Mud Pie Pottery is a 2 person studio located in the hills of South Salem, Oregon. Cheri is the potter/artist and her husband Dave completes the work by glazing and firing each piece in their high-fire stoneware kiln. They have worked together in the pottery studio since 1974, one year after they were married. Dave and Cheri have two grown children, Kelsey and Ben, and 4 grandkids, Avery, Riley, Wynnie, and Harper and have been blessed with a wonderful life of working together doing what they love to do.
Cheri has been throwing pots since 1970 when she took a class at a small Art Center in Portland, Oregon. She studied for 1 1/2 years at Portland State University and then took on an apprentice position at Clackamas Community College where she fine tuned her skills and made the decision to become a professional potter. Cheri has never had a day that she regretted that choice! Cheri has taught dance aerobics for 35+ years and in 2020 retired after 22 years from a full time youth ministry at Queen of Peace Catholic Church . She continues to lead a very busy life, and looks forward to every second that she is able to spend working in her studio.
Dave became interested in the process when they purchased their home and property and Cheri created studio space in a small shed on the property. Dave became a part of Mud Pie in 1975 and has been working with Cheri ever since. Although Dave has never developed the desire to be a potter and actually produce the pieces, his gifts are geared toward the glazing, firing, and marketing of their wares. Dave loves the freedom that this profession gives him. His schedule is flexible enough that he can enjoy his other love, golf! Dave is a top notch amateur golfer and enjoys the friendship and the competition this sport provides.
Although Kelsey, their daughter, has never shown any interest in becoming a part of the business, she and her family are very supportive of their pottery business. Ben, their son, has started to work a bit in clay and has turned his tool shed into a pretty sweet studio.
We do our best to convince our grandkids that life as artists is a poor man’s paradise! We hope that they will at least enjoy playing in mud with their Grandma and Grandpa!
The Mud Pie Pottery Studio and Gallery
2302 Kuebler Road South
Salem, OR 97302
503-779-3050
503-999-1606
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