We were lucky to catch up with Sylvia Coppola recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sylvia, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

My path began with pottery classes at Western Carolina University in the mid 1970’s. Starting with hand building and then wheel classes, I learned that clay was a wonderful medium to work with. Joan Byrd was my first clay professor and taught her students the English and Japanese style of working with clay based on many teachings from Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada. The classes were very structured in learning throwing techniques, form and function in creating a pot. High firing in a gas kiln was taught along with the many lessons involved along the way in glazing and preparing the pots for firing.
After working in clay for over 46 years, I have taken many workshops and classes with potters from different parts of the world. The NC Potters Conferences, offered yearly in May in Asheboro, have been a great place to learn different techniques in clay. I have also taken workshops at John C Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC and Arrowmont in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Our local clay guild in the Charlotte area is Carolina Clay Matters and offers multiple clay workshops each year for members.

Learning about clay and pottery making is a long but very interesting process of practicing, persistence and perseverance. There are different types of clay, different temperatures and different techniques of firing so there is no quick way to learn the craft.

My advice on pottery making is to be dedicated to the process, read as much as you possibly can about it, watch as many videos about making and have as many teachers as possible to be well rounded. There are so many things to learn about pottery that one person could never know everything about it. This is the intriguing part of clay because it doesn’t get boring. If you tire of one process, move on to another. The craft is endless.

My husband and I raised three children and of course family comes first. There were many times that I could not attend workshops or could not spend more time in the studio because of my children but I would not have had it any other way. They are three wonderful adults now. One of which works in clay also, Sarah Coppola.

Sylvia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Duck Creek Pottery is my business. Beginning in the late 1970’s, I have sold my work at art shows and consigned in some shops across the south. The last 20 years have been spent wholesaling my pottery to 50 gift shops and galleries across the United States. This keeps me busy year round with orders.

Stoneware clay is used and is fired in my gas kiln to 2340 degrees F. Most of my pottery is both functional and decorative. Mugs, pitchers, tea pots, bowls, plates, vases and bakeware are some of the items I create. My hand mixed glazes are earthy blues, greens, yellows, tans and browns and often contain wood ash.

In the past few years, I have also been producing pit fired pots. These pots are for decorative purposes only. They are fired at a lower temperature in a pit built by my husband. Pit firing is an exciting way of firing. The pots are first prepped by dipping the bisqued pots in ferric chloride, then wrapping them in an aluminum foil saggar containing a lot of organic matter such as seaweed, ferns, chicken feathers (from our chickens), copper wire, steel wool, salt, sugar, coffee grounds, miracle grow, banana peels. egg shells, dry cat or dog food and some other things. The the aluminum foil is wrapped around the pot with the organics inside. It is then placed in the pit with sawdust under the pots and on top of the pots, The fire is started and wood is added to the pit. after several hours of firing the pit is covered with tin and left until it cools, the next day. The pots are taken out and unwrapped and its like opening presents. Every pot is different. No two pots are the same ever. A lot of fuming takes place inside the saggar with the chemicals and organics so you get lots of color in reds, tans, black, rusts and more.

I have taught hand building and beginner throwing workshops at Red Sky Gallery, John C Campbell Folk School, Wild Acres, Spring Island Resort and pit firing at my studio.

My studio is located near our home in the country near Mint Hill, NC on land that has been in my family for generations.

The joy of making is pronounced in the art of the maker. As I create pots, a bit of my soul goes into each pot made.

www.duckcreekpottery.com
facebook.com/duckcreekpottery
instagram.com/duckcreekpotter

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is when customers tell me that they use my pottery daily and enjoy the feeling and look of my work.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Very early in my career, I was told by the owner of an art shop that I would never make it as a potter. He explained that it was just too hard to make enough money to be a full time potter. It did take me many years to be able to be a full time potter. In the beginning, I worked at part time jobs but always made pottery on the side. I was persistent and determined to make it full time. He was right that its not easy.
You have to be determined and self motivated to make it happen.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.duckcreekpottery.com
• Instagram: @duckcreekpottery
• Facebook: facebook/duckcreekpottery
• Linkedin: @duckcreekpottery
• Youtube: /duckcreekpottery
• Yelp: duckcreekpottery

Image Credits
All photos taken by Sylvia Coppola