The Clay Lady

What makes something fascinating? A tale of how some things may be in your own backyard that could sell up to $3,000 dollars tells just that. "Making something useful with your bare hands is fascinating to me," says potter Rachel Ballentine.

Ballentine is a potter who goes by the name, "The Clay Lady" and is also a member of The Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi, a non-profit organization of craftsmen interested in preserving the traditional crafts of MS. She had her workshop built next to her home to be near her handicapped daughter.

She said that being near her daughter was a gift from God because she always wanted a career that allowed her to be near.

Making pottery is a hobby for some and a career for Ms. Ballentine, where she enjoys spending most of her time looking for new ideas, mainly from nature. She finds things such as cow manure, horsehair, and scrap metal that she incorporates in her work. When finished, her work is displayed at several exhibitions and sold at prices ranging from $25-3,000 dollars.

Barrels of clay covered her backyard and all the shelves in her home were filled with bowls and vases she had made. These bowls look like ordinary pottery but the uniqueness of this pottery is the substance that is put into it. Ms. Ballentine hunts in the woods, not for animals, but for clay and different items she can mix with her clay.

Although, there is no clear-cut way to becoming a professional potter, but a person that is interested in doing so can work towards a degree in ceramics or take some classes and workshops offered by a private master potter in their studio.

"I never dreamed of becoming a potter, but I needed 3 more hours of an elective to apply to my degree and I chose art and that's when I fell in love with the clay," Ballentine said.

One of her obligations of making pottery is staying as close to nature as possible and refraining from the use of harsh chemicals.

This upcoming weekend at the 35th Chimneyville Crafts Festival, Ms. Rachel Ballentine will be making an appearance along with more than 190 exhibitors showcasing and selling their one-of-a-kind crafts. People will be able to see the exhibitors demonstrate their skills on-site and maybe do some holiday shopping.

Ballentine said being a member of the The Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi has been helpful in advertising her work of art and has given her a great deal of encouragement.

"Making all these bowls has paid off and I will continue to make them as long God allows me to," said Ballentine.

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