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Waynesburg, Ky, KY

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My name is Susanne Zwahlen and I am from Sweden and the one behind

“Little Swede Pottery”

 In November of 2003 I immigrated to United States of America after getting married in Sweden to Jerry Zwahlen a farmer from Lincoln County. Since my license to work as a nurse in USA was not finished I had some free time to do something else than study for the license and I choose pottery since that was something I always wanted to try out but never had time for earlier. I went to an evening class in Danville and learned to work with the clay, believe it or not but it took me at least 3 lessons to learn to center the clay on the wheel before I even could try to do something with it. I also had some lessons from Marianne Brown in Lawrenceburg. I was juried in to the Sheltowee Artisans, an Art Guild in Somerset, in 2005.

I like to do pottery that can be used for a purpose, mostly bowls, mugs, vases and of course I also do some things that are just for fun. In Sweden we have a little red hat figure called a Gnome or Tomte, I love them and want everybody else to like them too.

My clay is from Highwater Clay and I use their speckled clay, I fire in a digital electric kiln it is easy to get the right temperature in. My glazes are mostly mixed from dry mixture but my hand painted Gnomes are all done with already mixed glazes. I fire to cone 6 when I glaze fire and cone 06 when I bisque fire.

I have always liked to work with my hands so it felt natural to start working with the clay. My motto is: From the earth through my hands to you. It really fits all the things I do because I also weave on a big floor loom that I had shipping from Sweden. I love to use natural materials when I do my entire handicraft so that it comes from the earth fits very well.

I have my studio in the basement of our house at 4115 Hwy 643 in Ottenheim, Lincoln County. Anybody who wants to come and see my pottery or get a gift for someone is welcome to call me. I try to be open Saturdays between 9:00 am-3:00 pm for anyone who wants to come out to check out how pottery is made on the wheel, best to call first if you have a long drive (606-669-9855).