a few weeks ago, rebecca, kristen and i spent the day with our friend nancy. we wanted to visit and catch up, but, also, nancy was writing a piece for the bitter southerner about her path southward, and also about beauty everyday. we spent the day going to each other's spaces and talking and reminiscing, over tea and homecooked food.
nancy was really one of our early connectors...i discovered rebecca's pottery in 1994 because nancy carried some pieces in her shop, frontier, in downtown athens. i have vivid memories of the early days of frontier; it was like stepping into another world, full of beautiful items all lovingly curated by nancy. it was more than just a shop; there was so much to be inspired by. also, i will never forget the first time i went to nancy's house. seeing the space that she had created for her family made a huge impression on me.
in 1995, i returned to athens after college and had my sights set on working at r.wood studio...and eventually i started working there. there were only 3 employees back then...no one knew how much it would eventually grow; we just enjoyed it for what it was at that moment. i learned more from my time there and from knowing rebecca that it is impossible to sum it up in this space here.
but, now, all these years later, i feel lucky that we are all still close and that we get to spend time together and collaborate and create. everyday.
enjoy these photos from rebecca's house and r.wood studio, and from treehouse kid&craft, kristen's shop, and 1 or 2 from our lunch break at my studio. you will see a cycle of inspiration running throughout. they all inform each other and all come from and back towards each other.
words and photographs by rinne allen