Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where is your studio/gallery in Virginia?
A. We are some 25 miles (35 minutes) north of West Jefferson/Jefferson,
Ashe County, North Carolina. Go North on Hwy.16 from Jefferson,
NC, for 18 miles to the mouth of Wilson, Va. Turn right on US58
for 4 miles. Turn left on Fox Creek Road (Route 711) and go 1 1/2
miles to Little Fox Creek Rd. (Route 680) dirt road, turn right-go
1/2 mile to Foxfire Lane, turn right-go 400 yards to the end of
the lane to #333. We would love to see you but since we are so
remote and don't keep regular hours, please call ahead to make
sure we are here. By the way, cell phones don't' work too well
around here either. We have a pretty little gallery and a wonderful
front porch by the creek-perfect for a glass of wine and a chat.
Q. How do we acquire a piece of your work if we aren't able
to visit your gallery?
A: Each piece we make is an individual work of
art and even our sets of dinnerware are created in harmonious groupings
rather than identical place settings. It is best therefore, if
you call us by telephone and talk to us about what you have in
mind. Call 1-800-764-2402.
If we have what you want, we will be happy to ship it to you.
We welcome telephone orders and do not charge shipping or out-of-state
taxes within the continental U.S. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American
Express, and a personal check.
Q: Is porcelain pottery ?
A: Yes, porcelain is pottery
but not all pottery is porcelain. Porcelain is a pure white clay body
fired to a very high temperature (white heat - 2400 F ) which is very
strong and therefore can be formed much thinner than other clays. Finished
pieces are, therefore, lighter and more translucent with excellent thermal
properties (which is why our dinnerware is safe in both dishwasher and
microwave oven). Q: How do you get your beautiful colors? A: We do not use commercial glazes. All our glazes are our own
unique formulae which we have developed over the years. We are known
for our soft complex range of colors but we also have strong blacks,
browns and greens . Most of our pieces are given three coats of glaze
which, when fired in our gas kiln at 2400 degrees, intermingle giving
our pottery the depth of color which is the hallmark of our work. We
make our glazes from basic material such as feldspar, kaolin, and flint.
We use no lead compounds whatsoever.
Q: What is Handbuilt porcelain? A: Basically pottery is either molded, slip cast, thrown on
a potter’s wheel or hand built. Handbuilding in our case is rolling
out slabs of clay, impressing them with antique lace using a rolling
pin and then using the impressed slab of clay to form the various pieces
. Very few props or supports are used giving the pieces a more natural
form. Q: Where does your lace come from? A: During her twenty five years in Europe Jo Lydia collected
lace. In every country she would go to antique shops and local markets
to buy old lace and now has an impressive collection, much of it two
to four hundred years old. The lace is completely unharmed in the process
and can be used over and over again. Q: Can you really put your dinnerware in the dishwasher? A: Yes - you really can… and its just fine to put it in
the microwave too. Q: How long does it take you to make a piece of your pottery? A: All of our pieces go through a lengthy nine step process
from raw clay to finished pot taking 2 to 3 weeks. Most of that time,
however, is needed to carefully dry the raw piece. Q: Do we have to buy a complete dinner set? A: Of course not. One of the nicest things about our dinnerwear
is that it all goes together so well regardless of color or style. In
fact, some of the nicest sets we have ever done were picked out from
the selection we had on hand at the time. We keep a detailed record
of what you buy so that later we can help you add to your set. Q: Haven't I seen you somewhere?
A: Quite possibly! We've been in the following magazines...and
one movie!...click each cover to see the article. More about our
movie debut.
November 2004
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September 2004
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Fall 2004 |
August 1997
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April 1990
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March 1988 |
Follow Kate to the
Links...
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