chandler Glotfelty represents the next generation of Glotfelty Pottery, carrying forward a family tradition while bringing his own creative vision to the studio. A graduate of Harrison School for the Arts and Florida Atlantic University, Chandler's artistic interests extend well beyond ceramics. He is an accomplished musician, writer, skateboarder, and snowboarder; creative pursuits that influence his fresh approach to pottery and teaching.

As one of Glotfelty Pottery's primary instructors, Chandler teaches our Wheel Experience classes, Beginner 5-Week Pottery Wheel courses, and is available for private lessons. His calm, encouraging teaching style helps students quickly feel comfortable behind the wheel, whether they are touching clay for the very first time or building on existing skills. He has a natural ability to break down complex techniques into approachable steps, making pottery both fun and rewarding for artists of every level.

In the studio, Chandler is an accomplished production potter and enjoys tackling custom commissions of all kinds. From personalized wedding cake plates and commemorative serving pieces to one-of-a-kind planters and functional pottery, he works closely with clients to create handcrafted ceramics that celebrate life's special moments.

Whether he's teaching, creating, or collaborating on new ideas for the studio, Chandler is passionate about helping others discover the joy of working with clay while continuing the Glotfelty family's commitment to craftsmanship, creativity, and community.