The Currie Craft Center and Sally Jones Pottery are a summer only arts opportunity for visitors of the conference center. Throughout the year, there are several other opportunities to engage art in Montreat such as Road Scholar programs, Fall Craft Week, and the Arts, Recreation, and Worship Conference.
Adult Craft Classes
Summer in Montreat brings a variety of art and craft classes offered at the Currie Craft Center. All materials will be provided and are included in the class fee, unless specified otherwise.
Pottery Classes
Join us in the Sally Jones Pottery Studio and create masterpieces from stoneware clay. Open during the summer months. Classes include both wheel and hand-building, and you'll be guided through the process from beginning to end, all the way to glazed, finished pots.
About the Craft Center
In 1974 Marilyn Jones, with the help of church volunteers, started the Upper Story, a pottery and craft co-op, sponsored by Montreat Conference Center. Marilyn, a longtime potter herself, taught in those early summers using one old kiln and her trusty wheel, “Big Blue.” She was joined by other artists and saw her vision become a true ministry at Montreat. In 1989, upon Marilyn’s retirement, Montreat renamed and dedicated the Sally Jones Pottery in memory of Marilyn’s daughter, Sally. The Wilbur Hoke Currie Craft Center was dedicated in memory of Mr. Currie in the summer of 1993. Most recently, in 2000, the Potters Porch was given in joyful memory of Mr. John C. Updike by his family.
Today, the downstairs portion of the craft center is used by the Montreat Clubs Program for arts and crafts each morning and for adult craft classes in the afternoon.
The upstairs is used to teach throwing and hand building classes, as well as sewing. Every summer renowned artists come to share their talents as potters in residence and artists in residence.