Experience the wonders of ceramics in Seagrove, North Carolina

Seagrove, North Carolina may be tiny, but its pottery scene is anything but small.

Within a 20-mile radius, about 100 potters live and work, producing everything from utilitarian bowls to dazzling works of art. On a recent trip to Seagrove, I discovered that nearly every back road leads to a potter’s workshop, each one offering a fresh take on the region’s centuries-old clay traditions.

My first stop was the North Carolina Pottery Center, whose exhibits describe Native American pottery traditions, the contributions of Moravian and Quaker settlers, the rise of art pottery in the 20th century, and the diversity of ceramics done in the state today.

“Before the Industrial Age, potters supplied everyday essentials for their communities,” said Lindsey Lambert, executive director of the North Carolina Pottery Center. “In North Carolina, the tradition endured long after it disappeared in most places, thanks to the state’s rich clay deposits and families who passed down their skills through generations.”

Seagrove in particular became a bustling hub for ceramics, its potters continuing to create sturdy jugs, pitchers and other vessels for everyday use. Over time, that practical tradition has expanded to include artists who push the boundaries of form, glaze and color. A highlight of the center is a showcase of representative work from area potters, giving visitors a sense for the range of artistry here that’s helpful before heading out on their own for studio visits.

With just a couple of hundred residents, Seagrove is a place to slow down, linger in studios and shops, and experience creativity at close range. My first stop was Seagrove Creations, a gallery devoted to local potters and artisans. While the North Carolina Pottery Center highlights representative pieces, Seagrove Creations brims with shelves of pottery ready to be wrapped up and carried home.

Guided by a Pottery Map (a brochure available everywhere in town), I headed into the countryside. A short drive brought me to Matthew Kelly’s studio, where I learned that Seagrove potters tend to emphasize collaboration rather than competition. That spirit is part of what has made Seagrove such a vibrant community, he told me, where tradition and innovation constantly mingle.

“Potters here don’t work in isolation,” said Kelly, a master potter who also has a large following for his instructional videos on YouTube. “We share kilns, trade tips and encourage each other.”

Kelly also emphasized the difference between seeing pottery online and experiencing it in person.

“Pottery has exploded on social media, which is good for us, of course,” he said. “But more than most art forms, you really have to hold a piece of pottery to fully appreciate it. You need to feel its texture and weight and see how the light plays across its surface. That’s why people come to Seagrove: to encounter a wide range of pottery in one place and to meet the people who make it.”

Throughout the day, I wandered into other studios and met other potters as well. Crystal King, who comes from a pottery-making family, is particularly known for her whimsical hand-built sculptures, often with Biblical themes. Bobbie Thomas creates kitchenware pieces that often include a recipe. at The General Wine & Brew, the bartender was Fiva McCanless, who proudly showed me samples of her playful pottery on her phone. In Seagrove, it seems, potters are everywhere.

After hours of admiring finished pieces, the next day I wanted to feel the clay in my own hands, so I returned to the North Carolina Pottery Center for a beginner’s class taught by artist Cat Viera. At the wheel, I discovered that clay demands both patience and precision. My first attempt wobbled and slumped, but with Viera’s gentle coaching, the lump of clay was transformed — imperfect, but recognizably a cup.

“We’ll glaze and fire it and ship it home to you,” she said. “It’s a nice way for visitors to be part of Seagrove’s pottery traditions.”

Working with clay, even for a short time, gave me a newfound respect for the skill involved. Every curve and ridge in a finished piece reflects not only artistic talent but also hours of practice, failure and persistence. And it made me appreciate even more the finished works I saw in studio after studio: mugs whose handles fit perfectly in the hand, bowls with glazes that shimmered like water, vases with clean lines that seemed both sturdy and delicate.

Another good way to experience Seagrove is to plan your visit around one of the town’s special events, when studios open their doors and the whole community buzzes with activity. The Celebration of Seagrove Potters on the weekend before Thanksgiving is one of the biggest, drawing visitors and collectors from around the country. Other popular events include Potters Pumpkin Patch in October, when six women-led studios host tours, and the Seagrove Wood Fire Tour in June, which showcases potters who keep alive the labor-intensive tradition of wood-fired kilns.

As I drove away, a beautiful plate that I’d purchased riding safely in the back seat, I thought about what makes Seagrove so special. It isn’t just the abundance of studios or the variety of pottery styles, but even more the sense of community and the willingness of artists to open their doors and help visitors experience the wonders of ceramics.

In an age when so much art is consumed through screens, Seagrove preserves the tactile, the handmade and the enduring.