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Social - January 2004 |
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Potter finds his roots at the pottery wheel |
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Heritage reveals a fruitful hobby By AMY WADSWORTH, Staff Writer ———————————— VALE — Keith Tate sits at the spinning pottery wheel. The clay takes shape with each subtle movement of his hands. Tate, 43, makes the craft look easy, but he has never taken a class. It’s in his blood. Tate’s great-great-great-great grandfather worked in the pottery business. One hundred years later, Tate plans to open Seagle Heritage Pottery. “I have been wanting to do it for 20 years,” he said. “I had the want and desire to do it.” Tate said he is self-taught. He said the trick is using your hands, doing what works for you. He could not learn by watching, only trying. His interest is folk pottery which he describes as older pottery made 100 to 200 years ago. He makes jugs, face jugs and birdhouses. He has been working on some pieces since early fall. For now his work area is in the sun porch of his home. A pottery wheel he constructed sits beside an electric pottery wheel he bought. Building his own pottery wheel was another task Tate had always wanted to tackle. “It was amazing. He told me he was going to Lowe’s to get wood and then he came home and built a wheel,” said his wife, Lisa. She said pottery inspired him and came naturally. “He just put his hands in the mud and made a pitcher,” she said. Tate is expecting to have a pottery sale in the summer or the first of fall. Tate works full-time at Hickory Chair Company. His job only allows time to create pottery on the weekends. Once he retires, he would like to switch gears and make pottery around the clock. He is also plans to build his own pottery shop. “This is the first time for him to do what he wants to do — something for him,” Lisa said. Tate has an interest in preserving history. He collects antiques and has a growing interest in his heritage. He feels his work with pottery falls in line with his expertise and interests. “I am just trying to keep the old tradition alive. I want to keep it going,” he said.
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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
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