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Westmoore Pottery

4622 Busbee Road
910-464-3700

About Us: 

Westmoore Pottery was founded in 1977 by potters David and Mary Farrell. Both the Farrells had been fascinated by clay since childhood, and by 1977 had a growing interest in historical pottery in particular. David and Mary had each studied pottery in college settings, as well as done several apprenticeships with working potters, by the time they met while at nearby Jugtown Pottery. The area appealed to them, so the Farrells established Westmoore Pottery just a few miles away, in the Westmoore Community near Seagrove, North Carolina. Westmoore Pottery has been a full-time occupation for the Farrells since that beginning in 1977, for nearly 30 years now!

The pottery made at Westmoore Pottery in the first few years was very loosely influenced by old forms that came from a very broad range, both in time and in location. Gradually, as the years went by and the Farrells did more and more research, they found that the pottery styles used in the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries particularly captured their interest. This remains the focus of their interest today. The Farrells are known for their quality work in two areas:

1) Historically correct pottery as was used in the 17th, 18th,and early 19th centuries, and
2) Pottery that is only loosely inspired by wares of the past, perhaps our most individual and "creative" work.

By now,Westmoore Pottery's work has been widely exhibited, written about, and collected. The wares are used by living history sites and museums in many parts of the country, and have been a part of the making of several historical movies. Pieces of Westmoore Pottery are in the collections of several museums, and the Farrells have earned Early American Life magazine's approval as among the best traditional craftsmen today. Older pieces of Westmoore Pottery are beginning to be more and more sought after by collectors wanting a representative sampling of Westmoore Pottery. (The most sought after by collectors of older Westmoore pottery seem to be those made prior to 1990, discontinued shapes or colors, and the more unique, one-of-a-kind pieces.) Also, countless individuals who own Westmoore Pottery's wares use them on a daily basis.


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