coop

Yellow Springs is a great place to buy local. It’s filled with locally owned restaurants, locally owned shops and art by local artists. Whenever I’m in Yellow Springs I like to stop by Yellow Springs Pottery, a cooperative retail store run by nine excellent ceramic artists. Recently I talked with the most recent artist to join this co-op, Noah Faler.

“I was a visiting artist here last summer” he told me. “Then they invited me to join the group. Yellow Springs Pottery has been around for 51 years, and has always had wonderful pottery for sale. I remember walking through the store when I was a high school student, marveling at the work. Now I’m selling my own work here; its my dream.”

“This shop is a great place for people who would like to start collecting work by local artists, because the nine ceramic artists here have such different styles. There’s something here to appeal to everyone. And there’s a wide range of price points.”

“My own work is always evolving. I like to push forms and patterns. Sometimes I try a new pattern or a new shape and explore it, one piece then inspires another concept.”

I asked about three pieces that had a geometric design that included orange – not a typical pottery color. Noah picked one of them up and showed me how the pattern was interesting, but very different, when viewed from the side or from the top or from the bottom. I asked Noah how he learned to be a potter.

“I started making pottery on the wheel when I was a student at Xenia High School. I loved it and took all the ceramics courses they had. Then I took a break from pottery for a while but found that I really missed it. I found myself back on the wheel and I’ve had my hands in clay ever since.”

“Three years ago I quit my job and committed myself to pottery full time. I make my work in my home studio in Spring Valley, about 20 minutes drive from here. I also teach pottery fundamentals at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts in Hamilton. I love inspiring others to take the wheel.”