Evelyn, a local potter in Whitley county, is striving to run a business while working in a space that is so small and cramped. There is only room for her to work and maybe one person to walk in.  Evelyn’s work space is 10x12 which houses her wheel, 14 glazes, shelving units, clay, and a table for glazing and tools she uses in her pottery making process. Evelyn’s current space is too small for a kiln (the oven used to fire pottery - a crucial step in the process) and her access to a kiln was no longer available. Evelyn approached the Whitley County Extension Fine Arts Agent, Cortney Moses, to help solve her dilemma.  Evelyn was familiar with the Art Center and has said that “it's nice to have an art center in our area that allows artists to have a place to go to show off their work and talent, but also to help educate the community around it.” She knew they had a fully functioning pottery studio.  

 In 2019, Evelyn started using the Fine Arts Extension’s kiln to fire her hand-crafted pottery and continues to do so today in 2022. From 2019-2021 Evelyn has earned a gross profit of $5,444.56 from the pottery fired in the Fine Arts Extension Kiln. From her earning she wishes to add on to her pottery studio to get more space. Evelyn said “I have so many customers ask if I give lessons on the wheel. I would love to invest in another wheel to give lessons in the Corbin area.”  Evelyn is so thankful for the opportunity the Extension office provides her that every time she sets up at a vendor events she “tells customers about the extension and to let them know there is an art center in our community to check out.” 

 Whitley County Extension’s Fine Arts Pottery program has been able to help a local artist thrive. "I just want to say thank you for letting me use the kiln to be able to keep making pottery!  I'm hoping these profits can help with saving up to purchase my own and extend my building on my property to be able to set up and use it properly.