Through its life and transition from a fire station to a local art hub, Firehouse Pottery has become a community space for West Meadowbrook.<\/p>\n
\u201cCommunity space: That was our goal,\u201d Keith said.<\/p>\n
From Scotland to Texas
\n![\"(Maria](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0326-FirehousePottery-MC-04-1024x683.jpg\")
From left, Julie Grimm and Mary Sheldon shape pottery clay as Keith Thomson gives a pottery lesson on March 26, 2026, at the Firehouse Pottery & Gallery in Fort Worth. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n
A Scotland native, Thomson moved to the United States in 1992, bringing with him his education and expertise in the arts.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough high school, I loved art,\u201d Thomson said. It only took a semester of ceramics to know that\u2019s where his heart belonged.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI was hooked,\u201d he said. \u201cI was able to translate my drawing, paint and visual aspects into clay. It all went hand in hand.\u201d<\/p>\n
He graduated in 1988 from the Edinburgh College of Art with a specialty in ceramics. Thomson\u2019s first destination in the United States was the San Antonio area, where he worked for an art studio for eight years.<\/p>\n
Lori brought him to Fort Worth in 2002. Also an artisan, she operated the former fire station as a gallery beginning in 2003. It was a space where local artists could showcase their work, groups could host fundraisers and children could participate in art workshops.<\/p>\n
Concurrently, Keith contributed as a gallery director and ceramic potter instructor. He fully took on Firehouse in 2010, repurposing it to offer one-on-one lessons, showcase for-sale pottery and create custom orders.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe place has attracted a lot of different artists,\u201d Thomson said. \u201cAlmost a haven, sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n
A West Meadowbrook oasis
\n![\"(Maria](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0326-FirehousePottery-MC-10-1024x683.jpg\")
Julie Grimm and Mary Sheldon work with clay at a pottery wheel during a lesson led by Keith Thomson at the Firehouse Pottery & Gallery in Fort Worth on March 26, 2026. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n
Classes at Firehouse are mostly private, involving no more than couples or small groups at a time. Thomson\u2019s lessons extend to children as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve found the best way to teach is privately, one on one, so you get the best experience and more of an enjoyable, intimate experience,\u201d Thomson said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Clients typically spend an hour at the pottery wheel crafting a couple of clay pieces. After pieces are dried and hardened in kiln chambers, customers come back to glaze their art.<\/p>\n
At Firehouse, Thomson sees all kinds of people coming in with varying skill sets.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a lot of people that will continue once or twice a month, and then there are some who, over the years, have been coming,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Walking into the gallery, customers find ceramics lined along shelves, all handmade by Thomson and his staffer Amaris Perez. He sells a variety of ceramics, including mugs, bowls and other kitchenware. But he also has a few other artisan products, such as handmade candles.<\/p>\n
Clay from the earth, water, air and fire are the essential elements which must be harmonized to create a ceramic form.<\/p>\n
Keith Thomson, pottery instructor and owner of Firehouse Pottery & Gallery<\/p>\n
\u201cI make the cups and make the candles as well,\u201d Thomson said. \u201cIt\u2019s a fun little part of the process.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some ceramic pieces at the gallery contain the Scottish thistle, paying homage to the official flower of Keith\u2019s home country.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thomson has crafted custom pieces for businesses across the country, including coffee shops. But he\u2019s also provided custom orders locally \u2014 his pieces have adorned the Capital One Lounge at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the big thing about all the businesses we\u2019ve worked with,\u201d Thomson said. \u201cThey enjoy having a handmade product in their store, shop or business.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thomson does everything at Firehouse with patience.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"(Maria](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0326-FirehousePottery-MC-07-1024x683.jpg\")
Keith Thomson helps customer Mary Sheldon form a bowl out of clay at his shop, Firehouse Pottery & Gallery, in Fort Worth on March 26, 2026. Thomson offers lessons at the shop. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n
\u201cThe patience to be an instructor \u2026 not everyone has that,\u201d Thomson said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His 40 years of experience in ceramics has shaped Firehouse to be an asset to West Meadowbrook and even the nearby Evans and Rosedale corridors \u2014 areas that have struggled to gain eyes from developers<\/a>, such as grocery stores and restaurants.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cEspecially with the connection to (Coffee Folk), (Firehouse) has attracted more people and they get the benefits of both spaces,\u201d Thomson said.<\/p>\n Through his time with the East Fort Worth Business Association, Thomson called on city officials to make the area\u2019s development requests known.<\/p>\n He sees the Firehouse and Coffee Folk partnership as a West Meadowbrook \u201coasis\u201d to help attract those businesses long called on by the community.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re trying to do \u2014 with our little oasis here \u2014 what we can within our neighborhood,\u201d Thomson said.\u00a0<\/p>\n When the time comes, Thomson plans to hand off Firehouse to another locally owned business or artisan to maintain the gallery\u2019s value as an art hub and community space.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019d be nice to keep that connection with an artist,\u201d Thomson said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Nicole Lopez is the environment reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at nicole.lopez@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"(Maria](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0326-FirehousePottery-MC-14-1024x683.jpg\")
Amaris Perez molds clay at a pottery wheel at the Firehouse Pottery & Gallery in Fort Worth on March 26, 2026. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n