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Boonville —
Carolyn Edwards keeps her hands clean until 5 p.m. After that, she is molding sections of clay into pieces of pottery. She has a studio on the first floor of her home which contains her pottery and a kiln. She always wanted her own studio so when the house was being built, her husband included it in the plans.
Her interest in making pottery started in 1975 when she first saw potterers at work in Silver Dollar City. She sought out a training program in Arrow Rock and began making pottery.
"My first pieces looked like a kindergartner made them, very primitive," Edwards said. "I have definitely improved in my skill."
In 1993, she attended an expanded function dental assistant training program. Since then, the dental field has provided her main source of income.
She has shown her pottery in various venues throughout the years: Heritage days in Boonville, Versailles Apple Festival, and Santa Fe Trail Days. This year she is planning on an exhibition at the Fall Festival in Arrow Rock on Oct. 8. She has shown her pottery at Zuzak Wonder Store on Main Street at various times. Currently she is displaying a selection at WB & Company.
Her cottage business generates enough income to cover the supplies for making the pottery. She dedicates a lengthy amount of time to each piece.
"Most people don't realize how long the process is for making pottery," Edwards said.
She begins with the raw clay which has to be wedged or kneaded to get the air bubbles out. She then chooses a weight according to the piece she is going to create. She centers the piece, and drops a hole in the middle and the depth of the bottom is measured. Next the walls are pulled into shape. Once shaped, she sets it aside to dry for 15 to 24 hours. Finally, she said, the piece has to be trimmed and set aside to dry for up to three weeks. She finishes the pottery with firing - an additional eight hour time period. She then lets it cool for 12 hours and applies the glaze and fires it again for 12 hours and afterward, lets it cool for 14 hours.
"I do hope that someday when I retire, I can increase production somewhat," Edwards said. She also has had many requests to teach, that being another retirement goal.
She likes to give her pottery as gifts to her family and friends, engraved on the bottom. She is the most proud of her platters. They are larger pieces and when she is able to reach the size and maintiain the shape, she said she's happy.
"My husband thinks he can do it. I just told him to sit right down and do it. He has yet to do it, " Edwards said with a smirk on her face.
Carolyn Edwards keeps her hands clean until 5 p.m. After that, she is molding sections of clay into pieces of pottery. She has a studio on the first floor of her home which contains her pottery and a kiln. She always wanted her own studio so when the house was being built, her husband included it in the plans.
Her interest in making pottery started in 1975 when she first saw potterers at work in Silver Dollar City. She sought out a training program in Arrow Rock and began making pottery.
"My first pieces looked like a kindergartner made them, very primitive," Edwards said. "I have definitely improved in my skill."
In 1993, she attended an expanded function dental assistant training program. Since then, the dental field has provided her main source of income.
She has shown her pottery in various venues throughout the years: Heritage days in Boonville, Versailles Apple Festival, and Santa Fe Trail Days. This year she is planning on an exhibition at the Fall Festival in Arrow Rock on Oct. 8. She has shown her pottery at Zuzak Wonder Store on Main Street at various times. Currently she is displaying a selection at WB & Company.
Her cottage business generates enough income to cover the supplies for making the pottery. She dedicates a lengthy amount of time to each piece.
"Most people don't realize how long the process is for making pottery," Edwards said.
She begins with the raw clay which has to be wedged or kneaded to get the air bubbles out. She then chooses a weight according to the piece she is going to create. She centers the piece, and drops a hole in the middle and the depth of the bottom is measured. Next the walls are pulled into shape. Once shaped, she sets it aside to dry for 15 to 24 hours. Finally, she said, the piece has to be trimmed and set aside to dry for up to three weeks. She finishes the pottery with firing - an additional eight hour time period. She then lets it cool for 12 hours and applies the glaze and fires it again for 12 hours and afterward, lets it cool for 14 hours.
"I do hope that someday when I retire, I can increase production somewhat," Edwards said. She also has had many requests to teach, that being another retirement goal.
She likes to give her pottery as gifts to her family and friends, engraved on the bottom. She is the most proud of her platters. They are larger pieces and when she is able to reach the size and maintiain the shape, she said she's happy.
"My husband thinks he can do it. I just told him to sit right down and do it. He has yet to do it, " Edwards said with a smirk on her face.
