The Female Potter of Seagrove

By Cindy Hunsinger

Tucked away in quiet area of North Carolina is a sleepy little town called Seagrove. Of course, if you are a pottery enthusiast, then you probably already know all about Seagrove. It is home to over one hundred potteries. Of the many potters who have honed there craft there, one seems to stand out as a true master of the craft. I’m referring to Nell Cole Graves.

Although, sadly for the art community, dare I even say the world, she passed away on February 17, 1997, we can be consoled by the fact that many of her creations live on. She was the daughter of Jacon B. Cole, founder of Cole Pottery, located in Montgomery County, North Carolina. She started making pots in her father’s pottery at the age of thirteen. At first, he was there to get her started, but eventually he decided that she was ready to begin making pieces by herself. She started by making small things, maybe little pieces for little girls’ dolls. As she got older, and gained experience, she moved on to bigger things. After their father’s death, Nell and her brother Waymon ran the pottery.

Seagrove has produced many fine and talented potters, but Nell was definitely one of the shining stars. She was known as the first full-time female potter in the south. So of course this drew in crowds of people who wanted to observe her in action, especially male potters. Upon seeing the works of art she turned out, they were satisfied and accepted her as a true potter. In the early days, most of the pottery was for utilitarian purposes. However, encouraged by the tourists that would wander in from nearby Pinehurst, the potters at Cole pottery began trying their hand at making new shapes and using different glazes.

The wheels were set in motion, the creative juices were released, and the pottery took on a different form. Thanks to her open-mindedness and creativity, she and her brother were instrumental in helping the pottery of the area evolve into the colorful and diverse art form that we see today. Maybe it was just the pull to keep up with the changing times after World War II, or the drive to be the leader on the cutting edge.

But I feel that perhaps it was just a true artist following the flow of her creativity to see what new heights it would take her to. Whatever drove her to create such wonderfully and graceful pieces, collectors and fellow artists alike are appreciative of the end results. But then, what would you expect from a descendant of generation after generation of potters. They put the clay in her hands and the mastery of it in her blood. But the art, the creativity, was in her heart.

A few of her wonderful pieces are for sale on Ebay, but I don’t think that will last. As people become more aware of her masterpieces, the less likely they are to be readily available. So if you happen to stumble onto one, or see one in a shop somewhere, you have indeed come across a rare find, created by a rare artist.