Rick Hamelin and Gariné (ga-renée) Arakelian have been making pottery together since 1990, the year that they married and moved to Warren, MA. A few years ago, Gariné started producing the line of Kulina Folk Art Pottery (Kulina is the Greek word for oven and is the root word for culinary and kiln). Her lines reflect the designs of antique Slipware pottery found here in the United States and around the globe. The original designs by Gariné Arakelian of Kulina Folk Art  are inspired by Pennsylvania German, American and European folk art. Red clay is drape-molded in the old “Redware” tradition and fired.  
Your order is custom made through hand processes, especially for you and not mass-produced. Each distinctive plate will have its own  unique characteristics in color and design.
An Artist her whole life, Gariné’s teaching, graphics and museum background have come together in her pottery.
Rick has been potting since 1976 and became committed to learning about the historical Redware potters after learning of the Colonial and Early American industries that existed in his native Central Massachusetts. Like Gariné, he had been a teacher and worked in museums. He is also a popular demonstrator and lecturer with over one hundred and fifty completed programs and received over one hundred Massachusetts Cultural Council Grants.
The Pied Potter Hamelin redware pottery dates to 1985. Pied Potter Hamelin can be taken linguistically apart and understood as a “Colorful Potter from a Small Town”. Pied means multicolored. Potter is the trade. Hamelin translates into “one from a small town”.
The paw prints on the reverse of all the Kulina and Pied Potter plates and platters began by one of their cats simply leaping onto the slab of clay. Rick recalled finding old bricks with a dog print on it and thought that this would be a unique way to marry an association between their two products. The running paw prints are copy written.
Gariné and Rick thank you for the appreciation that you have for their work. This past year, they built a larger studio and are in the process of moving the smaller studio into this building. Feel free to call or email them with any questions. Please do call ahead if you are planning to come by, but do note that they don’t have a storefront to sell their wares. They are self-employed and may not be prepared or available for guests.

Thanks again
Gariné Arakelian and Rick Hamelin