Meet Lori Theriault | Potter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lori Theriault and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lori, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I think to be creative at all involves taking risk. For me, I don’t see risk in terms of ‘what if I fail?’, but more ‘will I regret not trying?’. There have been moments in my life where friends and family would express their admiration for how brave I was to make a move or change careers, but in those moments the idea of staying put in something or some place that was not fulfilling was a greater risk than taking a leap of faith. In those instances, I see the risk more in hindsight, and it only confirms that my instincts and convictions have been right as I can see several instances of reward for my risk. When I was studying with a pottery studio in DC and I proposed a new staff position (for me to fill) to studio owners so I could have practical experience in managing a teaching pottery studio, I ended up working that job for a year before moving myself to Asheville. When I almost lost Crazy Green Studios after the 2008 recession, I presented myself with all my vulnerability to a group of women creating The Village Potters Clay Center, and that first meeting led to my being invited to join them as a founding member. I celebrated our 12th year as a collective and continue to run Crazy Green Studios as well.

One of my personal heroes is Julia Child, and she summed it up quite well when teaching how to flip a potato pancake: “You must have the courage of your convictions!” That has served me very well.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Much of the work I make is functional pottery for home and professional kitchens. I have been privileged to work with some very creative chefs in designing handmade wares and accessories for restaurants, caterers, and private chefs. I also create a more decorative line of hand carved ceramic vessels that are inspired by Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” skies. Each piece is handmade, most originating on the wheel with some hand built. I am very excited about a new developing line of pieces created with flameware clay, starting with my version of a Comal. I am most proud of building my business while still keeping my production handmade and small batch. I’m currently collaborating with a James Beard nominated Pastry Chef to develop pie and tart pans and other accessories.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are so many things to do in and around Asheville, I could plan a full week for the hiking, another for crawling around studios and galleries, another for deep dive historical visits, another just to go meal to meal and enjoy the restaurants, food trucks, breweries, and pop-ups … there’s always more than can fit on most agendas, but the good news is that means there’s always a reason to come back to Asheville!

In no particular order, here’s a fraction of fun to be had:

Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway for beautiful vistas, and/or plan one or more days hiking places like Craggy Gardens, Mt. Pisgah, or Graveyard Fields.

Visit and shop local art studios and galleries! We would of course start with a tour of The Village Potters Clay Center, where you’ll find my studio, and then crawl through the historic River Arts District. We might even take a class at Ignite Jewelry Studios and make some rings, or try our hand in glass at NC Glass Center. A walking tour of downtown would include some great local shops as well as galleries, and on those days we go hiking, we can stop by Flow in Marshall, or maybe tour Penland School of Crafts. And if visitors want an even more personal tour of artists and studios not usually on the beaten path, I’d suggest booking an experience with Sherry Masters at Art Connections.

Asheville is on Cherokee land, so to understand more of that history we might plan a day trip out to Cherokee, NC and the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. As well, we can learn about the past, present, and future of African Americans in Asheville with a walking or driving tour with Hood Huggers, plus a visit to The Block downtown or Black Wall Street in the River Arts District. For landmarks, of course there’s Biltmore, and also Thomas Wolfe house, or Carl Sandburg home in Flat Rock. There are a number of walking tours we might do, fully guided, or self-guided like the Urban Trail. And for the pure fun of it, as well as some local history and lore, LaZoom tours are a must!

Where to eat and drink? You need way more than a week, and I’m only listing a small taste of what is here:

For cooking in, we’d go to the North Asheville Tailgate Market (or one of the other weekly Markets) to pick up fresh produce, eggs, local trout, grassfed and pasture raised meats, vegan cheeses and just about anything we need from the farmers and makers in our region. First stop for me is always J. Chong’s booth for dumplings and sauces, then we would build the rest of the meal from other vendors. And if we don’t want to worry about actually cooking, we’d go to Newstock Pantry where Ashley Capps and Travis Schultz have made and curated incredible and delicious options, from ingredients for a charcuterie feast to beautiful entrees, salad makings, locally made fresh breads, and Ashley’s incredible pastries. And for later munching and great gift-giving, we might also stop by the French Broad Chocolate Factory for the tour and lots of tasty treats.

Restaurants? Oh so many and so many that are so good! Some of my faves: Gypsy Queen Cuisine, La Bodega, Chestnut, Jargon, Rosetta’s, Hole Donut, OWL Bakery, Noodle House, 12 Bones BBQ, RosaBees, Celia’s Kitchen, Tastee Diner, Campfire Grill, Mother, Chai Pani/Botiwalla, Sovereign Remedies, Five Points Diner, Leo’s House of Taste, Corner Kitchen, Nine Mile … again, more than a week is needed and I’ve only scratched the surface!

Most of the restuarants have incredible wine and/or cocktail selections, but for the purist, we could hit Burial Beer, Asheville Brewing, and of course Wedge Brewing, conveniently located next door to my studio! For wines and clever cocktails, Bottle Riot, or an agave-themed flight from Mountain Madre, or Anoche.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
So many people have supported me in so many ways throughout my pottery journey, and collaboration and mentorship have been consistent beacons in all of my pottery endeavors. For the past 12 years, I have had the privilege being a founding member of The Village Potters Clay Center. It’s where I run my Crazy Green Studios business as well as work as a member of the TVPCC collective and serve as a mentor in our Advanced Ceramics Program. Being a part of this creative community has been immensely fulfilling, and I am deeply grateful.

Website: www.crazygreenstudios.com

Instagram: @crazygreenstudios

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-theriault-19b1561/

Facebook: @crazygreenstudios

Image Credits
Tim Barnwell Margaret Ellis