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Joy Bridy is a potter living in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Her work is part of a long tradition of functional pottery, with the majority of her pieces meant for use. Often found firing wood kilns in Virginia and Pennsylvania, she is currently designing and building a wood fired kiln at her studio, while continuing to teach and create her signature wares.

“Much of my learning has been through wood firing, where the artist relinquishes control in favor of collaboration with the clay, wood and fire I’ve become smitten by the process of letting go, and work to carry that dynamic into more controlled firing processes as well. The results are often one-of-a-kind gems that continue to reveal themselves from different angles, in the changing light of dawn to dusk, for years to come.”

“My functional work is meant to be enjoyed in the hand and the eye, on the table, desk, mantle, wherever we go in life. My hope is that you find that certain part of your life where my pottery fits in with significance, and cherish that connection whenever it moves you. Create your own ritual, whether it’s sipping your morning coffee before the bustle, decanting wine from a side-fired bottle, showcasing flowers from your neighbor’s garden, or serving homemade pasta on a Saturday evening. Make space for our collaboration to reveal itself.”

Joy Bridy, 2009
Joy Bridy

See stop 5 on studio tour map.

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