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Turning Point Clay Studio
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Potter couple opens studio with weekly classes

Harry Hearne has been a full-time potter since 1990, working out of his own Turning Point Clay Studio.  In addition to teaching classes in his studio, he taught for five years at the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts and conducted workshops at various colleges, universities, the John C. Campbell Folk School and Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. He throws a variety of classic forms and uses multiple glaze layers to create a dynamic body of work.   

In 2009, Julie Fischer Hearne became a full-time potter, joining her partner at Turning Point. Inspired by her love of gardens, her work focuses on indoor and outdoor stoneware sculpture. She makes garden sculptures, birdbaths, and fountains by throwing clay segments, then stacking and joining them together. Besides her glaze surfaces, Julie Hearne uses image transfer to add words of inspiration to the clay surface.  

Turning Point Clay Studio has welcomed guests to their studio since 1990. A woodworking studio before Harry and Julie purchased the property, they added an addition for throwing clay, built a Raku kiln shed, and constructed a reduction kiln named “Gracie.” Their studio is equipped with six wheels, with a seventh designated for trimming. In addition to working on pieces that they show and sell, the couple holds weekly pottery classes for all levels.   The potter-couple teaches annually at the John C. Campbell Folk School, just one mile from their studio.  Classes range from kiln building to surface decoration. During the weeklong class, students are invited to an evening open house at Turning Point.

Call ahead for hours.

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Preserving the legacy and crafts of Clay County’s long history As its name would suggest, the Old...
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