Upon viewing this exhibition, you can observe and feel the inspiration these artists echo of the boundless beauty offered by the Great Smoky Mountains and the people who live here in Sevier County.

Picasso had a saying - 'good artists copy, great artists steal' - and we have always been shameless about stealing great ideas.

I have a horrible, chronic, and somewhat psychosomatic disease; every blank page harasses me, taunts me at every turn. Filled with no mercy or shame, they haunt.

One of the really special things about the Potters Guild is that we are all very solitary artists. But when we have problems finding a new glaze or technique, we share it with each other. It's kind of like being in a university or school setting. The club certainly serves a social and educational function. We have a wonderful energy that a solitary potter often loses and finds it hard to keep.

It got me more recognition from the record labels and more independent artists started to reach out and tried to look to me for guidance to help them out.

I know a lot about a lot of things, but there's always something to learn. That's the beauty of the antiques business.