Maya Hamilton

A former art grad and ad maker, I left the beaten path amid the financial crisis and moved to a tiny, creative town in the blue ridge mountains of North Carolina where my partner Micah and I started an organic farm. Along the way, my search to make ends meet while growing our new farm led me to working in Rob’s pottery studio, who has both a deep love of clay and a rich knowledge of pottery history. Stories of long past folk potters who were farmers first and potters in the off-season gave me hope I could make farmer + potter work for me. With the encouragement and support of family, friends, and pottery mentors, I embarked on a long, but wonderful journey from studio helper to apprentice potter.

An avid learner and DIY lover, I also enjoy sharing knowledge and know-how about self-sufficient and sustainable living. On our farm we grow blueberries and other crops and use our farm as a way to revive and teach skills now being overlooked in favor of modern convenience. Being passionate about supporting conservation and the preservation of traditional skills, I decided I could also incorporate these into my art pottery. I use my design and sculpting skills to create works of art that reflect nature and my belief that “what we leave behind is as important as where we came from.” I also enjoy sculpting fantasy art, bringing more enjoyment to people’s daily lives and designing items that solve simple needs.

I make pottery + sculpture, wheel-thrown and hand-built, typically high fire or wood fired, either at home, in my little on-farm studio, or at my mentor’s pottery studio. I enjoy hand sculpting but have also been making my own plaster molds so I can make some items in less time and offer more affordable products. Most of the work I have for sale is my own work, but I do sometimes produce co-operative work with my teacher where he will throw an item on the wheel and I will decorate it will my sculpting. Being a busy production potter, I also help Rob to make, sell and ship his work and you may occasionally see some of his work for sale in my store. Sharing our work load makes us both more productive and I enjoy our modern take on craft apprenticeship.

Visit Maya’s Etsy Store: Heritage Vision Creations
Find Maya on Facebook: www.facebook.com/artbymaya

Cory Marie Podielski

In 2011, I left Los Angeles to live in Brasstown, NC in Western North Carolina and study at the John C. Campbell Folk School. I immersed myself in learned a variety of folk arts like banjo, soap making, bread baking, printmaking, blacksmithing, woodworking, and more. Throwing clay on the wheel stuck! I owe a lot to my friend and clay guru Rob Withrow. He taught me a lot about clay, throwing, and firing and I work out of his studio.

I love old time music and passing a jug of moonshine around a campfire in between playing banjo tunes. I also love the rolling blue mountains of Appalachia, the wild rural south, and Western North Carolina. Moonshine jugs are my favorite vessel to throw on the wheel.

I am a media and design consultant for wide variety of clients including the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. I also help Rob with design work and this very website was created by me.

When I am not designing or making art, I frequent 24-hr diners, play Scrabble®, enjoy natural history museums, pick on my banjo, shoot pin-up photography and take random road trips.

Visit Cory’s website: podielski.com
Visit Cory’s Etsy Store: Moonshine Love Clayworks

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