Caroline Woolard
Caroline Woolard briefly joined the Clayworks family in the spring of 2025. Although their time together was short, it was just what both Clayworks and Caroline needed. Words that come to mind when you meet Caroline are renaissance, resilience, and rebirth. Caroline might not be the only person who came to pottery as a form of self-therapy, to connect with the earth and make something out of nothing, but her story truly exemplifies trial by fire and a treasure that comes out of the fire... or in this case, out of Hurricane Helene.
Caroline grew up in eastern North Carolina and studied nutrition at Eastern Carolina University. In 2017, life’s challenges led Caroline to clay, and she found her way to The Village Potters in Asheville. Caroline says clay became a powerful outlet for navigating personal struggles and finding healing. The experience of making something by hand brought Caroline both a sense of mindfulness and joy. She was able to focus fully on the clay and what it could become rather than on her personal struggles. Clay holds so many life lessons. It teaches you to let go and be adaptable, to accept what you cannot change, and to be patient. Its unforgiving nature reminds us that even with effort and intention, failure can still occur. Yet, in that same unpredictably lies the potential for great success. Caroline finds working with clay grounding. She believes there is something so primal by actually touching the earth and creating from the earth. Much of her work reflects the natural world. Like many artists, Caroline’s path began with dedication - interning, learning, and working hard. At The Village Potters in the River Arts District of Asheville, she gained access to classes, time in the studio, and mentors. By 2022, she found her artistic voice, both through creating pottery and in sharing her passion by teaching.
On September 26, 2024, evacuation orders were issued for the Riverview Station Building, home to The Village Potters, as Hurricane Helene approached. Even before the storm made it to Asheville the following morning, water had already begun spilling over the riverbank, signaling the severity of what was to come. The Village Potters thought they had enough time to save the entire studio, but tragedy came much faster than the evacuation could sustain. Caroline was spending time at the beach in the days leading up to Hurricane Helene and was there when the full brunt of the storm hit. She did her best to work as a remote lifeline, relaying safety updates she had received from her studio mates and sharing resources on how to best support those in Western North Carolina as cell towers went down and communication with the outside world became limited and unreliable. Destruction and loss in the studio was widespread. The equipment and pottery that was able to be saved was buried in mud. Ironically what was once created by mud was once again covered in mud. What Caroline chooses to remember and visualize most is the beautiful act of people coming together to help one another.
In the aftermath of the hurricane, Caroline came to the Charlotte area and stayed with a friend while she figured out her next steps. She decided to use this opportunity to go to school to get her license in massage therapy. In January 2025, Caroline returned to clay through Clayworks, where the presence of fellow potters proved deeply cathartic. As she navigated grief for what was lost, she embraced the present with gratitude, viewing her situation as an opportunity for rebirth through the transformative power of clay.
As a constant student, Caroline took an intermediate wheel class followed by a sculpture class with Jing Huang that concluded in mid-June. She also immersed herself in the salt firing process, helping to load and unload the salt kiln and participating in all the intricate steps that bring this traditional technique to life. Clayworks was looking for an additional teaching artist, and Caroline was a perfect fit. It was obvious to the Clayworks community that she enjoys and has a talent for teaching and giving people new experiences by exploring clay. During her remaining time in Charlotte, Caroline was a teaching artist for weekend small group wheel workshops and private lesson requests. She was a wonderful addition to the community engagement teaching team and her helpful nature and kind spirit shone through in all her actions.
Caroline has now returned to Asheville where she is rebuilding her life selling her pottery online, pet sitting, doing body work, and teaching self-care through nutrition and yoga. As a licensed massage therapist, she does massages several days a week. Her goal is to continue creating pottery and she plans to join Clayspace, located in the upper section of the River Arts District, which was spared from the flooding. She remains passionate about both pottery and helping potters take care of their bodies through therapeutic movement and other self-care practices so they may keep doing what they love. And, of course, the Clayworks family will welcome Caroline back in the event she ever returns to Charlotte!
Meanwhile, The Village Potters plans to reopen in October. They are seeking a non-profit status to help displaced potters and foster a supportive community.
