Meet Our Artisans

We make an extensive selection of functional stoneware for the table and the kitchen, decorative vases, and one of a kind pieces. We use layered glazes to achieve depth and variety of appearance. We work with a commitment to quality that we hope will be sensed by those who use and enjoy our pottery for many years to come.

Debbie Grim Yates keeps up her full time business in her home studio in beautiful Konnarock Va near Whitetop Mountain. Like most potters,Debbie quickly became addicted to the clay. Her love of the work and resulting quality of finished pottery has caused her business to grow each year. She works primarily with stoneware clay,making “wheel thrown” and “slab built” functional and decorative pottery. Be sure to check out our music at http://www.acousticheritage.com

Figurative sculpture for home interiors and gardens; corporate gardens, atriums, and plazas; public and private commissions.

Functional stoneware, decorative raku, handspun wool, knitted items, and woven items - all by Fiona Zahnke.
Baskets by Coleen Zahnke. Pottery: mid-range stoneware and Raku
Fibers: spinning (both 2 ply and Navaho 3-ply and novelty yarn), weaving, knitting, felting, twining rugs and mats

Richard's porcelain pottery is renown for its beautiful forms and delicious glazes

Donna Polseno has shown her work in museums and galleries all across America for 35 years. Her work is featured in dozens of books and publications and is acclaimed for its unique use of color and form. Her sculptures are likewise found published in many books and have been featured in museums in America and Italy.

Our interest in ceramics developed while touring the traditional potteries in North Carolina in the late '60s while in graduate school. Over the years we both took up ceramics and, although at times frustrating, it has provided endless avenues for refinement of craftsmanship and development of style. Currently, Ron's work consists of functional stoneware and porcelain vessels. Susan's work focuses on decorative items for the home and garden.

Silvie Granatelli is a functional potter who lives and works in Floyd, Virginia. Her work deals with ritual, food presentation and hospitality. You can find Silvie and her work at her gallery and studio in Floyd.

Tom produces wheel-thrown and hand-built stoneware which includes face pots and other functional and fanciful pieces.

Our studio is open nearly every day year round, but call or email ahead to let us know when you would like to visit.

Inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement (Mission or Craftsman styles), Carter blends original hand crafted ceramic art tiles, mosaics and American hardwoods together to make decorative furnishings and accessories for the home and office.

Good pots are simple and direct and difficult to achieve. Volume, contour, color, texture, energy, line....all come into play in this humble format that gets set in the dishwasher and stacked in the cupboard.

For 30 years I have felt deeply at home in this rural landscape, raising my sons, and following my passion for a material I have loved since I was a child. My pots are thrown on a wheel and meant to find their way into kitchens and the everyday rich texture of a life well lived.

Associate Professor of arts and crafts for thirty-three years at Southwest Virginia Community College. It is difficult for me to separate myself the teacher, from the artist craftsman because I feel dedicated in both categories. I like to work in all aspects of clay and leather being functional and non-functional while combining the two in some projects.

A native of Bristol, Tennessee, and longtime resident of Abingdon, Sara Reese began working with clay in the early 1970s after taking a ceramics class. Always a supporter of the arts, Sara knew as soon as her hands touched the clay she had found her medium. Focusing primarily on figurative pieces, heavily textured tiles and sculptural vessels, Sara is most influenced by the world around her, particularly her love for nature and animals. She welcomes visitors to her studio at the Arts Depot.

All hand thrown, hand made / one of a kind / hand painted raku and stoneware pottery.

Josh produces a line of functional ceramics that are created to enhance the home environment. His current work deals with the containment of food stuffs and its relation to the container.

Pots attractive to the eye and hand. Designed for function. My pottery gives pleasure to the cook and the family at table. Exploration of texture and supple altering of the thrown form adds interest and variety. All pieces are individually hand made. My glazes are safe and handsome earth tones, blues and greens, and bright cranberry.

Commissions allow joint designing that stretch me to try new things and expand my vision.