Doug Hubbs

One of the local artists, Doug Hubbs, has for many years been an electrician by trade, but his heart is really in making pottery. Raised in Franklin, Hubbs had an art teacher in High School, Jean Hemphill, who introduced him to the potter’s wheel. He went on to take ceramics classes in college, but after graduating, focused on making a living and raising a family, putting clay on the “back burner” for 30 years.

When the kids were off to college, Hubbs signed up for a pottery class through Southwestern Community College and set a challenge to throw 100 pots “for practice.” That pottery class has since grown into the Heritage Arts Institute at SCC and Hubbs has been a part of the program both as a student and a teacher for four years.

He says that throwing pots is much cheaper than therapy. He loves having his hands back in clay, and is always setting new goals to test his skills and refine his art form. As a teacher, Hubbs says that his students are all so different in the style and direction they want to take their pottery that he is learning right along with them.

With encouragement from his wife, Patti, they named their ever-growing collection of Doug’s work Cave Creek Pottery and he has many pieces on display at Frog Quarter’s, The Smoky Mountain Live Performance Theater and at home. This winter, Dec. 5 marks the third anniversary of an Art Show & Sale held on the grounds at their home in Burningtown. This event showcases many local artists in a festival atmosphere just in time for holiday shopping. Call Patti Hubbs at 524-2611 for information on buying pottery or coming to the Art Show and Sale.

“I welcome everyone interested in learning to throw pots to sign up for a class through Southwestern Community College Heritage Arts Institute in Swain County, an asset to our community that has provided a positive, quality environment to learn and create,” said Doug Hubbs.

Sally Patton

“So, it is never too late to learn and perfect the craft that interests you,” said Patton. She rents a space in Silver Threads and Golden Needles, a yarn shop on Main Street in Franklin. There, she teaches beginning weaving, princess weaving (make a scarf in a day!) as well as commissioned work. Now, at 76, Sally works five days a week, but says that she loves to be where she is designing, teaching and creating beautiful things and that it has kept her young!

Annie Burrell of Rabbit Creek Pottery is one of Patton's daughters and has a home-based studio in Franklin. Her husband, Tim, brought home a potter's wheel from an auction on a hunch she might learn to use it. Now, three years into pottery classes through the Heritage Arts Institute at Southwest Community College in Swain, Annie Burrell is playing with clay almost every day. She is excited to be selling her work with her fellow students and now on her own this fall at local craft shows. She feels that this program has challenged, inspired and taught her the skills needed to be confident in creating functional and fun pottery.

Sharon Keene

Suzi Olivio

Suzi Olivio, owner of Lily and the King Handmade Soap, is a "cottage industry" success story. Having a background in jewelry crafting in Florida, Olivio moved to Franklin and found there were many jewelry makers so she decided it was time to learn a new craft. Since she loved cooking, making soap just seemed to fall into place. Friends and family receiving her handmade soaps became enthusiastic customers and a business was born! Olivio loves that it is a family business, her husband and son working alongside her to make and sell the soaps. You can find her handmade soaps, lip balms and solid lotions at local craft shows, as well as the Jackson County Farmer's Market.

Bryson City artist Marilyn Reed of Intuition, began creating jewelry in 1997. She incorporates elements of vintage jewelry with newer gemstone, glass, and clay components, creating a rhythmic blend. She considers the folklore surrounding the gemstone beads she chooses, combining them with glass or clay beads that have been selected based on the response their color or texture evokes. She believes that color evokes a passive or active response, with many levels in between. Focusing on these qualities, she strives to create pieces to heighten an existing mood of give birth to a new one. Her goal is to do four or five shows a year and to stay in southwestern North Carolina.

Joan and Mike Glover of Sleepy Hollow Farm, also in Bryson City, organically grow gourds to make planters, birdhouses and other artistic creations. Each year, they establish the gourd seed in the greenhouse, transplant them to the garden in spring and nurture and harvest a variety of different shapes and sizes of gourds. Members of the American Gourd Society and the Appalachian Sustainable Agricultural Project, they have been gourd fanatics for seven years. Growing many useful varieties of gourds, Joan Glover uses wood burning, carving and dying techniques to enhance the natural beauty of the gourds. She says her love for her art is due to the fact that every gourd is different and offers a new challenge and inspiration.

Steve Clobridge is a well- known Bryson City figure at fine arts and craft shows throughout North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. An architectural draftsman by trade, Clobridge began his current sculptural medium when computer programming replaced hand drafting 30 years ago. He uses different perspectives to build three-dimensional mixed media sculptural wall hangings, many of which are displayed in rustic homes in the Appalachian area. A love for old buildings and training as an architectural draftsman form the solid base of his artistic work. He uses authentic materials, aged wood siding, stone chimneys and tin roofs to replicate historical barns, buildings and cabins, sometimes adding painted backgrounds.

Other artists include Joy Whitney of Joy Beads, Wire & Nature and Joseph Meigs of Cullowhee Watercolors. Meigs is an English professor, published author and painter whose paintings reflect his love of the Western North Carolina mountains.

Whitney has put her hands to crafting since age three when her mom gave her a crochet hook and showed her a simple chain stitch. She comes from a family of craftsmen, giving her an opportunity to learn and appreciate many hand crafts. Her interest in jewelry and beading began seven years ago when she and her husband embarked on a retirement "road trip." She took a beading class, he made her a beadboard to keep on the dashboard and off they went. She still uses the beadboard at craft fairs to work and demonstrate while customers are browsing. She will customize any of her jewelry or help you design a special piece. You will find her work in three North Carolina galleries; Oaks Gallery in Dillsboro, Blew Glass in Sylva, and Old Depot in Black Mountain. “Making jewelry and beadwork allows me to put into form the beauty and color of nature,” she said.


Several students in SCC’s Heritage Arts pottery program are sharing a booth at the Mountain Shapes and Colors show, reflecting a variety of styles of pottery. The pottery program is designed for individuals seeking a greater skill level and includes artistic training with ample time to master techniques, historical perspectives, new trends, studio setup, equipment and supply alternatives, and finally the business skills necessary to make the art profitable. In addition, pottery program students will hold a bake sale and donate Bowls for Chili to support the Heritage Arts Institute pottery program.

The day would not be complete without lots of food (chili and cornbread to support the 4H) and four sampler workshops held throughout the day: papermaking at 11 a.m., handbuilding a clay pencil holder at 1 p.m., and still life drawing at 2 p.m. Admission to Mountain Shapes and Colors Craft Art Show and Sale is free but there is a $5 charge for each workshop. Children are encouraged to participate when accompanied by an adult.

SCC’s Swain Center is located on US 74 (between mile markers 61 and 62) just five miles west of Bryson City.

For additional information, contact Hank Shuler or Carolann Cartwright at SCC at 828.488.6413 or 828.488.2982.