Press Release

This is a article that was written and released in Hometown Neighbor magazine on Jaybeescrafts.

Hand Thrown Pottery Comes to Lavonia

Pottery comes to Lavonia!  Local artist Jerry Beatty is starting a new career from an old passion.   Art has always been a part of his life and he always wanted to be an artist, but making a living got in the way of his passion.

Back in the late 70’s Jerry started painting in oils but decided that getting a job was necessary, as the term “starving artist” was too close to the truth and that was no way to make a living and support a family.  However after slowing down, Jerry decided to take up the arts again and bring art to downtown Lavoina.   He went over to the Art Institute in Anderson and studied pottery under the instruction of a local artist.  Soon after enrolling in the class, he created Jaybeescrafts, the name under which he operates and sells his pottery.   “After just the fist class, I realized that pottery is my new passion,” Jerry said.  “The process of creating something beautiful with my hands is very rewarding and I really enjoy it.”  Jerry’s pottery is made from several different types of clay and glazes.  “Experimenting with different glazes and colors is where the real artistry comes out. Each piece is as unique as they are beautiful.”

The pottery is all hand thrown and created in the same manner that pottery has been for thousands of years.  Pottery is an art that besides having been made safer by removing the lead from the glazes has not changed dramatically over the years.  All the pieces made by Jaybeescrafts are food and dishwasher safe.

Along with pottery, Jaybeescrafts offers wood turned art.  Jerry has been working with woodturning for over 25 years and continues to create bowls, pens and wine stoppers.  Most of the wood art is made from wind fallen trees and salvaged limbs that normally would end up in landfills or chopped up for mulch or firewood. “It’s so much nicer to see them turned into works of art,” he comments.  The woods Jerry loves working with most are Cherry, Pecan and Walnut.

The doors are always open at Jerry’s office and he invites you to stop by and see the pottery and woodturning anytime. His office is located at 725 Grogan Street, just off the square in the heart of downtown Lavonia.  If the wheel is going, you can see a technique that has been passed down over the ages and maybe you can try your hand at throwing clay. Please visit my website at www.jaybeescrafts.com or my blog at www.jaybeescrafts.blogspot.com .

New Manzanite Bowl

I started the new bowl using the Manzanita wood.  I think I make a mistake in trying to let it dry.  I should have turned green and worked with what I ended up with.  This is a very hard wood to work, and lost a coffee mug in the process.  The piece of wood came off the lathe over my head, and right on the mug.  I could not have done it better if I was trying.

You be the judge of the rough bowl.  I love the grain and the way the cracks and knots leave an open space in the bowl.  I am going to let set for a week and come back and reshape and cut as thin as I can get without losing the whole bowl.  I have loaded it down with linseed oil which I hope will be compatible with the oil from the wood.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions on finishing this bowl.  I am working with this wood for the first time and need all the help I can get.

New Pottery uploaded

I have just uploaded some of the pottery I finished today.  This one is a small bowl, about 5″ in diameter.  It is a blue sage glaze with a cobalt blue overlay swirled throughout.  I will be posting about 30 plus pieces of hand thrown pottery for your review  including mugs, bowls, honey pots, sake bottles and glasses and hope you will love them and take some home with you.  I will continue to upload and if you do not see what you are looking for, please let me know.  Everyone is welcome  to come to see my work at Crane Creek Vineyards, in Young Harris, GA on May 29, 2010.  If you drink enough, it will look great…….. 

Happy Thankgiving

We will be up at the wood shop this holiday, and hope to post some finished projects.  I have several bowls started, and hope that they are dry enough to finish.   Please keep checking back to see what is new from the shop in the hills.

I hope everyone has a great holidays and even a greater time spent with family.

Please visit my other blog at  http://jaybeescrafts.blogspot.com/.   I have lowered the prices for the holidays and will be bringing several new projects to the site soon.

MONDAY ONLY!!!! November 30, 2009 (Order any item on Monday, and receive free shipping to anywhere in the US.)  If you email me I will set the shipping cost to $.00.  Thanks again for looking and check back soon and often for updates.

New Blog

Please take a look at my new blog at “http://jaybeescrafts.blogspot.com/”.  It is filled with some of the techniques I have tried, and I want your input so I can learn new techniques and new turning projects.  I have also included a place to voice your thoughts and suggestions.

If you have any new techniques or new ideas, please visit and leave your comments.

Rhodium Precious Metal Pen

This custom hand-turned pen is plated with Rhodium, a member of the Platinum Group of precious metals. The wood is Cocobolo, which is a tropical wood that is very hard and long lasting and will get darker with use. This pen can be refilled by using a Cross refill that can be purchased at most office supply stores.

The fine hand crafted pen will make a great gift or impress your colleagues. It comes in a pen boat for easy wrapping and protection. If you have any questions, please let us know.