Artist Spotlight: Grim Pottery
Crooked Road and Round the Mountain member and artisan, Debbie Grim Yates, has been creating pottery in her home studio (located in Konnarock, Va, adjacent from Whitetop mountain) for over 34 years. Her mentors, Rob and Bet Mangum of Turkey Knob, North Carolina, ignited her love for the clay by trading pottery lessons for banjo lessons back in the early 90’s. Debbie worked for Mangum Pottery for over 25 years and started selling her own wares out of the hatch of her Subaru at local fiddler’s conventions and music festivals. Music and pottery go hand in hand with every aspect of the family business. Debbie, her brother Brian, and their mother Lorene toured the country as The Konnarock Critters in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Along with her old-time and bluegrass roots from her husband Tim, who toured with the Yates Brothers and Wyatt Rice, they formed a family band with their two daughters Molly and Sadie. Once Acoustic Heritage, now The Yates Family Band, and sometimes The New Critter Connection, the family unit exemplifies the true meaning of Appalachian music through their heritage and love for these mountains.
The Critters were one of the most prominent old-time bands in the country as they toured both internationally and locally, spreading their love of traditional Appalachian music. Tim also toured across the country with his family band, The Yates Brothers, as well as with Wyatt Rice and other prominent bluegrass musicians. Passing on their love of music to their two daughters, the family band has played at numerous venues throughout the years. From The Carter Family Fold, to IBMA, The Birthplace of Country Music Museum, and many other local establishments and events, the family’s musical diversity can be seen in every performance, whether it be bluegrass or old-time, country, Americana, or folk music, their genre selection changes with every venue to perfectly fit any occasion.
“There is a rhythm and tune that a potters wheel sings as it spins the clay within the artists hands much like a musicians instrument.”
The musical heritage has been passed down through many generations and Debbie’s daughter, Molly, has also inherited her passion for pottery. The two work together in the basement studio of the Konnarock cabin home alongside Debbie’s mother, Lorene. Grim Pottery creates a plethora of different functional and decorative stoneware from coffee mugs, dinnerware sets, lamps, vases, and many more.
Stop by their home studio in Konnarock, or find their wares at various shops all across the Tri Cities/Southwest Virginia region. For hours and contact information, find Grim Pottery on Facebook.
This article was originally published in the Whitetop Gazette and written by Gary Rascoe. It is reprinted in The Neighborly with permission.
Support a free and local press! Show your support for the continued publication and free distribution of the Whitetop Gazette newsletter by donating any amount at the Skyline Bank in Whitetop under the account, “Whitetop Gazette”. Help keep The Neighborly free: buy advertising or consider making a donation through our fiscal sponsor – ask us how!
