About this Episode:
We are joined by our special guest Cory Plott, he is a direct descendant of the famed Haywood County Plott clan who is credited with originating what later became the official state dog of North Carolina –the Plott hound. While Cory appreciates and respects the history of his family and their dogs, he has made his own mark as a renowned artist here in the Great Smokies. His work has been sold all over the world –including a specially designed mug that he crafted for PlottFest that can be purchased at the MSMHC.
In this episode, the audience will get more information about pottery and crafts but he focuses on discussing the Great Smoky Mountains and the outdoor activities.
Connect with Cory:
Connect with our host Joseph Franklyn McElroy:
Check out our Social Media:
SHOW NOTES
SEGMENT 1
Joseph opens up the show mentioning a sponsor as well as a virtual event celebrating Scot-Irish heritage on January 25th. Today’s topic is pottery, originating from the neolithic period. Joseph goes into detail about why people love pottery such as the aesthetic, form of expression, symbolism, and art as well as how it is made. Pottery is also used for storytelling and functional purposes. His guest for tonight’s show is Cory Plott, a descendant of the framed Haywood County Plott clan who is credited with originating what became the official state dog of North Carolina. He has sold his own pottery all over the world. He has been working with pottery for 10 years. He focuses on the East Coast as well when selling pottery. Living in the Smokies has been great for him and he loves being in Haywood county.
SEGMENT 2
Cory talks about working in stoneware and why he likes it. Stoneware is very durable and can be used in several settings. He also has done sculpture. He got into pottery is inspired by the fact that he can be creative while making a living out of it. Cory was also inspired by artists such as one of his professors from his time in college. He was also motivated by his father who fully supported him. Cory has several items that he makes from mixing bowls to mugs and puts his own twists on them. He talks about agateware, a medieval technique that allows for patterns and different effects. He explains how this technique is used. He also mentions using a lot of wood ashes in his pottery and explains how the texture of the wood affects the outcomes of the colors.
SEGMENT 3
Cory discusses the process it takes to make mugs and more of his pottery. He takes clay and loosens it up a little. Cory makes sure that he wedges it a certain way. Once he gets it to the shape that he needs, he continues to shoot for consistency. He likes to make several of the same pottery in different sizes. Each week he does one batch of each item that he works on. He lines up his year quarterly which allows him to work on his 12 items. Cory goes into how the Cherokee make pottery and some history about them. The biggest piece that Cory has made is a base with a really tall neck, 4-foot tall pottery. Cory loves being able to inspire and teach others to use their creativity which is why he also enjoys being at events like the North Carolina State Fair. He also just got into lamps as well.
SEGMENT 4
Cory recalls doing pottery in elementary and middle school. Back then, he says they used earthenware. Cory’s favorite thing to create is roosters. Joseph jokes that he should make him a 4-foot rooster. Cory also talks about maybe teaching pottery himself one day. For exploration, he recommends visiting Dillsboro where they have a unique shop with pottery. You can find more of Cory’s work on Facebook as well as on Youtube. Joseph also promotes an event from The Meadowlark that is having a weekday getaway special. You can learn more at themeadowlarkmotel.com.
TRANSCRIPT
00:03:02.610 –> 00:03:14.910 Joseph McElroy: hey thanks for joining us on this week’s episode of gateway to the Smokies, this is the second season of this podcast which focuses on life, culture, and tourism.
00:03:15.270 –> 00:03:24.990 Joseph McElroy: In America’s most visited National Park, the great smoky mountains National Park in the surrounding towns, this area is filled with ancient natural beauty.
00:03:25.440 –> 00:03:32.520 Joseph McElroy: with deep-storied history stunning adventures and rich mountain cultures that we explore with weekly episodes.
00:03:33.210 –> 00:03:46.260 Joseph McElroy: I am Joseph Franklyn McElroy a man of the world also with deep roots in these mountains my family is living the great smokies for over 200 years my business is in travel, but my heart is in culture.
00:03:47.130 –> 00:03:55.650 Joseph McElroy: today’s podcast we’re talking about North Carolina pottery with a local potter may build a big reputation and crafting a life of the smokies.
00:03:56.940 –> 00:04:04.500 Joseph McElroy: So, as you all can see we’ve had some big snow here in the Maggie Valley area.
00:04:05.040 –> 00:04:18.210 Joseph McElroy: In my background for those of you who can’t see it it’s the motel covered in snow but it’s the beautiful day we had a full House people came up we had fires, we had sledding we had food we drink, we had a just a good old time.
00:04:20.040 –> 00:04:29.430 Joseph McElroy: And speaking of the Meadowlark of course it’s one of the main sponsors of the show, and I want you to imagine a place evocative of motor courts of the past.
00:04:29.910 –> 00:04:42.000 Joseph McElroy: Yet, modern and vibrance with a Chic Appalachian field feel a place for adventure in for relaxation imagine a place where you can fish in a mountain where it is a trout stream.
00:04:42.660 –> 00:04:56.340 Joseph McElroy: grill the catch on fire and eat accompanied by fine wines or craft beers imagine a place for the old-time music and world country sounds imagine a place with country cooking but in.
00:04:57.570 –> 00:04:58.860 Joseph McElroy: Modern SpeakEasy.
00:04:59.880 –> 00:05:08.100 Joseph McElroy: And there is no other place like the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley your smoky mountain adventure starts with where you stay.
00:05:09.000 –> 00:05:16.830 Joseph McElroy: Now our other sponsor’s smokies adventure.com it’s smokies plural adventure singular.com.
00:05:17.280 –> 00:05:27.450 Joseph McElroy: And that is a provides a lot of content articles about the smokies from about hiking about waterfalls about wedding venues about.
00:05:28.050 –> 00:05:39.990 Joseph McElroy: And destinations that you might want to visit and it provides you know the opportunity to give books and trail maps and all sorts of resources to help you enjoy your experience in the mountains of.
00:05:40.470 –> 00:05:55.410 Joseph McElroy: The smokies it’s focused on outdoor recreation outdoor life events like weddings and adventures, and it provides a lot of information on where you can go for lodging family entertainment events Convention times, and more.
00:05:55.890 –> 00:06:01.320 Joseph McElroy: Its goal is to become the leading information portal of them, so the smoky mountains, I think it’s getting there.
00:06:02.580 –> 00:06:17.940 Joseph McElroy: Some event is coming up Tuesday, January 25, 2022, you have the Robert Burns birthday supper and we’re having we were going to have a full event happening, but you know there’s omicron.
00:06:18.780 –> 00:06:34.710 Joseph McElroy: viruses put a kibosh on that so we’re going to do a virtual event as part of the meadowlark heritage smoky mountain cultural heritage program and it’s a celebration of Scotch Irish heritage in the mountains, with the virtual birthday supper comprised of.
00:06:36.360 –> 00:06:40.980 Joseph McElroy: You know ideas of the food and poetry music and song and storytelling.
00:06:41.460 –> 00:06:51.750 Joseph McElroy: That happens and it burns dinner and it’s and then be more to honor that Scottish Bard Robert Burns the black Scotsman Mike Ogletree.
00:06:52.140 –> 00:07:02.220 Joseph McElroy: An expert on the Bards work and a resident artist, the Meadowlark c will host the virtual burns separate live stream from this mountain getaway in the mountains of North Carolina.
00:07:02.640 –> 00:07:17.340 Joseph McElroy: it’ll start at 5 pm on eastern standard time on January 25 you can go to facebook.com slash the meadowlark motel to get updates on the event and get access to the live stream.
00:07:18.330 –> 00:07:35.400 Joseph McElroy: So today we’re talking about pottery and I’m gonna give you a little bit of insights I found about pottery over the years and some information that people told me or I found now because you know I love pottery but I never really got into researching it and.
00:07:36.450 –> 00:07:45.330 Joseph McElroy: I decided to do that maybe I should know more about it so more pottery is an ancient form of art that originates from the Neolithic period.
00:07:46.140 –> 00:07:56.820 Joseph McElroy: Almost every ancient civilization practiced in some shape or form using different techniques and methods to achieve a piece of art that had a symbolic function.
00:07:58.200 –> 00:08:06.480 Joseph McElroy: Today, people love pottery because it really is an escape from the real world of mass production and consumerism.
00:08:07.080 –> 00:08:18.840 Joseph McElroy: Individual search for a sense of nostalgia and creating something beautiful or buying something beautiful that was made with the hand and it was that was similar to what our ancestors had.
00:08:19.260 –> 00:08:32.940 Joseph McElroy: So it’s a form of expression that grounds people in the present and represents in some symbolic membership and some tribe that they feel very akin to.
00:08:33.690 –> 00:08:45.060 Joseph McElroy: So to summarize the basics potter is the craft of making objects or claim materials and it comprises three major types earthenware porcelain and stoneware.
00:08:46.080 –> 00:09:01.380 Joseph McElroy: As you’re shaping the clay, the potter uses he can make it waterproof before decorating the exterior and it can have all painting glazing in other decorative moments I’m sure our potter here today or expert will give us some really good ideas.
00:09:02.790 –> 00:09:09.240 Joseph McElroy: So you know what is it, I talked about symbolism what is pottery symbolized.
00:09:10.470 –> 00:09:19.860 Joseph McElroy: audience pottery and ceramic I’ll just have a sick significance beyond utility and aesthetics and make your mind aspects of traditional and contemporary art.
00:09:21.060 –> 00:09:36.240 Joseph McElroy: Every you know I’m an artist as well, every art form carry some sort of symbolic meaning and from the materials to the symbols that they use, but a potter especially gets a lot of.
00:09:37.140 –> 00:09:48.690 Joseph McElroy: symbolism from the material the clay represents the earth and water used to mold it represents the bodies of water on this planet.
00:09:48.960 –> 00:10:08.010 Joseph McElroy: And it has religious connotations many religions believe that god’s sculptures the first humans from Zurich unless we come from the earth and many ancient culture use potter is a form of storytelling similar to decorative grieved races that narrate the legends of Greek gods.
00:10:10.140 –> 00:10:18.420 Joseph McElroy: You know, in the past, people first use pottery to carry water before creating it for decorative person’s personal purposes, now that they use it.
00:10:19.020 –> 00:10:28.500 Joseph McElroy: To try to understand the lifestyle they the living and the people in the past, and even the paste pieces we make today become artifacts for the future.
00:10:29.250 –> 00:10:37.650 Joseph McElroy: Now Maggie Valley in North Carolina and the surrounding great smoky mountains have been making handcrafted items like pottery since this area was first settled.
00:10:38.880 –> 00:10:46.350 Joseph McElroy: You know, in the beginning, it was used to make it was a utilitarian purpose, you know plates and things like that, but then.
00:10:47.430 –> 00:10:57.360 Joseph McElroy: As artists started becoming more involved in beauty and heritage, they started creating artistically studying, as well as functional people pieces.
00:10:57.960 –> 00:11:03.300 Joseph McElroy: And then, similar to the way storytelling served as practical purposes, preserving Appalachian culture.
00:11:04.110 –> 00:11:15.450 Joseph McElroy: What began as making everyday items I play some bowls became a treasured art form that is celebrated all around Maggie Valley and throughout the whole of the smokies.
00:11:16.110 –> 00:11:30.960 Joseph McElroy: Now you know if you’re coming to Haywood County and let you know, a couple few places, you can go visit and then we’ll get into speaking with our expert and artistic potter we have with us today now.
00:11:32.190 –> 00:11:42.090 Joseph McElroy: On the show before and Maggie Valley, we have the different drummer pottery, which is a local potter at homeroom and you’ve added residents and his family actually helped was.
00:11:43.110 –> 00:11:50.760 Joseph McElroy: Had the Meadowlark before my family did and actually built, one of the buildings there, so we had a very close connection in terms of.
00:11:51.150 –> 00:12:02.820 Joseph McElroy: And their potter is only a few doors down from the Meadowlark motel and it’s an old log cabin so it’s an interesting place to visit and it’s been working since 1980.
00:12:03.390 –> 00:12:13.140 Joseph McElroy: And then over in Boston North Carolina there’s the mud damaged pottery which is been operating since 1988 it’s a fully functioning studio and gallery that’s family.
00:12:13.980 –> 00:12:21.660 Joseph McElroy: And you can watch them throw play on the wheel and use our hands and special suits tools to create magic out of the air.
00:12:22.140 –> 00:12:25.710 Joseph McElroy: there’s an in Waynesville on Main Street there’s the Magnum park.
00:12:26.220 –> 00:12:36.390 Joseph McElroy: I know in Weaver bill and there’s the manga pottery well you find all sorts of gorgeous things, and of course, Asheville river arts district is as a Mecca for pottery.
00:12:37.290 –> 00:12:48.540 Joseph McElroy: As chocolate, full of all sorts of art galleries and a lot of them are Jalen ceramics and pottery both that the utility and the utilitarian level ended the artistic level.
00:12:49.890 –> 00:13:01.230 Joseph McElroy: And you have to go there and then there is the Blue Ridge parkway folk art Center it’s a one-stop-shop for all things of Appalachian heritage, including some stunning handcrafted pottery.
00:13:01.770 –> 00:13:06.990 Joseph McElroy: And it says, the main showcase for the southern Highland good craft Guild, which is one of the oldest graph CAP.
00:13:07.710 –> 00:13:16.770 Joseph McElroy: craft girls in the mountains and maybe the United States you’ll find a wealth of smoky mountain additions at your fingertips, you can meander through the well-curated galleries.
00:13:17.010 –> 00:13:27.540 Joseph McElroy: browse the bookshelf bookstore library pick out gifts from the craft shop and for the best part all you do is hang out in the lobby for up-close demonstrations and local artisans.
00:13:27.870 –> 00:13:35.520 Joseph McElroy: whipping up starting creations right before your eyes and don’t forget we at the Meadowlark have a smoky mountain heritage Center that has.
00:13:36.390 –> 00:13:47.130 Joseph McElroy: Some ceramic our artwork and utilitarian of the artifacts including mugs created by today’s guest Cory Plott.
00:13:47.550 –> 00:13:52.920 Joseph McElroy: And Cory is a Haywood County native is a direct descendant of the famed Haywood county Plott clan.
00:13:53.460 –> 00:13:57.510 Joseph McElroy: who’s credited with originating what later became the state dog with North Carolina.
00:13:57.900 –> 00:14:13.410 Joseph McElroy: The Plot hound, however, Cory has made his own mark as a renowned potter and sculptor here the great smokies his work is sold all over the world, as well as those those those mugs at the Meadowlark smoky mountain heritage Center how are you doing Cory?
00:14:14.130 –> 00:14:15.930 cory plott: hey I’m doing good today man, I hope you are.
00:14:16.800 –> 00:14:17.940 Joseph McElroy: doing fantastic.
00:14:18.720 –> 00:14:19.230 Good.
00:14:21.060 –> 00:14:26.370 Joseph McElroy: Food from snow in the mountains to ice in the New York City I’m having a wonderful.
00:14:28.590 –> 00:14:33.090 Joseph McElroy: Experience in the course of week one before we were talking about having no winter at all.
00:14:35.010 –> 00:14:35.550 cory plott: came quick.
00:14:35.970 –> 00:14:41.100 Joseph McElroy: And I just said, your work today and you’re the only one there because there is no dude right.
00:14:41.310 –> 00:14:41.730 cory plott: I know.
00:14:41.820 –> 00:14:46.080 cory plott: I know, everybody else Snowden but anyway I’ll show up I’ll open it I’ll close it.
00:14:46.230 –> 00:14:51.180 cory plott: and work this podcast I’m so excited about it, so I appreciate your time appreciate you having me.
00:14:51.420 –> 00:14:55.380 Joseph McElroy: Sure, so all over the world, where some of the places you’ve sold.
00:14:56.700 –> 00:15:12.390 cory plott: Oh well, you know, mainly I’d go up and down the East Coast, you know that’s what I focused on and that’s still what I focus on today yeah I’ve been turning pottery for about 10 years I’ve heard a piece is going up to Canada so that’s good I didn’t take there myself but they’re up there.
00:15:14.070 –> 00:15:14.310 Joseph McElroy: well.
00:15:14.760 –> 00:15:17.610 Joseph McElroy: there’s a mug in New York City yeah.
00:15:17.730 –> 00:15:18.270 cory plott: There we go.
00:15:18.420 –> 00:15:18.780 Okay.
00:15:22.290 –> 00:15:32.310 cory plott: that’s great so yeah but uh yeah like I said I just focus on the east coast, mainly from Philly all the way to Miami and I’ve worked a show somewhere every single weekend.
00:15:33.270 –> 00:15:34.200 cory plott: You know so.
00:15:34.380 –> 00:15:35.310 cory plott: yeah it was good.
00:15:36.030 –> 00:15:40.050 Joseph McElroy: We know, having you’re having been a guy that you know is
00:15:40.950 –> 00:15:48.720 Joseph McElroy: is maintained his heritage and is it is an Origination and everything I do, even though I’m ended up having to.
00:15:48.990 –> 00:15:59.730 Joseph McElroy: do a lot of work in New York City, because my other business, you see, I keep a lot of my original heritage like you know we’re over all the time, right now, their status over there, so overall.
00:16:01.890 –> 00:16:17.280 Joseph McElroy: A lot of people, a lot of people were Carhart down, I was, I was going into the Highland you know furniture store yes down there and some guy you know very old-timer came up to me said where’d you get them.
00:16:18.480 –> 00:16:24.120 Joseph McElroy: overalls I really liked him and I told him I got an Amazon, I said boy it’s hard to get over all these days, I really like overall.
00:16:29.700 –> 00:16:30.870 Joseph McElroy: Confirmation yeah.
00:16:32.550 –> 00:16:37.530 Joseph McElroy: How have you found living in the smokies has influenced your work.
00:16:38.640 –> 00:16:45.870 cory plott: Well, you know I mean ever traveling and everything you know I thought I fall in love with somewhere else, but I never did.
00:16:46.770 –> 00:16:59.280 cory plott: Even from traveling to big cities little towns working these shows that people were Nice and they were always respectful but nothing’s like here and Haywood county yeah just feel even more in love with Maggie.
00:17:00.270 –> 00:17:07.530 cory plott: and especially with the diversity that Asheville brings we didn’t leave because we never had to everything’s offered here.
00:17:08.580 –> 00:17:14.460 Cory Plott: So that was a surprise to me, I thought, surely, I find somewhere else but there’s no bait near I promise.
00:17:15.030 –> 00:17:15.570 cory plott: You.
00:17:15.900 –> 00:17:24.690 Joseph McElroy: hey listen, we have to take our first break, I guess, I talked too much, to begin with, but when we come back we’ll start talking about a little bit about your pottery alright.
00:17:25.350 –> 00:17:26.550 cory plott: sounds good alright.
00:19:42.900 –> 00:19:56.640 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with my guest Cory Plott on the gateway to the smokies podcast now for I’ve seen those mugs you made and they’re really beautiful back to drink for one right now.
00:19:56.700 –> 00:19:57.030 cory plott: Oh yeah.
00:19:57.870 –> 00:19:58.530 cory plott: yeah I know.
00:20:00.510 –> 00:20:01.710 Joseph McElroy: You had to and.
00:20:02.820 –> 00:20:07.920 Joseph McElroy: And, by the way, you go to Meadowlark Motel and buy those on that website.
00:20:09.060 –> 00:20:15.030 Joseph McElroy: And, and you know I need you to make me a mug that says, this is my moonshine cup but anyway.
00:20:15.780 –> 00:20:16.110 cory plott: I will
00:20:16.170 –> 00:20:16.920 cory plott: I will
00:20:18.840 –> 00:20:29.880 Joseph McElroy: I saw I saw the job that you made for the awards, are some of the people and things like that, but tell me what is the extent of what you work in pottery you mentioned that your sculptor to what do you work it.
00:20:31.350 –> 00:20:43.350 cory plott: well, I work in stoneware and that’s, not just for its historical purposes, it was mainly the Germans worked in stoneware and they brought that with them, you know, of course, whenever they came over and family Appalachia.
00:20:44.310 –> 00:20:53.310 cory plott: But I like stoneware because of its durability and also, I, like the way it turns on the wheel it’s got a lot of St in it it’s real smooth that’s really durable.
00:20:54.210 –> 00:21:00.960 cory plott: You have to wrestle it a little bit more because oftentimes it’s stiffer but you could really make a nice top part and make it really smooth shape.
00:21:01.890 –> 00:21:13.890 cory plott: But, mainly for its durability stone where’s to me number one, especially since you’ve mentioned at the dishwasher so you throw the dishwasher put in the oven you don’t have to worry about it but hands down I’ve always worked in stoneware.
00:21:13.950 –> 00:21:16.950 Joseph McElroy: And that’s opposed to porcelain.
00:21:17.070 –> 00:21:19.620 cory plott: And yeah porcelain or earthenware.
00:21:19.860 –> 00:21:21.720 cory plott: Now there’s a rich history of earthenware.
00:21:22.770 –> 00:21:39.930 cory plott: In Winston Salem with the meridian pottery or were little animal figuring flasks you know little squirrel flask it or read where slip trailed way or there’s a rich history in that too, and if I was to do anything but stone, where I would go into earthenware.
00:21:40.170 –> 00:21:40.530 Joseph McElroy: But I.
00:21:40.560 –> 00:21:53.520 cory plott: don’t think I’ll ever mess with porcelain ya know it’s porcelain to me it’s a little fickle you know I want to turn it put a handle on it put it on the shelf and dried out and rotate doesn’t double you know I don’t want anything to fickle.
00:21:55.980 –> 00:22:06.990 Joseph McElroy: seen you on your site, you had some fancy like look like pictures are either that or they were Turkish you know smoking implements but.
00:22:10.890 –> 00:22:11.790 Joseph McElroy: They were like long.
00:22:15.000 –> 00:22:15.990 Joseph McElroy: kind of cool but.
00:22:17.760 –> 00:22:18.030 cory plott: What.
00:22:18.480 –> 00:22:20.010 Joseph McElroy: You do sculpture as well.
00:22:20.610 –> 00:22:25.170 cory plott: I do yeah and that’s it thanks to Terrence Painter, down there a different drummer.
00:22:25.440 –> 00:22:27.120 cory plott: Every machine is working growing up.
00:22:27.120 –> 00:22:32.550 cory plott: seen his work out detail-oriented it was most partners don’t put that attention to detail.
00:22:33.000 –> 00:22:35.250 cory plott: But I always admired him for doing that I’d see.
00:22:35.250 –> 00:22:45.330 cory plott: His work at quickdraw for scholarship programs for the schools here in Haywood county it’s beautiful trees and stuff so once I saw his work and I’d always drawn and painted.
00:22:45.810 –> 00:22:55.680 cory plott: So I’ve decided to do those rooster jokes which is it’s their tedious father, my father I covered entire jug and scope of research on it and I’m now turning them into lunch.
00:22:56.010 –> 00:22:58.950 cory plott: wow so yeah so it’s a good.
00:22:58.950 –> 00:22:59.430 balance.
00:23:00.600 –> 00:23:04.830 Joseph McElroy: Have you met his son he’s come back and is now working full time as a partner with that.
00:23:05.100 –> 00:23:12.360 cory plott: He was telling me about that yeah it’s been a while now, but the last time I talked to him, he said yeah his son gateway so.
00:23:12.720 –> 00:23:16.170 cory plott: that’s awesome so maybe one day it’ll be popular pottery and sons, who knows.
00:23:18.600 –> 00:23:20.670 Joseph McElroy: Brazilian drones are interesting to me.
00:23:20.670 –> 00:23:22.890 cory plott: was saying that I thought I had to make it through them and.
00:23:24.450 –> 00:23:25.620 Joseph McElroy: said, you can do all sorts of.
00:23:25.620 –> 00:23:26.460 Joseph McElroy: stuff so.
00:23:26.520 –> 00:23:30.600 Joseph McElroy: yeah that you had that contemporary flair to your work right yeah.
00:23:30.840 –> 00:23:33.930 cory plott: yeah little bit about trying to bring you to bring in a little bit about.
00:23:35.430 –> 00:23:39.750 Joseph McElroy: How you got started as a potter is seeing Terry painter and getting into it, or what was.
00:23:39.750 –> 00:23:40.410 cory plott: In a way.
00:23:40.680 –> 00:23:52.650 cory plott: We went to school for it my after high school my best friend took a pottery class and I wouldn’t be in love with it, I thought Okay, you know easy yay all right, I draw and paint you know.
00:23:53.340 –> 00:24:04.470 cory plott: I’m not in the pottery but after the first semester my pottery Professor said Cory you’re the last one here semesters over you don’t have to go home I don’t care where you go you can’t stay here get your stuff and get.
00:24:06.510 –> 00:24:16.260 cory plott: I had about 24 months that I needed to take home in the day was young, you know it didn’t even really get started as about two o’clock so I took my belt off.
00:24:16.560 –> 00:24:24.150 cory plott: rang my bell through all the handles of the mugs and then drove to Main Street and walked up and down Main Street peddling these things.
00:24:24.720 –> 00:24:32.400 cory plott: wow yeah and I got ran out of a few stores that’s a no, no, I didn’t think about it, I was just trying to sell my mug.
00:24:34.290 –> 00:24:39.420 cory plott: But I was 18 I sold 24 months for $20 a patient about two hours.
00:24:40.890 –> 00:24:41.460 Joseph McElroy: right there.
00:24:42.360 –> 00:24:42.990 cory plott: When they click.
00:24:43.020 –> 00:24:49.350 cory plott: I thought Okay, I like pottery I’ll go into this, as long as I make live being creative I’m fine so.
00:24:50.790 –> 00:25:02.610 Joseph McElroy: In the arts are certain things they say like you know if your printer and as an artist as a visual artist the printer always makes money, the other artists don’t always make money but yeah yeah.
00:25:03.690 –> 00:25:08.430 Joseph McElroy: scope in the sculpting art a potter usually can make money right.
00:25:09.300 –> 00:25:14.700 cory plott: yeah well when you got the best about you could sculpt but I’ve always had my roots in production pottery.
00:25:15.840 –> 00:25:21.270 cory plott: And that’s exactly I took an apprenticeship, while I was at Haywood Community college with brad Dotson in Boston.
00:25:21.810 –> 00:25:33.660 cory plott: Oh, you know it’s I studied with him, while I was in school, and I mean he really taught me a lot about production and bread and butter and what it takes, you know I’ve always got my roots in production.
00:25:34.440 –> 00:25:35.670 Joseph McElroy: yeah now.
00:25:36.240 –> 00:25:43.230 Joseph McElroy: Besides, those guys you got any other specific artists that you really feel or mentors or influencers.
00:25:44.130 –> 00:25:55.530 cory plott: Or, well, I mean my Professor His name was Steve Annoyed I wish, she was with us, you know today, but he asked a while back, but I’ve got one of his teapots and I’ve got it in a really special place you know and I’m always thinking about.
00:25:55.950 –> 00:26:05.280 cory plott: You know, as far as mentors and stuff and he was real artsy you know, he was real artsy so I had that balance which is unusual, I had that artsy
00:26:06.660 –> 00:26:20.430 cory plott: Professor but then I’d go to my apprenticeship, you know, whereas graph production produces quantity, so I had the best of both sides of the coin right off the BAT which is unusual, it is a privilege.
00:26:20.760 –> 00:26:30.600 cory plott: Right yeah but other than that, of course, my dad you know I told him I was like oh yeah I’m gonna be a potter and he’s like oh yeah are you know.
00:26:33.570 –> 00:26:34.500 cory plott: over time.
00:26:34.740 –> 00:26:35.130 cory plott: You know.
00:26:38.700 –> 00:26:39.030 cory plott: My mom.
00:26:40.020 –> 00:26:43.320 Joseph McElroy: told me, potter, yes, you said don’t smoke too much.
00:26:43.980 –> 00:26:44.790 Joseph McElroy: yeah.
00:26:45.450 –> 00:26:47.760 cory plott: Are you sure you don’t get a real job.
00:26:50.970 –> 00:26:58.320 Joseph McElroy: So uh yeah do you how do you classify you were in the canon of it or have you got your own genre, what do you, what do you call it.
00:26:59.160 –> 00:27:04.260 cory plott: um well you know I’ve got 12 items that I make you know and.
00:27:05.130 –> 00:27:14.430 cory plott: that’s you know mugs bowls I’ve got my production basis mixing bowls you know, and these are all things that I’ll crack open a history book and look at.
00:27:14.970 –> 00:27:19.590 cory plott: And then put my own twist on it like right now what I’m focusing on now is.
00:27:20.040 –> 00:27:35.010 cory plott: it’s a medieval technique and German Jews did a lot to it’s called agate where it’s we’re used to different colors of clay so I’ll turn my stoneware pot put the color clay on it and it swirls it looks like it’s a marble.
00:27:35.580 –> 00:27:51.480 cory plott: mm hmm so it’s yeah and to me what I love about it, is it captures how fast that part was spinning so even after its fire that thing you can tell it spun around my wheel 1000 miles an hour eternity it captures that motion.
00:27:52.920 –> 00:28:00.540 cory plott: So, even though it’s a medieval technique and the Germans used it, I still put my little spin on it, and it can be modern and minimal too.
00:28:01.440 –> 00:28:07.410 Joseph McElroy: Now you know you do you don’t use electric spinning right use your own foot speed is that right.
00:28:07.650 –> 00:28:23.850 cory plott: Exactly I’ve got a kick wheel that I use a locker be kicked we’ll adjust it up a little bit put a little brass light switch on it now it’s got a motor but it’s also a free-spinning wheel and I’ve got the treadmill wheel I drove up to Kentucky to get that thing it was so beautiful.
00:28:24.090 –> 00:28:24.930 cory plott: And what is it oh.
00:28:25.470 –> 00:28:31.110 cory plott: it’s usually up on a board you lean upon it, and this is what traditional North Carolina potter’s you.
00:28:31.560 –> 00:28:48.390 cory plott: you’ve got the big pan, this is the three by four so it’s a box with the spinning wheel in it with the wheel head and it’s got a board that comes out that you leaned on one leg with your other leg you’re kicking a board, which spins the way at the bottom to turn the wheel.
00:28:49.980 –> 00:28:56.550 cory plott: There you’re constantly kicking it’s got a lot of torque once you get going you’re fine you know.
00:28:57.240 –> 00:28:57.450 When.
00:28:58.650 –> 00:29:02.940 Joseph McElroy: We do a lot of work that way don’t mean to start favorite one leg in a different way.
00:29:03.990 –> 00:29:08.730 cory plott: You cannot switch legs, if I take off too fast, I have a hard left and I’m like oh easy you know.
00:29:10.500 –> 00:29:12.150 cory plott: I run in circles if I go running too fast.
00:29:14.700 –> 00:29:20.190 Joseph McElroy: Oh wow that’s interesting and yeah and use action you’re in you’re right.
00:29:21.150 –> 00:29:21.630 Joseph McElroy: I do.
00:29:21.930 –> 00:29:30.930 cory plott: I do, I use a lot of wood ash and it would actually have been predominantly that go to especially with North Carolina pottery and especially Western North Carolina pottery.
00:29:31.710 –> 00:29:46.320 cory plott: mainly because you know they had used the word to fire, the Council wood ash was in abundance and they saw that if the punch in the front of the Kingdom there was getting blasted by all this fire and blasted by all this heat and ash would they have drips on it.
00:29:47.490 –> 00:30:04.710 cory plott: And what they would do is they would save it down put it on top of the clay, on top of the pot if that he would melt it because what it is, is silica net and tree whenever it’s alive it pulls up silica from the ground that’s why it’s so rich it needs silica to be strong.
00:30:05.220 –> 00:30:15.570 cory plott: Right so yeah to that silica is exactly what Milton creates those drips in wood-fired pieces and with you, using ash places even in an electric eel.
00:30:17.010 –> 00:30:17.730 cory plott: So.
00:30:18.060 –> 00:30:34.200 cory plott: it’s real and what’s really neat, let me tell you this, which really date is the softer the wood, the green or the ash the density as follows the color wheel by the color of the ash, so if it’s a soft good it’s a green medium yellow and if it’s a hardwood it’s orange or Brown.
00:30:34.620 –> 00:30:35.670 wow.
00:30:37.320 –> 00:30:41.340 cory plott: yeah just to uncover one of these natural phenomena, I mean it’s just neat.
00:30:41.910 –> 00:30:52.620 Joseph McElroy: wow yeah cool so uh so we’re gonna take another break here when we come back we’ll find more about what’s your process and things you’ve been doing all right.
00:30:53.220 –> 00:30:53.580 cory plott: All right.
00:32:59.760 –> 00:33:15.030 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcasts and my guest Cory Plott. hey, Cory so they made some mugs in jugs for us at the Plott fest that will be held this year.
00:33:16.080 –> 00:33:19.050 Joseph McElroy: What did what does it take, how do you what’s the process of making.
00:33:20.220 –> 00:33:21.420 Joseph McElroy: a jug or a mug?
00:33:22.380 –> 00:33:24.630 cory plott: Okay, so what I’ll do start to finish, is.
00:33:25.950 –> 00:33:31.800 cory plott: I’ll get the clay and I’ll widget so what I’ll do is I’ll loosen it up a little bit I’ll take the block it plays out.
00:33:32.130 –> 00:33:39.510 cory plott: Unless I’ve dug it if it’s a special batch and I’ve dug it let’s start there say I’ve dug it and I’m mixing some local clay in with some clay I’ve already got.
00:33:39.870 –> 00:33:53.520 cory plott: I’ll save it down get the rocks out of it, you know at least the big rocks leave a few of in there for the character, yet, but I’ll save it down mix it in there with it and then I’ll begin to which, so what I’ll do is I’ll widget by.
00:33:54.960 –> 00:34:07.590 cory plott: it’s gosh it’s called a spiral which so I’ll need it basically you just need it in the same way, over and over and clay actually has a memory in it whenever it’s turning and whenever it’s firing.
00:34:08.070 –> 00:34:09.030 cory plott: So when.
00:34:09.840 –> 00:34:11.760 Joseph McElroy: You use a lot of local players that.
00:34:12.240 –> 00:34:27.690 cory plott: yeah I do now, just like what you’d mentioned it’s more of a special art form, I don’t do it in my plates and bowls but I’ll do it for a teapot or I’ll do it for a rooster I’ll do it for the nicer pieces to add a little home edge, you know what an honor to use in this local clay.
00:34:28.200 –> 00:34:29.160 cory plott: right, so.
00:34:30.240 –> 00:34:39.870 cory plott: I’ll need a widget together and I’ll make sure that I widget in such a way that it’s spiraling in the same way that whenever I put it on the wheel in the same direction.
00:34:41.040 –> 00:34:43.530 cory plott: Now that’s a neat little trick it’s got a memory.
00:34:44.040 –> 00:34:47.190 cory plott: Right it’s like whenever you fire it’ll untwist a little bit.
00:34:48.300 –> 00:34:48.930 cory plott: it’ll move.
00:34:49.470 –> 00:35:01.710 cory plott: yeah so so I put it on the wheel in the same direction, I needed in and I’ll get that kick we’ll go in I’ll get the momentum I’ll start kicking on that treadmill we’ll Center it open it up and stand up.
00:35:02.820 –> 00:35:11.160 cory plott: So you just kind of REACH in there and squeeze it and pull it up as far as you can with your inside hand up a little bit above your outside.
00:35:12.510 –> 00:35:17.400 cory plott: push it up and push in because this centrifugal force will want to push it out.
00:35:17.880 –> 00:35:23.070 cory plott: Right so to keep it pushed in and collard up straight that’s, the best thing to do.
00:35:24.180 –> 00:35:40.470 cory plott: Then, after once I’ve turned it to the height that I need I’ll use a piece of metal called a rib and then I’ll smooth it out so I’ll put my hand back in there with my robe on the outside in smooth it out and scrape all that with clay off which compresses the pot for durability.
00:35:42.120 –> 00:35:52.860 cory plott: So once I get into the shape that I need I always measure my stuff if you’ve seen any of my time lapses or any of my videos on Facebook I’ve been trying to do a lot more little bit more than that since show slowed up a little bit.
00:35:53.070 –> 00:35:55.770 cory plott: yeah I figured well I better go virtual now, I guess, I have to.
00:35:56.310 –> 00:35:56.730 cory plott: You know.
00:35:57.750 –> 00:36:08.670 cory plott: I got my yardsticks out I’m always measuring I’m always shooting for consistency, which is another old-school way I don’t make one-off batches I make doesn’t to the same thing similar sizes.
00:36:10.080 –> 00:36:26.190 cory plott: So once it’s turned way tonight, let it get leather hard and they put a handle on it I’ll pull in stretching handle and then put a handle on it so it’s stepping up whenever I’m pushing on it couldn’t handle alone it’s not going to push the potty and then deformed it.
00:36:26.850 –> 00:36:28.200 cory plott: Right yep.
00:36:28.530 –> 00:36:29.520 Joseph McElroy: And then you fire it.
00:36:30.420 –> 00:36:33.660 cory plott: Well I’ll let it dry out I let it dry out for a couple of weeks yeah.
00:36:33.990 –> 00:36:43.650 cory plott: And then, this fire it so I’ll fire it about 1200 degrees, which is low, most founders could have 1600 but I’m just trying to get just what I need to get.
00:36:43.950 –> 00:36:45.510 cory plott: You know and that’s good about stone.
00:36:46.470 –> 00:36:54.030 cory plott: stone where it’s got a little leeway so far it’s 1200 pull it out and it’s like a terracotta pot right there’s no place it’s got a little thing.
00:36:54.480 –> 00:37:08.400 cory plott: But it’s a terracotta pop basically then I’ll put the glaze on it I’ll pour the body of the glaze and then dip the top in the ashes wipe the bottom is, if you don’t want the bottom it’ll fuse to the Shell right, you know.
00:37:10.170 –> 00:37:19.890 cory plott: yeah so wipe the bottom sign it plot and put the year on it put it in the kill and then I’ll fire to 2300 degrees 20 3050.
00:37:21.030 –> 00:37:21.420 Joseph McElroy: wow.
00:37:21.450 –> 00:37:34.830 cory plott: And then man, then it comes out it’s got a nice teen it’s got a good ring if it’s cracked in any way you’ll hear it on my waiter very good you could just hear it, you know it’s got a cracker it’s flawed, you could tell right away, but.
00:37:37.560 –> 00:37:38.100 cory plott: I do.
00:37:38.490 –> 00:37:39.300 cory plott: I really do.
00:37:39.570 –> 00:37:44.820 cory plott: yeah well I’ve got a spot off to the edge of my property because there’s a lot.
00:37:45.210 –> 00:37:45.720 Joseph McElroy: You know.
00:37:45.840 –> 00:37:47.430 cory plott: Over time there’s a lot.
00:37:47.640 –> 00:37:50.310 cory plott: yeah you know kind of a fan.
00:37:51.060 –> 00:37:54.540 Joseph McElroy: I have to tell you I read somewhere you don’t like tons of Calais or.
00:37:55.650 –> 00:37:56.730 cory plott: eight times the.
00:37:57.180 –> 00:37:58.170 cory plott: return is.
00:37:58.200 –> 00:38:00.360 cory plott: 850 500 bucks.
00:38:00.660 –> 00:38:01.290 cory plott: wow and.
00:38:01.770 –> 00:38:10.230 cory plott: The way that I do that I’ve got 12 items that I’m making it I’m focused I’m not you know I’m not often space I got my feet on the ground.
00:38:10.290 –> 00:38:17.400 cory plott: You know I got to play, so I do 12 items each week I’ll do just one batch of it, each item.
00:38:17.850 –> 00:38:21.330 cory plott: Right, so what I mean is I’ll do 350 pounds of batter balls.
00:38:22.560 –> 00:38:33.750 cory plott: You know or I’ll do quarter-ton pitchers like if they’re eight pounds, you might be able to afford or 10 a week and then so then every 12 weeks comes around which is a quarter.
00:38:34.410 –> 00:38:43.470 cory plott: Well, my years playing out quarterly Then I come back on the rotation and it’s been a while, since I’ve made mugs because it’s been three months, and then I could do it again, you know.
00:38:43.530 –> 00:38:44.340 Keep it fresh.
00:38:45.600 –> 00:38:46.080 Joseph McElroy: So.
00:38:47.220 –> 00:38:49.200 Joseph McElroy: So where do you get all that play.
00:38:50.400 –> 00:39:07.020 cory Plott: we’ll add you know what I buy I buy by the time be honest, I really I bought by the time from high water clay, they make the great place you sell a stone I love it it’s light clay, it reminds me of pipeclay, which is what we have here its light.
00:39:08.280 –> 00:39:19.950 cory plott: Gray clay and it’s here in these mountains it’s type clay and then there’s another kind of clay it’s like a real Ramzi kind of Green clay, but Zilla stone reminds me a pipe play which is here.
00:39:20.340 –> 00:39:21.000 cory plott: Oh so.
00:39:21.300 –> 00:39:22.410 Joseph McElroy: Why is that.
00:39:22.680 –> 00:39:27.030 Joseph McElroy: So you get all your claim from that one source you, you get some local clay from somewhere.
00:39:27.780 –> 00:39:36.630 cory plott: A tech-like people will reach out to me they’ll say hey Cory you know I’ve got this vein of clay and I’ll say now you sure to call you to know, can you make a pretzel out of it and they’ll.
00:39:36.630 –> 00:39:37.440 cory plott: Say yeah it’s quite.
00:39:37.590 –> 00:39:41.790 cory plott: So then I’ll go get some and it makes it in with the specialty pieces.
00:39:41.880 –> 00:39:50.850 cory plott: Oh that’s good I remember it hey what Haywood Community college they dug out the foundation for the new Hazelwood elementary school on the Plott creek.
00:39:51.060 –> 00:39:58.110 cory plott: right they had this huge deposited clay, I mean dump truckload to this stuff that’s all I turned in college was the local clay.
00:39:58.620 –> 00:39:59.940 Joseph McElroy: wow yeah.
00:40:00.630 –> 00:40:02.460 cory plott: That process that and turn it out so.
00:40:03.210 –> 00:40:14.400 Joseph McElroy: So you know the Cherokee had a long tradition of making pottery as well, how does, how does your work as a potter compared to what the charity, do we.
00:40:14.730 –> 00:40:19.080 cory plott: Will Cherokee have an awesome history, a lot of their pieces were.
00:40:20.130 –> 00:40:24.870 cory plott: fired like a pit fire earthenware which is neat you know it.
00:40:25.890 –> 00:40:36.630 cory plott: It actually they will burnish the pot so much they’ll use around the stone and burnish it dirty it compresses the surface of the clay so much to where it’s.
00:40:37.380 –> 00:40:51.900 cory plott: it’s not waterproof but it’s usable you know they don’t have to glaze it, it could be fired at a lower temperature because they put the elbow grease and burnish that pot so much where it’ll hold food and water fine and has for years since.
00:40:53.130 –> 00:41:00.540 cory plott: Oh yeah so they don’t glaze they don’t, but they will use the pit firing and the burnishing to make it food safe, which is fun.
00:41:01.680 –> 00:41:02.280 Joseph McElroy: interesting.
00:41:02.910 –> 00:41:09.990 cory plott: yeah so, but now here’s something now I didn’t know this speaking of Cherokee until I read the white road, which is a book by Edmund to the wall.
00:41:10.650 –> 00:41:28.320 cory plott: And the wide road mentioned that back in the 70s 60s with Joe sigh which would you know which would pottery stoke on Trent England way across the world, heard about Cherokee and actually Cherokee has some of the finest porcelain on the earth.
00:41:30.210 –> 00:41:31.920 Joseph McElroy: If Kalan right there that would.
00:41:32.970 –> 00:41:33.690 cory plott: be what it is and.
00:41:34.470 –> 00:41:35.670 Joseph McElroy: lining there yeah.
00:41:35.760 –> 00:41:51.900 cory plott: yeah that’s exactly what it is now even on the other side of the world and the 1760s which would found out the battle, so the mountains have always been just I mean just so so full of natural material it’s not funny it’s been on the map for centuries so.
00:41:52.230 –> 00:41:56.370 Joseph McElroy: Is there still any other than these mountains oh yeah yeah yeah.
00:41:57.240 –> 00:41:59.970 Joseph McElroy: cool they just don’t mind it as much anymore, though right.
00:42:00.000 –> 00:42:01.290 cory plott: Probably not much, but yeah.
00:42:02.010 –> 00:42:08.880 cory plott: Exactly, I think I think the need for it went down a little bit stuff comes and goes, you know they need entered now, it might not be you know so.
00:42:09.840 –> 00:42:12.330 Joseph McElroy: yeah what’s the biggest piece of pottery maybe.
00:42:13.140 –> 00:42:31.680 cory plott: the biggest piece is I’ve actually got it I I said the village of yesteryear working in the North Carolina state Bayer l with my treadmill wheel I love the North Carolina state fair, you know and our ability to address colonial you got to demonstrate it’s all about teaching people.
00:42:31.890 –> 00:42:44.670 cory plott: it’s all about the team, but I’ve turned this fictional piece, and it was all my little turtle wheel, nobody would have guessed it, but I turned a 12-pound bass and then with a 12 anyway there are four sections.
00:42:45.570 –> 00:42:46.170 cory plott: And then.
00:42:46.260 –> 00:42:55.200 cory plott: I turn this thing so tall on purpose with these different shapes and it looks pretty but what I had to do, I had been whenever I had that crowd.
00:42:55.740 –> 00:43:05.790 cory plott: watching me do this and I was demonstrating and teaching this I had to call a little kid I said a little buddy come here, I need you to kick this because I’m gonna have to get on this stool, so I can reach the top of this pond.
00:43:07.800 –> 00:43:08.610 cory plott: So here.
00:43:09.360 –> 00:43:12.090 cory plott: This little kid he was working that will thank you, Robin, like a boat.
00:43:14.880 –> 00:43:19.230 cory plott: And I was just sitting up there up top hoping I didn’t have to slow down say what’s going to happen with that guy down there.
00:43:21.660 –> 00:43:21.750 cory plott: It.
00:43:23.880 –> 00:43:24.750 Joseph McElroy: kind of follows it.
00:43:25.500 –> 00:43:34.740 cory plott: Will it be a big bass I turned a big base with a really tall Neck and then I ended up putting two of my rooster heads off of it real or name.
00:43:35.070 –> 00:43:35.970 cory plott: Real wow.
00:43:36.090 –> 00:43:43.830 cory plott: How many just total demonstrations it’s about four feet tall and I’ve got a house I don’t know how I got that thing back in one piece, but I did so.
00:43:45.330 –> 00:44:00.870 cory plott: But yeah yeah and that’s part of my passion anything I can do to inspire somebody anything I can do to teach somebody to show a little kid in this virtual world that you can make things with your hands that you do have good ideas that are what I’m here to do.
00:44:01.590 –> 00:44:10.710 Joseph McElroy: wow so you have to mention mugs and jugs and bases and roosters do you do laps and tables.
00:44:11.250 –> 00:44:18.030 cory plott: I just got into lamps yeah I really did I just got into lamps cuz I just looking at Christopher.
00:44:19.680 –> 00:44:34.920 cory plott: spits Miller, I think I’ve never met him or nothing but I was just looking at his videos up in New York, you made me think of it whenever you mentioned New York, yeah but anyway, he makes nothing but lamps and I thought that’d be the LIFE make nothing but lamps.
00:44:39.060 –> 00:44:41.700 Joseph McElroy: You can be the Thomas K, to have a.
00:44:41.730 –> 00:44:44.340 Joseph McElroy: potter’s and be the potter of light.
00:44:48.990 –> 00:44:58.950 Joseph McElroy: But we have to take another break and we’ll come, the last thing we’ll talk a little bit about the things you’d like to North Carolina finish up talking about how they can even find out about your pottery.
00:44:59.790 –> 00:45:00.120 Okay.
00:47:01.680 –> 00:47:18.090 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast and My guest Cory Plott so Cory you know I hate to admit it, but the 50 years ago I was in elementary school rock hill elementary and.
00:47:19.140 –> 00:47:30.300 Joseph McElroy: Then on Jonathan creek seems like only yesterday, but we used to make in-class pottery I remember that like candle holders and ashtrays did you have to do that grown-up.
00:47:31.110 –> 00:47:35.460 cory plott: Oh yeah yeah I had missed Loveland in middle school.
00:47:35.910 –> 00:47:46.260 cory plott: And elementary school and both of them just such nice people that you know slow, their role and teach and to me that really let them are.
00:47:47.340 –> 00:47:48.720 Joseph McElroy: What kind of pottery was that.
00:47:49.980 –> 00:47:52.110 Joseph McElroy: You remember yeah well what.
00:47:53.040 –> 00:47:53.400 cory plott: Was it.
00:47:53.670 –> 00:47:56.940 Joseph McElroy: Was it was earthware, was it stone.
00:47:58.800 –> 00:47:59.580 cory plott: it was earthenware
00:48:00.300 –> 00:48:05.100 cory plott: yeah and I remember my high school teacher mystery laser he was a.
00:48:06.090 –> 00:48:15.600 cory plott: sergeant and then he went into our teaching and his favorite phrase was drawn to your notice, please you know don’t get up that you’re done draw draw draw draw and.
00:48:16.350 –> 00:48:30.030 cory plott: So he sat me down with a piece of clay and he said I want you to take all day and just do one thing so anyway, I made a little planner and it had this little face on it and that face had so many details because he made me sit there to do it all day.
00:48:31.860 –> 00:48:33.960 cory plott: But i’ll never forget that either so.
00:48:35.100 –> 00:48:35.490 cory plott: yeah.
00:48:36.000 –> 00:48:39.150 Joseph McElroy: wow so um what’s your favorite thing to create.
00:48:41.160 –> 00:48:45.480 cory plott: My favorite thing to create definitely my roosters you know there’s so much.
00:48:46.920 –> 00:48:51.420 Joseph McElroy: I actually when I was in the Meadowlark okay all right we’re gonna talk about that.
00:48:51.660 –> 00:48:51.990 Okay.
00:48:54.630 –> 00:48:56.250 Joseph McElroy: I got we got them in a few.
00:48:56.280 –> 00:48:59.520 Joseph McElroy: metal was, but some stoneware ones might be pretty good.
00:48:59.610 –> 00:49:00.930 cory plott: yeah that’d be good.
00:49:01.200 –> 00:49:03.600 Joseph McElroy: Maybe maybe we get a six-foot-tall was.
00:49:05.550 –> 00:49:06.030 Joseph McElroy: One today.
00:49:07.650 –> 00:49:08.730 cory plott: don’t do me i’ll do it.
00:49:11.250 –> 00:49:18.600 Joseph McElroy: Are you going to do any other mediums are you going to break out of your 12 of 12 items, or is this a commited for a while.
00:49:19.650 –> 00:49:22.290 cory plott: Well, I don’t know if I came in I don’t know if I could.
00:49:22.620 –> 00:49:37.260 cory plott: I mean, I thought about getting a little weird lately, you know, but I don’t need another you know I can’t it’s too much me to potteries too much epic I mean you know it’s you know I just came, you know I sketching stuff and I don’t.
00:49:38.250 –> 00:49:40.770 cory plott: know what I mean I don’t anymore, just because I found such wealth.
00:49:41.220 –> 00:49:41.580 Joseph McElroy: of you.
00:49:42.030 –> 00:49:43.200 cory plott: Know loving it.
00:49:44.130 –> 00:49:49.410 cory plott: yeah yeah, first of all, you can’t get bored it’s so personal you can do anything.
00:49:49.440 –> 00:49:55.740 Joseph McElroy: Well potters are great you can live a whole lot most potters start out as potters they end up as barters they just love.
00:49:56.910 –> 00:50:07.080 Joseph McElroy: I love it from the get-go you just because of the medium itself is like a this gets into your sensory you know.
00:50:07.320 –> 00:50:12.840 Joseph McElroy: aesthetic and you just yeah So do you teach do you do any kind of classes.
00:50:12.840 –> 00:50:13.500 cory plott: One day.
00:50:13.710 –> 00:50:20.970 cory plott: One day okay yeah that’s kind of my that’s my plan later down the road Emperor I’ve done it, you know what I mean quite a while.
00:50:21.540 –> 00:50:22.080 You know.
00:50:26.130 –> 00:50:28.470 Joseph McElroy: Bob’s trying to put together some summer camps.
00:50:43.980 –> 00:50:46.770 Joseph McElroy: One of the things I like to do all right is.
00:50:48.180 –> 00:51:01.590 Joseph McElroy: is also you live in Haywood county and they are in the gateway to the smokies and you know people listen this life know to do things that we give them a lot of ideas about pottery places to go, is there any other pottery places you’d recommend them to go.
00:51:02.370 –> 00:51:18.090 cory plott: Oh well, well I’m one of my favorite little towns in Hillsborough you know to go buy deals for a check it out a beautiful scratch, you get the train right there the triangle take you there you know Costas great place to eat, but my favorite places a.
00:51:19.320 –> 00:51:22.290 cory plott: dog would grab that crafters dogwood crafters they.
00:51:22.710 –> 00:51:22.860 They.
00:51:24.360 –> 00:51:25.590 cory plott: shop yeah hillsborough.
00:51:25.950 –> 00:51:27.420 cory plott: they’ve got such a unique shop.
00:51:27.450 –> 00:51:40.050 cory plott: All these different mediums so many different artists, I mean it’s just wild that you can fit that many things under one roof, I mean really you know me back 10 years ago for a scholarship for me hey what Haywood Community college.
00:51:41.130 –> 00:51:47.370 cory plott: And so I’ve become a part of them and a part of what they do and put my pottery in here as well, and help them.
00:51:48.540 –> 00:51:54.120 cory plott: get more scholarships for future students and for future craftspeople I mean you can’t beat it.
00:51:54.660 –> 00:52:06.000 Joseph McElroy: Oh so like 25 minutes from Maggie so it’s an easy little per trip for our guests, to go to and really a wonderful day trip catch the train do that too it’s like an old steam train it’s.
00:52:06.630 –> 00:52:15.540 Joseph McElroy: A it’s a wonderful experience so yeah yeah so uh any places and Clyde or can you would recommend going to eat.
00:52:16.560 –> 00:52:20.970 cory plott: Now, well, I mean you know you the pioneers always say you go The funny.
00:52:21.720 –> 00:52:23.760 cory plott: yeah yes it’s great.
00:52:24.240 –> 00:52:25.650 Joseph McElroy: it’s been there forever
00:52:25.950 –> 00:52:28.410 cory plott: it’s been there forever I like to go the blue ridge
00:52:29.220 –> 00:52:29.430 Oh.
00:52:31.170 –> 00:52:31.410 Joseph McElroy: yeah.
00:52:32.430 –> 00:52:32.910 Joseph McElroy: place.
00:52:33.390 –> 00:52:35.820 cory plott: yeah there, but the only place where that chicken livers.
00:52:38.640 –> 00:52:39.240 cory plott: really good.
00:52:40.110 –> 00:52:48.720 Joseph McElroy: Good shrimp and grits it’s not it’s a mall but you know it’s a good place it’s like a real country place yeah really it’s really good I mean it’s really.
00:52:48.720 –> 00:52:49.860 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah.
00:52:50.040 –> 00:52:59.520 Joseph McElroy: yeah so so tell me how people could go and find out more about your pottery buy it even order, it will where can people to look you up.
00:53:00.240 –> 00:53:08.850 cory plott: Well, you know I’m really gonna pile a lot and a dog with crap you know there’s gonna be a lot of dogwood crackers also mountainous gallery and blackmail.
00:53:09.300 –> 00:53:10.140 cory plott: With Steve Anderson.
00:53:10.710 –> 00:53:23.760 cory plott: yep Stephen Tina Anderson sweet people I mean you go in there they’ve got so many different things just the shop and what they put together, I mean you know with the mountain so I’m just glad to be a part of I mean really I’m mean really.
00:53:26.010 –> 00:53:27.000 Joseph McElroy: Their website is.
00:53:27.630 –> 00:53:29.070 cory plott: I think it’s a mountainous gallery.
00:53:31.800 –> 00:53:33.240 Joseph McElroy: You know their website is.
00:53:34.110 –> 00:53:36.570 cory plott: A dog with graphics COM.
00:53:36.840 –> 00:53:40.260 Joseph McElroy: Alright, you have a Facebook page for.
00:53:40.260 –> 00:53:41.190 Joseph McElroy: plott ware right.
00:53:41.670 –> 00:53:44.190 cory plott: yeah exactly yeah I’m website expire.
00:53:44.370 –> 00:53:58.020 cory plott: Because I’m changing the look a lot changed in the look I’m going to change the way I do it a little bit normally I just wholesale and I’ve always loved wholesaling and working shows, because to me wholesale it is old school.
00:53:58.080 –> 00:54:05.340 cory plott: You know you get to work from home it’s a real cottage industry, you know you work from home you crank it out.
00:54:05.790 –> 00:54:17.100 cory plott: I literally take it to the shops, you know it, not just dog with crafters in a black mountain, you know that and mountain nest not just them, but I haven’t several shops if I was working a show in that area.
00:54:17.430 –> 00:54:24.480 cory plott: I would send pictures and reach out to the galleries in that area and wholesale it to I’m talking to old school 5050.
00:54:25.200 –> 00:54:33.450 cory plott: You know they’d come by the end of the show it just about why me out, you know they come in, they love the look and we start talking Turkey 5050.
00:54:35.340 –> 00:54:41.700 cory plott: So I love that and I don’t I don’t know if I’m sure I’m having a shop and that’s probably will never I’ll be ready to teach.
00:54:42.000 –> 00:54:47.310 cory plott: yeah you know but I’m not worried about that I like having the flexibility I’ll get up at five and crank it out.
00:54:47.730 –> 00:54:48.150 cory plott: You know.
00:54:48.780 –> 00:54:57.150 Joseph McElroy: So let me, let me ask you what How can people follow you personally, do you have a YouTube channel, do you have a Twitter, you have.
00:54:58.860 –> 00:55:02.550 Joseph McElroy: someplace to a Facebook page that thing just finds out about you what you’re doing.
00:55:03.000 –> 00:55:09.030 cory plott: So this year I’ve been focusing on Facebook this last year has been focusing most on Facebook, but.
00:55:10.050 –> 00:55:26.310 cory plott: This year, like I said I’m going to reinvent the website lot of pictures going to become it, I want to do a YouTube channel, so instead of the time-lapse videos it’s going to be more of me slow and down teaching, you know, showing what I’m doing and stuff like that you know, on YouTube.
00:55:26.730 –> 00:55:28.140 cory plott: So i’ve got to come around.
00:55:28.140 –> 00:55:36.660 cory plott: To it I’m own so I don’t want to be staring at a computer all day I want to be making pots, but I gotta do a lot of marketing ghetto and that’s why.
00:55:37.290 –> 00:55:37.980 cory plott: i’m excited.
00:55:38.190 –> 00:55:40.980 cory plott: I’m excited to say it’s gonna be fun so.
00:55:41.400 –> 00:55:46.440 Joseph McElroy: feel free to call me I knew all about this stuff right so yeah oh yeah.
00:55:47.670 –> 00:55:55.260 Joseph McElroy: I want to thank you so much for being on this show, I look forward to seeing you in June at the plot fest and more of you.
00:55:56.310 –> 00:56:01.860 Joseph McElroy: And I think we’re gonna you’re gonna be at the Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Festival later in the year right yeah.
00:56:02.370 –> 00:56:04.680 Joseph McElroy: So anyway, anyway, Bob says.
00:56:08.460 –> 00:56:09.210 Joseph McElroy: Years I guess he’s.
00:56:14.340 –> 00:56:15.450 Joseph McElroy: never been on here.
00:56:15.840 –> 00:56:16.500 cory plott: All right.
00:56:17.550 –> 00:56:22.020 cory plott: My pleasure, thank you for the opportunity thanks for taking the time open it take up too much your time.
00:56:22.470 –> 00:56:32.310 Joseph McElroy: I’m glad to be here so that will be a little promotion here the meadowlark is having a week-day getaway special combined with the keys.
00:56:32.880 –> 00:56:47.580 Joseph McElroy: kids ski free promotion, but at Cataloochee, So if you come in arrive on Sunday or two or Sunday through Tuesday at the Meadowlark and stay overnight, you will get a third.
00:56:48.060 –> 00:56:54.690 Joseph McElroy: A third night free in your space day so to stay tuned and take these you say three nights to get who own paper too.
00:56:55.140 –> 00:57:03.180 Joseph McElroy: and your kids one of your kids have an adult goes with them and pays for themself a kid gets to go skiing for free at Cataloochee
00:57:03.570 –> 00:57:18.600 Joseph McElroy: So reach out and go to the Meadowlarkmotel.com reserve a three-day stay starting on Monday through Tuesday Sunday through Tuesday and we’ll arrange for you to get a free ticket for the kids now if you.
00:57:20.160 –> 00:57:28.140 Joseph McElroy: If you need guides and things to do in the mountains go to the Meadowlark motel.COM site go to the store or shop and you can find guides and
00:57:28.830 –> 00:57:34.200 Joseph McElroy: And books and all sorts of things to help you enjoy your adventures in the mountains now.
00:57:34.980 –> 00:57:42.750 Joseph McElroy: So be sure to go there and then are you can find this podcast@facebook.com/gatewaytothesmokiespodcasts.
00:57:43.620 –> 00:57:52.800 Joseph McElroy: or smokiesadventures.COM, they have a link to the podcast we’re part of the talkradio.NYC network there’s a lot of great shows here.
00:57:53.700 –> 00:58:01.710 Joseph McElroy: A lot of them about travel and there’s others about shopping there are things about New York there are all sorts of things so stay tuned listen to more live broadcasts.
00:58:02.400 –> 00:58:11.250 Joseph McElroy: On this on this network and I’ll see you next Tuesday from six to seven talking about the gateway the smokies again and talk to you later bye.
