This week’s Artist of the Week is a group of ladies who call themselves “The Five Crackpots,” and includes Marian Anderson, Doris Orr, Carol Taylor, Jan Mather and Rita Osborne.
The Five Crackpots--from left to right--are Marion Anderson, Doris Orr, Carol Taylor, Jan Mather, and Rita Osborne
The group met about five years ago through the Kingsport Newcomer’s Club. Club Member Carol Taylor had taken pottery classes at the Buncombe Technical College in Asheville, North Carolina. Trained in both wheel pottery and slab rolling, Taylor taught classes at the Kingsport Senior Center. After learning more about Taylor’s craft, the four other ladies signed up for her class at the Senior Center.
Their love of pottery made the five quick friends, and Taylor resigned from teaching at the Center and set up shop in her basement for she and her friends. Although Taylor is trained on both the wheel and slab pottery, she prefers slab rolling because of its versatility. When the group first got together, they spent a lot of time traveling around visiting pottery shops and going to shows.
It was during one of these trips that the name “Crackpots” was coined. “Someone said it takes a lot of cracked pots to get one good pot and the name ‘Crackpots’ stuck,” Orr explained.
The Crackpots generally work together two days a week, but when you see their work, you realize no two pieces are alike. Instead, each piece bears the mark of the individual artist and what she brings to the craft. The Crackpots’ wares run the pottery gambit from jewelry to intricate birdhouses. Their work is truly beautiful and amazing and really quite affordable.
The ladies all agree not everyone can be a potter. “It takes some degree of artistic ability,” Taylor said. Prior to becoming “The Five Crackpots,” each woman had previously dabbled in other areas of art. They all also agree it takes “patience” to work in clay because it is a “time-consuming” art. From start to finish, it generally takes a minimum of 13 hours for each piece no matter the size.
Aside from their own designs, The Five Crackpots also take commission work. “We can make just about anything you want,” Anderson said. “We have thousands of glazes available,” Orr said. “We’ll try just about anything once,” Taylor laughed.
The Five Crackpots will be at Clinch Mountain from noon to 3 p.m., Thurs., April 10 to show and display their work. You may also request commission pieces at this time.