Local potter offers wares, instruction at Santa Rosa Beach studio

Looking for a special piece of pottery or learn how to do it yourself? Look no further than Santa Rosa Pottery in Santa Rosa Beach.

Long time South Walton resident Deborah Orr, proprietor of Santa Rosa Pottery has been an artist most of her life and has been throwing clay (the process of forming a pot out of clay on the potter’s wheel is called throwing) since 1970. Orr has been creating artful and functional pottery using a variety of natural elements locally since 1980. Her finished, fired products are not only artful, but also food safe, dishwasher proof, oven and microwave safe.

Originally from Kentucky, Orr grew up in a country town north of Lexington where her family thrived in the hardware business since the Civil War. After deciding to leave her hometown, Orr thought she would never find a place as beautiful as the Kentucky countryside; that is until she discovered Walton County and fell in love with the natural landscape of Northwest Florida.

Orr found a quiet 10-acre property nestled in a wooded area off of Don Bishop Road and developed her homestead. After a career as a schoolteacher and raising four children, Orr now focuses full time on creating her clay wares and continues to educate at her studio.

Orr’s specialty is creating bowls crafted from natural elements and finished in a high-fire kiln. Her artful, high quality bowls truly have a ting to them. She often uses elements such as hardwood ashes in her glazes for a unique look and feel.

“I make what I want – to be functional and to feel different, and nothing that isn’t food safe,” Orr explains.

Orr offers one to four day instructional workshops at her studio. Independent study, studio space and equipment rental are also offered.

Santa Rosa Pottery is located at 462 Don Bishop Road, Santa Rosa Beach. Tel: (850) 368-8610. For more information go to: http://santarosapottery.com/