Pot Luck
- kristystevenson
- Mar 1, 2012
- 1 min read
Updated: Mar 15
Sanford Potter Sandy Cole finds inspiration for her art in her family's rich heritage
Nestled in the heart of the Seagrove area potteries, where the white beach sand from the coast meets the Piedmont clay, The Sanford Pottery Festival strives to shape the future of our state's most revered art form, celebrating its heritage and artistic traditions.
"Pottery has a rich past, but should be seen in North Carolina as having an even bigger future," said Don Hudson, the Festival's founder and producer. "One of the main reasons the public so enjoys the SPF (Sanford Pottery Festival) is that we work hard to bring them an unrivaled selection of pottery made by a group of artists and craftsmen who will benefit from close exposure to each other, their work and their ways of working."
Sandy Cole, of Sanford's North Cole Pottery (northcolepottery.com), knows that well. The name Cole is nearly synonymous with pottery in the state, as her family has been making pottery in this region for over 200 years. No single family has produced more potters or made more pots. Generations of previous Cole potters likely chose this path for reasons similar to Cole's: hand-me-down skills and stories of the past keep her inspired to create her pottery and add another link in the chain unbroken for so many years.
"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," said Cole.
—CityView Magazine | Mar/Apr 2012
