Life, Liberty, and Happiness

When you don't know where to start, the beginning is a good choice. Our last stop on our visit to Seagrove actually started several years ago. I was reading Dan Finnegan's blog and he said something like "You all need to read Brenda Hornsby Heindel's blog http://libertystoneware.blogspot.com. Well, Dan usually knows what he is talking about so I took a look.I learn something every time she publishes. She is a potter, a farmer, and part time historian who lives in Liberty N.C. near Greensboro. One of her areas of expertise is excavating early kiln sites and looking at the shards and leftover bits of kiln furniture to figure out how the kilns were loaded and fired. She is a real life History Detective. She lectures and has been published on the subject. How cool is that ? Her pottery reflects the Southern salt/wood fired traditions and is available at the Greensboro Farmers Market on Saturdays along with seasonal produce from the farm she and her husband own. Pots are also available on ETSY. You can access it through her blog. Anyway, comments are the currency of the blogosphere. I started reading her blog, she started reading mine. We exchanged enough comments for me to learn that she is from Lebanon, Ohio where I live, She graduated from the ceramics program at Berea College, and that we have some friends in common.We also love the same kinds of pots.

Another of her projects is curating an exhibition at the North Carolina Pottery Center. After she posted about it, I commented and she offered a guided tour of the exhibit.From the curator no less ! We met her at the pottery center after we had lunch and had a very enjoyable tour. There were old pots, new pots, a display of kiln stacking techniques and the best explanation ever on the threads that tie it all together.Time marches on so we gathered around the trunk of her car and sorted through the pots she had brought with her. It put one final dent in our pottery budgets but once you get your hands on her pots you know you need to take some home. Brenda gave us a great tour and it was very generous of her to offer. Currently on her blog, she is trying a new form every week for a year and soliciting constructive criticism on the project. Help me thank her by stopping by her blog and leaving a comment. Here are some pictures. If you click on them you may be able to read the info. I didn't take notes so I only captioned the ones I was sure of. Thanks for stopping by.

Brenda



Two of Brenda's Pots
 

Kim Ellington