Susan Abramovitz is 71 years old and owns and creates Rock Riffle Run Pottery. Abramovitz has been doing pottery since she was 18 years old in 1969. In the mid-1970s, she left her position as head of the ceramics department at the university system. I wanted to strike out on my own in pottery,” said Abramovitz. In 1974, she opened her pottery studio called Rock Riffle Run Pottery, but due to land sanctions of where the property was on Rock Riffle Road, she had to move her main studio to where she is now on Rainbow Lake Road. “I didn’t mind teaching, and it’s a different ball game than being a self-employed potter,” said Abramovitz.
When Abramovitz is not in her studio, she cares for her 16-year-old deaf dog, Sparky. Along with taking care of Sparky, Abramovitz walks him around her backyard as she picks up chestnuts that have fallen from her trees, which Sparky eats. Besides her time with Sparky, Abramovitz takes naps and hangs out with her friends in the artist community, but she spends most of her time running her pottery business and experiences burnout. “I have experienced burnout, but it’s my everyday job and hard. It’s all about what part you want to be burned out on, like the paperwork or the glazing,” said Abramovitz. “Pottery is an ancient craft, and I think it’s neat. I’m at the tip of the iceberg because you still have to learn, especially after I have been doing this close to 50 years.”
Susan Abramovitz, 71, fixing the rim of the thrown mug in her studio at Rock Riffle Run Pottery on October 12, 2022.
Hands of Susan Abramovitz, 71, as she throws a vegetable steamer at her studio at Rock Riffle Run Pottery on October 4, 2022.
Susan Abramovitz’s face in concentration as she throws a bowl at her studio at Rock Riffle Run Pottery on October 22, 2022.
The ceramics tools used by Susan Abramovitz at her pottery studio, Rock Riffle Run Pottery on October 12, 2022
Photo of Susan Abramovitz and her friend from the 1980s at her studio at Rock Riffle Ru Pottery on October 10, 2022. The photographs are an inside joke of how they were going to become the “After” photo in years to come.
Susan Abramovitz, 71, explaining where she got her clay from natural Appalachian Mountains during a demo to (right to left) Preston Joffe, 23, Elle English,23, and Sarah Solecki, 26, as part of the Rural Action tour group at Rock Riffle Run Pottery on October 22, 2022.
Susan Abramovitz’s hand unloading a mug from her outside kiln at her property and studio, Rock Riffle Run Pottery on September 14, 2022.
Susan Abramovitz, 71, and her dog, Sparky, 16 looking for chestnuts in the backyard near Rock Riffle Run Pottery on October 10, 2022.
