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Ostrich Bay - The Pottery |
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The Ostrich Bay Pottery is still in the "being-built" stage. Hopefully by summer 2011, it will be up and running! I've been making my pottery since 1970, while still in high school. I studied under Dr. Ropko. Following graduation from Robert E. Peary High School in Rockville, Maryland, I was privileged to study at Glen Echo Park, Maryland under Dr. K There I was drilled in production pottery as well as ground through one the most fascinating studies... glaze calculation! During the summer of 1973 while studying under Dr. K, he and his lovely bride travelled to Bartow, West Virginia and built my 43 cu. ft. down-draft gas kiln. (How I wish I had it now... heavy sigh). The following fall I was off to Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia, where I earned a BA Degree in Fine Arts. While at D&E and while running our little store on weekends and during the summers (full-time) I created and taught a hand thrown pottery course, which was fully accredited by D&E! Now to digress a bit! My parents and I opened a lovely little store featuring hand crafts of the Appalachian Mountains in 1972. The name of the shop, many of you who wandered through the little berg of Bartow, West Virginia, will recall it's name: Our Place! It was beside 'Our Place' Dr. K. built my kiln. Near that, my father built a most beautiful potting studio in which I threw more pots than I can count, as well as developed my classes and taught lessons. Life, as it has a way of doing, found me travelling from one end of this country for a number of years. I settled down enough, a few times, to carry on with my pottery. At one time I was potting in a closet I lined with plastic, just to have a place to throw. I'm claustrophobic... so that was stretching things a bit! In any case, I've been able to keep up my skills, and of course... "the fingers remembered" for me. This past year I've been throwing in rented studio space, which is fun to see what other folks are doing... but, it's very inconvenient. Now, I am making a place of my own, once again. When in operation I will be producing all shapes and sizes of pots: mugs, plates, harvest jars, butter dishes, vases, tea pots and tea sets, sets of mugs and full sets of dishes. Casseroles, bells, bird houses and feeders... well, if you can think of it the odds are that I will be throwing it. I will also be able to take special orders! The pottery will be open to visitors. I will keep you posted on Ostrich Bay Pottery as is progresses. Thank you so much for stopping by. Do wander around the site, and please return from time to time. Hattie |
