Wheels of fun at the Western New York Pottery Festival

AVON — Studio Sales Pottery hosted the 2nd annual Western New York Pottery Festival in Avon this weekend.

Artists from Avon, Canandaigua, Rochester, Fillmore, Cohocton, Naples, Alfred Station, Buffalo, and even from out of state like Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, and North Carolina gathered at Studio Sales Pottery in Avon to showcase and sell their pottery.

Alysha Baier, 25, is the Coordinator of the Western New York Pottery Festival in Avon. Baier grew up in Livonia but moved to North Carolina in her junior year of high school.

“I was inspired to do this festival by a teacher I had in North Carolina named Joe Frank McKee, who is a vendor here this year,” said Baier.

There were 21 vendors in attendance at the festival including studios and professional potters who were all paid for their participation.

“I have been making a living off of my pottery for 23 years, I have tried the suit and tie thing but this is where it’s at for me,” said Joe Frank McKee, owner of Tree House Pottery in Sylva, North Carolina.

McKee has been the Coordinator for the Western North Carolina Pottery Festival for nine years. Seven of those years Baier apprenticed with McKee.

Baier travels down to North Carolina in November for the Western North Carolina Pottery Festival to participate as a vendor every year.

“It’s just potters helping potters,” said McKee.

According to Baier, last year there was not much advertising done in anticipation for the festival and the turnout was approximately 750 people.

“This year we did a lot of advertising so I am hoping to at least double the turnout,” said Baier.

The Western New York Pottery Festival runs June 15th and 16th, tomorrow the festival will run from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Take a look at our photos on our Facebook page from the event.

For more information on the Western New York Pottery Festival please visit www.wnypottery.com.