Press Release

Hand Thrown Pottery Comes to Lavonia

Pottery comes to Lavonia!  Local artist Jerry Beatty is starting a new career from an old passion.   Art has always been a part of his life and he always wanted to be an artist, but making a living got in the way of his passion.

Back in the late 70’s Jerry started painting in oils but decided that getting a job was necessary, as the term “starving artist” was too close to the truth and that was no way to make a living and support a family.  However after slowing down, Jerry decided to take up the arts again and bring art to downtown Lavoina.   He went over to the Art Institute in Anderson and studied pottery under the instruction of a local artist.  Soon after enrolling in the class, he created Jaybeescrafts, the name under which he operates and sells his pottery.   “After just the fist class, I realized that pottery is my new passion,” Jerry said.  “The process of creating something beautiful with my hands is very rewarding and I really enjoy it.”  Jerry’s pottery is made from several different types of clay and glazes.  “Experimenting with different glazes and colors is where the real artistry comes out. Each piece is as unique as they are beautiful.”

The pottery is all hand thrown and created in the same manner that pottery has been for thousands of years.  Pottery is an art that besides having been made safer by removing the lead from the glazes has not changed dramatically over the years.  All the pieces made by Jaybeescrafts are food and dishwasher safe.

Along with pottery, Jaybeescrafts offers wood turned art.  Jerry has been working with woodturning for over 25 years and continues to create bowls, pens and wine stoppers.  Most of the wood art is made from wind fallen trees and salvaged limbs that normally would end up in landfills or chopped up for mulch or firewood. “It’s so much nicer to see them turned into works of art,” he comments.  The woods Jerry loves working with most are Cherry, Pecan and Walnut.

The doors are always open at Jerry’s office and he invites you to stop by and see the pottery and woodturning anytime. His office is located at 725 Grogan Street, just off the square in the heart of downtown Lavonia.  If the wheel is going, you can see a technique that has been passed down over the ages and maybe you can try your hand at throwing clay.