All About Art: Potters Cindy and Terry Smith
What do you get when you mix a Simpsonville, South Carolina native and a gentleman from Wichita, Kansas? The creatives behind FaberSmith Press and Pottery, Cindy and Terry Smith.
Both were immersed in the world of pottery in college and graduate school but took a decades-long hiatus and focused on different career paths.
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Cindy was an art director for Highlights magazine, the popular children's publication. There, she had the opportunity to work with some of the top children's illustrators, writers, and editors in the country. She says that she found a dedication to excellence there, and the experience allowed her to unleash her inner child -- an intuitively messy creative process that uncovers a gem in the outcome.
Terry is a retired commercial illustrator, whose career includes work for publications such as The Washington Post, the Boston Globe, US News & World Report and the Kennedy Center.
The couple spent some time in Pennsylvania but returned to Cindy's Upstate childhood home where they fell in love with pottery once again. Two years ago, they started being mentored by creatives, among them Anne Moore at No. 3 Pottery in Simpsonville and Sarah Wells Rowland of Asheville, NC.
They say they use their strengths to create. Cindy loves to experiment and 'get messy' and Terry enhances each piece with trimming and chattering techniques. The couple says they not only challenge each other but have a supportive community that helps hone their skills as well as build their confidence.
The Smiths say they never intended to make mugs or fill their home with pottery. But as they've improved their craft, their collection has grown and so has their business. They say they are looking to expand their business over the next year, using Terry's humorous illustrations to create a line of greeting cards and other items.
For more from FaberSmith Press and Pottery, visit fabersmithpressandpottery.com
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: All About Art: Potters Cindy and Terry Smith
