A few years ago, I started praying, what’s next, Lord? Chris and Amy were grown, and I was getting too old to load Package Cars at UPS, and weary of trying to get my employees to load their Package Cars without my help. Although UPS had been very good to me, my husband, Van, generously let me retire. Thank you, Van.

One day, while pottery shopping, Bet Mangum, of Mangum Pottery in Sparta, NC (beautiful pottery, wonderful people, Bet and Rob), casually mentioned that she taught pottery workshops. After much prayer and encouragement from Van, I took a two day workshop from Bet and Rob. They taught me so well in those two days, and because of their encouragement, I never looked back. My mom bought me a wheel, Van bought me a kiln and built me a studio in the basement, and since then, I have been having the time of my life!!! Van got the fever and plays in the mud everytime he gets a chance. He is on the quest to make the perfect coffee mug!!

Ray Kaylor, of Mill Creek Pottery in Robbinsville, NC, answered many of my questions over the phone, thanks Ray. And a big thanks to Simon Leach, British Potter, living in Spain, for all of his How-To Videos on You Tube, they were very informative and inspiring!!! I am mostly grateful to Van for giving me this amazing gift of the freedom and time to become a potter, he always seemed to be able to see more in me than I could myself. My mom, and my sisters and brother, my kids, and friends have all helped me do this incredible, life changing thing, and I am so thankful to each and everyone of them. It takes a village to help me pick out clothes, and it took a village to make me a potter. It has all happened very quickly, miraculously, I think, as things can be when you are asking for God’s guidance.

Having been a huge fan of pottery, I am so thrilled to be making pottery myself. I have always loved working with my hands cross-stitching, knitting, water-coloring, quilting, cooking, or baking, any task I could do with my hands, I have loved…except house work, I haven’t loved housework. Pottery combines my love for colors, and textures, and MUD!!! I love MUD!!! I love participating in an art that you can hold in your hand, run your fingers along it’s form and shape, as you take in the beautiful colors with your eyes. I love participating in an art over which you don’t have complete control, the mud can have a mind of it’s own as I’m shaping it. Then the glazes can react differently together in the kiln, making each kiln opening as fun and exciting as opening Christmas presents.

How happy I am to call myself a potter!!!…..Jennifer Riga Manuel

My serving dishes, coffee mugs, and bowls may go together, but they are not meant to match. My dishes are designed for the eclectic person who likes a wide variety of shapes and colors on their table. They are for the person who likes to open their cabinet find the dish or mug that matches their mood right then. I am at my happiest working, when I am making what I want to make. And this is what makes me happy.

I love to make round things. I am a round person, and am happiest when surrounded by round things. Snowmen are round, bears are round, cookies are round, scoops of ice cream are round, and they are all very jolly things. Making round pots feels good in my hands when I am forming them, and they feel wonderful when I take them out of the kiln for the first time and hold them in my hand rolling them back and forth feeling their shape and absorbing the last of the heat from their firing.I especially like how flowers look in a round vase. I make tiny vases for flowers because the vases themselves remind me of my children’s chubby fists full of flowers they’ve picked just for me.

I don’t make sets of coffee mugs. I want to make that “go-to” mug. The one that fits in your hand comfortably, that warms your heart while using it. One that makes you feel as though you’re drinking your coffee with an old friend. I like for people to try on my mugs like they try on clothes, and choose the one that feels as good to their hand as their booty feels sliding into the perfect pair of jeans. The perfect pair of jeans are hard to find because they have to fit your one of a kind booty, thighs, and waist. I think the perfect coffee mug is worth the same determination and time to search for as your jeans.

I love bowls. I adore making teeny ones for the small bowl addicts out there like myself. Teeny bowls are great for melting butter in the microwave, and for eating a handful of your favorite snack, the snack you are actually wanting to remain a handful. I also love making BIG bowls. Bowls that have nothing to do with portion control. The big bowl out of which you secretly want to eat your Captain Crunch or Froot Loops! The never ending bowl. I like how they fill your hand, so when you sit on the couch to eat, you not only enjoy the way your food tastes, but you like the way your dish feels in your hand. Some of life’s greatest joys come to us in bowls: Ice Cream! Pasta! Sugary Cereal! Salsa! Nuts! I just realized my joy in making and using bowls may be linked to why I am so round!

I do all of my own work from beginning to end. I do not design pottery and have employees make it for me. I do not use molds, I make each piece, one at a time. I hope you enjoy my work. I hope you enjoy your well chosen piece as much as I loved making it for you!

Visit Southwinds Gallery, the home gallery of Southern Realist Artist, Harry Jarman and where Angie has over 20 years experience doing custom framing.

Hand In Hand Pottery, 224 Forest Drive, Kernersville, NC 27284
Hours vary, so please call 336-971-2414