Cotton Patch Pottery
Unique Gifts and Collectibles



Making pottery is an ancient art that has been practiced by man for thousands of years.  From simple utensils to towering works of art man has stretched the potential of clay beyond normal boundaries.  Ancient peoples used clay to help them complete simple tasks such as eating and drinking.  Today there are many functional potters in North Carolina but only a few practice in South Carolina.  South Carolina was known for producing pottery in early colonial times and through the 19th century especially in an around Edgefield.  Now there are only a few practicing potters in South Carolina.

Randy McCall began making pottery in Marlboro County in 1976 after seeing a potter from North Carolina demonstrate at an Arts and Crafts fair in Bennettsville.  He read various books on pottery from the local library, built a homemade kick wheel, went up to Bethune and bought clay.  The clay he used at the time was produced by Brown's Pottery and was dug from the banks of a river in Chesterfield County.  After years of practice using this clay Randy switched to commercial stoneware clay due to its superior qualities in color, drying, firing, and overall consistency.  

The clay that is used is glazed with very stable high fired glazes that are mixed in his studio and range in colors from reddish browns, to blues and greens, to white and black, and red.  Some commercial glazes are used to accent colors that can not be readily hand made.

Each piece that is made is a different work of hand-made art with various glaze applications that bring out the nuances of color and shape.  No two pieces are alike, and each piece is unique.  All the pottery that is made is made to be used, whether it is the coffee mugs, vases, large bowls, small bowls, covered casseroles, or face jugs.