Meet Tina Duffey and Sarah Harper of The Pottery Place, studio number 9 on our tour. These two lovely ladies are bona fide Mudbugs! Sarah is a native of Alleghany County, the Piney Creek community to be precise. She began her pottery journey years ago with Bet Mangum and Appalachian State University. She has a passion for throwing on the wheel. When she first shared some of her pottery with Tina, her cousin, that’s when Tina caught the bug! Tina, an army brat growing up, moved to Alleghany after retiring from Samford University in Birmingham Alabama as a chemistry professor. Hand building techniques are her specialty. Tina and Sarah are “right sure” that together they have 75 years of experience playing in the mud!
“…My heart has always been here.” -Tina Duffey
When asked the question “Why art?” Tina answers matter-of-factly “Why not? It balances the left brain analytical thinking of a chemist and a nurse.” Tina’s career has been in chemistry and Sarah’s has been in nursing. Working in Clay gives them a chance to explore the right brain creative side. As you walk into the two-story family farmhouse on the north side of Sparta, you are filled with a sense of home. Pottery, antiques, and beautiful handmade quilts fill each room. The studio is situated on the kitchen side of the house and accommodates wheel throwing, hand building, glazing, and firing. Come visit The Pottery Place and perhaps catch Tina and Sarah exploring their creative side!
