CityView Magazine

March/April 2012

CityView Magazine - Fayetteville, NC

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"I can reach my hand into one of my dad's vases and touch the grooved inside walls lined with the tracks of his fingers and hold his hand once more." daughters later, she found herself longing for — and returning to — Sanford, not with the eyes of a child, but with the open mind of an adult who could see the opportunities to change her life's direction. She drew strength from grandfather A.R. Cole, who saw such potential for change when he moved from Seagrove to Sanford back in the 1930s. Sandy's move took place in 1989 – a pivotal point in her own life as she marked a sad goodbye to her dad, but a begin- ning of her own pottery journey. Her parents had once considered opening a pottery shop in Massachusetts and though it never came to fruition, Sandy and husband Kevin Brown adopted the name her parents had conceived and North Cole Pottery was born. All of their pottery is handmade and wheel-thrown stoneware. Over the years, they have developed a wide range of colorful glazes in rich shades of blue, green, yellow, brown and white that complement the clay. Their little shop has grown – not so much in size, but in the menu of works offered. Good value is a Cole tradition, so turned cookware and serving pieces are craſted for everyday use and are oven, microwave and dishwasher safe. Brown makes the utilitarian and large pieces, while Cole enjoys the specialty of decorative detailed face jugs, miniatures, animals, ornaments and luminaries. "We owe our thanks to many who have helped us as fellow potters and as friends: G.F. Cole, Neolia Cole, Bob Armfield and Sid Luck to name only a few," she said. North Cole Pottery has exhibited at the 28 | March/April • 2012 Sanford Pottery Festival every year since the Festival's inception in 2002. Customers in NC are extremely knowledgeable about pot- tery and they take the time to read the works and get to know the potters personally. Cole says that those who visit the show are guar- anteed to have their senses stirred. At every booth, visitors will hear potters speak of their wares and processes. The interaction builds a sense of unity and purpose between artisans and appreciators. "Folks that touch a mug, chosen for the color or the feel, can already imagine the taste of their morning coffee," she said. "With each sip, they will know it came from a ball of clay – from one person's hands to their own – and they'll have the inside knowledge of how it got there. That is true appreciation for the maker and receiver." Making pottery as a hobby can be an en- joyable and easily expressed art form. As a career, however, Cole warns that it is not for the faint of heart. Aſter the lengthy process of the making, your pottery still has needs to be met. Advertising, packing, shipping, de- liveries, deadlines and shows come into play … and patience and sacrifice could likely be- come your middle names. Yet, the rewards are there and can only be defined by the pot- ter as an individual. At the end of the day, Cole dreams of a great, great granddaugh- ter one-hundred years from now, "holding a piece of my pottery and sensing that she somehow knows me. Whatever your chosen path – if the clay calls out to you, it will be worth it," she said. CV

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