Indian Horse Pottery creator

Teresa Ann Pope firing away

By Bert Scent

One of the brightest stars on the KCEOC Community Action Agency staff may just also be one of the quietest. Teresa Ann Pope is not one to toot her own horn. In fact she is a relatively quite soul. Most would  put Teresa Ann Pope in the category of ‘an artist’. She did oil painting as a child and was always interested in creating. Art is clearly as important as any other aspect of our lives.  The first step towards being an artist is to understand this.  An artist must value art and the importance art plays in everyday life.

Teresa came to Barbourville when she was 12. She had lived in Cincinnati with her parents, Bill and Wanda Pope and brother Bill. She attended several different Cincinnati schools and from the experience admitted that she never fully felt that she belonged.

Growing up in Barbourville, she lived on South Main Street in the house where the Arthur Evans family once lived. The Evans home holds many fond memories to a whole generation of Barbourvillians that grew up in the 50’s and 60’s. The home on the corner of South Main Street was often at the mercy of the Cumberland River and endured several big floods. The Army Corp of Engineers flood plain management program moved most all homes on South Main Street “across the river” taking the Evans home after the flood of 1977. It is now a vacant field near Thompson Park. Left are the memories of some interesting lives treasured by many of us.

Teresa attended both Barbourville and Knox Central and later in her life attended Union College in Barbourville and LMU in Harrogate Tenn. Her early life was influenced by a caring grandmother. “My grandmother was a Christian woman—you know that. She knew more about the bible than anyone I ever knew.” Teresa said.  Her grandfather, S.M. Mayne was always in church before he too got sick.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” came up in the conversation as the artist and writer conversed. There is thankfulness there for the type of people Teresa’s grandparents and mother were.

She gives credit to her grandmother for raising her mother the way she did.

“She was just a good Christian woman—I wish I had been able to talk to her more about bible before she died.” Nell Mayne died two weeks shy of being 90. Many Knox Countians will remember Nell Mayne from running Nell’s Dress Shoppe on the Court Square for many years. Nell was active in her community and was a charter member of the Knox County Hospital Auxiliary  and a pillar in the Advent Christian Church she helped establish near her Black Street home. Nell was instrumental in getting Pastor Leonard Lester to the Sycamore Street church and the two were great friends in their respective Christian walk with the Lord.

Teresa lived at Indian Hills which is very close to KCEOC and she started working here.

She now lives on the Artemus road with her daughter Jessica, who is ten. Jessica is a member of KCEOC’s Aquatic Swim team and attends Calvary Christian School at the Roadside Baptist Church in Bimble. Jessica and Teresa raise Paint horses and they have five to feed and take care of—in addition to two goats. They both love to ride horses. “Jessica is the best blessing that God has ever given to me.” She says with a pride in her voice.

Her pottery is called Indian Horse Pottery.

Teresa is into horses and of course loves making pottery. She of course appreciates KCEOC because she solely sells her pottery through here. “Betty Cole always wanted to have pottery in here and I wanted to do it.” Teresa said. They got a wheel here and the rest is history. She has been doing it for almost ten years. “Teresa has probably thrown 50 thousand pieces— figured on 5 thousand pieces a year.” Becky Miller says. The two of them work closely together in Kentucky Crafts and if you have not met them both you are missing one of the true treasures and charms of southeastern Kentucky. 

Teresa credits KCEOC from keeping her from being a ‘starving artist.’ They helped to keep that from happening. She is real appreciative of all the help they have been and giving her a chance to pursue her heart’s desire. “I’ve always drawn.”  

She went to Union College and LMU. She majored in applied science and is a Vet technician. “An animal nurse if you will. She worked in Knoxville for awhile—still  loves animals, especially her Paint horses.

 She came to KCEOC in 1997, so she has been here going on ten years. Her work here reflects her spiritual side and she is interested in doing more in her life to serve her creator.

“When I work—I work. When I pray, God works.” Many of her works of pottery art carry a religious theme. People give ideas to her and she finds them different places. “People are all the time giving them to me.” She gives God the credit for her success and even wants to get into a potter’s wheel ministry. Teresa was raised in the Advent Christian Church in Barbourville Speaking of her new ministry desires she says, “It is going to take God to put that in me. I am not much of a talker.” She gives credit to KCEOC for letting her learn her craft and they supply every thing.  Teresa taught a beginning throwing class at the Bennett Center and Southeast Community College. She does whatever needs to be done at the agency and loves her work.

Teresa gives a lot of credit to Kathleen Patil for donating nearly everything she had to make the pottery venture go— probably forty thousand dollars of equipment to KCEOC after the Bennett Center closed down. Kathleen— she hopes will come back and do some more lessons. There was a strong admiration and respect for Mrs. Patil in Teresa’s voice as she spoke of her many attributes.

As far as pottery sales go— “I sell a lot more pottery to tourist than locals.” Teresa notes that pottery in other tourist towns charge much more for pottery than she does.

She has increased her prices some— especially after she noticed that the folks at Red Bird Mission at Beverly, Kentucky were buying her pottery at the retail price and then reselling it at a higher price at their store—maybe even doubling or tripling her price. “So I had to raise it a little bit.” She hopes to price her product in the same range that they are selling it for. They have had several large orders this year. They particularly like the chalice (a special drinking cup used in some Christian communion services to hold wine) and bread trays that Teresa makes.  “They buy about all of the ones I make.”

Her products include a scissor holders or napkin rings, batter bowls, salt and pepper shakers, sugar bowls, sugar pack containers, honey pots, berry colanders—a neat item that allows the user to wash off fruit and have it drain, yet be contained. It is a useful item for the fruit eater. Teresa even makes a saucer— its purpose is to catch overflow, splashes, and drips from the cup and so protecting a user. The saucer for the berry colander also will serve as a convenient holder for a candle. It serves a duel purpose.

On this particular day Teresa had 14 personalized mugs to pull out of the kiln. “It is always a surprise—you never know what is going to be in there.” The glaze may not come out the way you expected it or perhaps look better or worse than expected.

Teresa also has a gift for making up gift baskets to sell in the craft store. Becky Miller who works with Teresa says that Teresa is very good at this and that she has learned a lot from working with Teresa. On this day the girls had prepared close to 100 baskets for sale to the public. “We’ve sold a lot.”

This exposure and help in spreading the word about Teresa’s talent will do nothing but help the agency’s craft business grow and prosper.  Betty Cole says—“they are sitting on a gold mine and may not even be aware of their potential.”

Teresa Ann Pope’s  pottery goes now to Texan, Missouri, New York, California, and now the World Wide Web has opened up a world wide market via the Internet.

Many of the customers email in orders from Teresa’s business card they pick up in the craft store.

Teresa gives lessons on making pottery in hour long classes and tries to work around people’s schedules. The participants learn how to do some stuff on the wheel.” We will glaze it and they get to take it home.” Slight imperfections are characteristic of handmade pottery.  They only increase the individuality of the piece.

 It gives people a chance to see if they like it before they go out and spend a lot of money on materials and equipment. . You can watch them at work, learn about clay and glazes, and buy ready-made pieces such as personalized mugs. Call ahead if you’re bringing a group or want to see the entire pottery making process. You can stop by and see master potter Teresa Ann Pope throwing pottery and creating new stoneware pieces while you watch.  Our processes make our pottery suitable for use in the oven, microwave, freezer and dishwasher.  All of our pottery is food safe & lead free.  We are confident you will find our pottery will be treasured and last for generations. Every piece of pottery is high-fired, entirely handmade from start to finish, and crafted with the highest standard of materials and workmanship. Talent is present in all disciplines, not only in the art of making pottery.  Talent is eventually that "spark" that some have and others don't. If you look at her work—you will realize the Indian Horse creator has it.