Earlier this month, potter friends Carolyn and Holly and I drove down to Floyd, Virginia, for the open studios of the 16 Hands potters, looking for inspiration. We visited the studios of eight potters (do the math) plus a a few of their invited artist friends.

This piece is by Elisa Di Feo, who works with her potter partner in a fantastic little place. This cup got to me after I walked away a few times. The blue underglaze crayon scratches are childish, but the fine etched lines are very grown up. A fine edge separates matte and shiny surfaces, both white.

Floyd is worth the trip for the rolling Blue Ridge mountain landscape, the steady sounds of local music, the fertile creativity with clay.