Bobby Hughes

My work with clay began in the 1980s after meeting John Givvins, pottery professor at Meredith College in Raleigh, NC. John taught and mentored me as I worked as his unofficial assistant. While learning from John, I was also assisting his students; this offered me the opportunity to develop how I taught clay work to others.

One technique that especially interested me was John’s experimentation with masking tape to create a decorative resist on his pots. I had grown up doing automotive bodywork and painting, so was well versed in tape resist as a means of painting pinstripes on vehicles. I had an "ah-ha" moment and started using striping tape to generate complex designs on bisque pottery. My efforts were extremely successful. Before long, I was making quality pots, became John’s partner in local craft shows, and we made the tape resist pots a staple. My designs are influenced by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and Native American and Japanese designs.

Around 1991, I built my studio including a 55-cubic-foot downdraft kiln. I was able to experiment with many glazes and techniques, primarily cone 9/10 stoneware and porcelain and including raku and crystalline. I began making pottery professionally and participated in many juried shows on the east coast. My pots were also sold in shops in Seagrove, Burlington, and Carrboro and several galleries.

After a twenty-year hiatus, so I would not have to travel while my daughters were growing up, I am once again doing work I am passionate about, working with clay and creating glazes.