From high school pottery wheels to formulating cutting-edge glazes, Brent Westrick has taken a hands-on path to becoming Motawi's glaze guru. As the Kiln Room Lead (aka "head chef of glazes"), Brent helps develop, troubleshoot, and fine-tune the colorful surface chemistry that defines Motawi Tileworks. Here, he talks about what drew him to ceramics, the science behind glazes, and how a glaze meant to be bright white turned out Pepto-Bismol pink.
Who are you and what’s your role at Motawi?
I’m Brent Westrick, the Kiln Room Lead. I coordinate glaze firings, test reformulations, and help troubleshoot glaze chemistry.
How long have you been at Motawi?
Almost seven years.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Every day is different, but usually I’m unloading kilns, coordinating with shipping, prepping for the next glaze firing, and running glaze tests.
What drew you to ceramics in the first place?
A high school art teacher, Mr. Bladow. He looks like Chuck Norris—how cool is that?! He was also an amazing potter with wheels in the classroom, and during our senior art class, my twin brother wanted to throw on the wheel. I couldn’t let him do it without trying it myself—classic sibling rivalry! He’s definitely the better potter, but it lit the spark for me.
Pictured above: Brent, Mrs. and Mr. Bladow, and twin brother Brian.
How did you train in ceramics?
I started in teaching, but that wasn’t the right path. I shifted to art and earned a BFA in ceramics at Grand Valley. It was intense—late nights in the studio until 3 a.m., then back again at 9 or 10. Ceramics isn’t something you can take home like sketching. You’re in the studio, hands-on, all the time.
Why is glaze chemistry so complex?
Glazes are a mix of refined and raw materials. Things like frit—a pre-melted, ground glass—are super stable. Others, like clays and naturally dug materials, vary wildly. Depending on where you dig, the composition can change. It’s geology! You’re always adapting.
What’s one of your proudest glaze victories?
Developing our new glossy glaze line. We wanted something to complement our matte colors but that still worked with our process. Getting the color, chemistry, and production logistics to all line up was a real challenge, and it paid off.
What’s the difference between matte and glossy glazes?
Glossy glazes have more silica—more glass—while matte glazes usually contain more clay and other modifiers to soften the feel. Ours are buttery and toned-down, not stark. It’s all chemistry.
Do you have a favorite tile to see come out of the kiln?
The Skylight tile by Frank Lloyd Wright and the Raven tile. Both are striking and satisfying to see finished.
Any memorable glaze fails?
[Laughs] We tried to make a starker white glaze by adding a white stain that included tin. But because our kilns have chrome from other glazes, the chrome-tin combo turned the glaze Pepto-Bismol pink!
What’s something people don’t understand about your job?
That glaze development isn’t like picking paint. It’s chemistry and testing—you don’t know how a glaze will look until you fire it, and it doesn’t always go according to plan. On new glazes, I’ll do the color testing and recipe work; Gary [Helm] mixes to spec on the floor and gives me quick feedback—if a batch is running thick or thin—so we can adjust fast. And it doesn’t always go to plan.
What’s something you’ve learned at Motawi that you didn’t in school?
I learn something new every day. But really, the difference between studio ceramics and production. Studio work allows happy accidents. Production requires precision. Someone’s backsplash is on the line. That level of consistency has made me more particular in my own studio practice.
What do you enjoy most about working here?
Constant learning and problem-solving. Plus, working with other artists. This place attracts creative people.
What was your background before Motawi?
I worked in a woodworking shop in Grand Rapids, made wooden toys, and worked in a restaurant—five years on the floor, then five in the kitchen. That kitchen experience carries over: you want ingredients close by, move efficiently, follow the recipe.
How did you find out about Motawi?
My brother worked at Rovin Ceramics making clay and knew Motawi needed a generalist. I applied, started in trimming, then moved into kiln work—and got hooked.
What advice would you give someone studying ceramics?
Put in the hours. Don’t just think about your ideas—make them. Even if it fails, you learn. There’s no substitute for hands-on experience.
What are you excited about right now?
The new Brownstone line we’re developing, and collaborating with [Motawi’s CNC operator] Michael [Ferguson] on new relief tile. I’m excited to see how new glazes look on those forms.
Any dreams for the future?
Just continuing to develop glazes, grow in the craft, and stay excited about what’s next.
What do you do when you’re not thinking about glazes?
Woodworking with hand tools—carving, planing, exploring the process. I also like working on my house, golfing, and target shooting.
Bonus Question: What's the story behind that tile on your desk with the UFO?
[Laughs] It started as a flawed piece from a Pine Landscape mural—there was a chunk of metal in the clay that didn’t show up until glazing, and it turned black. It was a defect, so I grabbed a Sharpie and drew lines off the bubble so it looked like a UFO. Then I added a cow getting pulled up in the tractor beam. It made me laugh, so I kept it on my desk. People ask about it all the time, including my parents. Sharpie and highlighter—no refire.
Lightning Round:
Morning person or night owl? Night owl.
Coffee, tea, or something stronger? Coffee—with hazelnut creamer.
Favorite glaze or color to work with? 8040 series [glossy "Pacific"] glazes.
If your job were a tile? The Charlie Harper squirrel—constantly running around, collecting things, losing things.
One word to describe Motawi? Collective.
From Pepto-pink glaze surprises to buttery gloss finishes, Brent brings chemistry, craft, and curiosity to the heart of the tileworks. And if you ever see him near a glaze bucket with a look of deep concentration, give him space—alchemy's at work.
