NORFOLK, Va.— After serving 26 years in the United States Navy, making pottery brings Angela Lindauer peace and allows her to block out the things that happened in the past.
“In 2010 I had a really crappy trip to Iraq, and when I came back I was at a really low point - emotionally, mentally, physically - and I just decided, I guess, that I didn’t want to stay in that spot,” she said.
She opened All Hands Pottery Studio in Norfolk last year. She fired up the creativity this year, and that’s when the wheels started turning.
“It just sort of took off, and those first few weeks I rented enough wheels for enough time to be able to pay my rent,” said Lindauer.
Lindauer started renting pottery wheels for $70 a week and $35 for the weekend. It became a crafty way to keep the ceramics coming.
The wheels come with 12 ½ lbs of clay, and Lindauer fires customers' creations up in the kiln so they can glaze and keep their pottery.
Shelby Waters took classes at the studio, and now she’s renting pottery wheels to spare her from much more than boredom.
“I suffer with anxiety and depression really bad, and so sometimes I need something that takes my mind away from what I’m doing and I can focus on just making,” said Waters.
While the wheels keep turning at home, Lindauer is turning her sights towards the future. She started doing Facebook Live videos Wednesday nights at 7:30 p.m. to stay connected with her members.
Email Angela at angela@allhandspottery.com to set up a time to rent a pottery wheel. She can do curbside or deliver locally.
