Caroline Perry finds purpose and community through volunteering at Kinston Community Arts Council

For Caroline Perry, volunteering at the Kinston Community Arts Council began with a pottery class and grew into a passion that has lasted approximately 15 years. Today, she helps others discover the same excitement she experienced when she first sat down at a pottery wheel.

Perry, a longtime pottery instructor and volunteer, has helped transform the council's pottery studio into a space where beginners can learn a new skill, experienced artists can develop their craft and community members can find a creative outlet.

Her introduction to pottery came when her twin daughters were toddlers. She enrolled in a class taught by Melanie Waters, an instructor whose encouragement helped Perry recognize her own artistic abilities.

"She was an amazing teacher, and I fell in love with pottery," Perry said. "She was very encouraging, and she kind of said, 'You've got a talent. You need to keep fostering this.'"

Her husband also encouraged her newfound interest, partly because he wanted her to have something she enjoyed doing while he went fishing.

Over the years, he gave her pottery equipment for Christmas, birthdays and anniversaries, gradually helping her establish a studio at home.

Perry continued taking classes with Waters, first at the arts council and later at Waters' home studio. Eventually, she developed her own workspace and began pursuing pottery independently.

Her involvement as a volunteer began when the arts council needed assistance with its summer programs.

"Sandy was here, and she was like, 'We've got this great pottery studio, but we need some help doing the summer camp,'" Perry recalled.

She began teaching children's pottery camps, a role she continued for several years. As her own children grew older, Perry became interested in teaching adults.

That transition eventually led to an effort to improve the council's pottery facilities.

Perry and her husband recognized the studio's potential and decided to invest their time and effort into renovating the space.

"We thought, you know, it's such a great place, and if it just had a little bit more love to it, we could probably really use it, have a lot of people use it," Perry said.

The improvements included renovating the existing pottery area and expanding into an adjoining room that had not been in use. The additional space allowed the studio to accommodate glazing, hand-building projects and pottery wheels.

A partnership with Lenoir Community College brought additional pottery wheels to the facility, further expanding its capabilities.

"Now we've just got this great facility down here, and it's been taking off. It's been very popular," Perry said.

The studio now offers classes for beginners and intermediate students, along with workshops and open studio opportunities for those who have completed introductory instruction.

Perry said some students have continued taking classes with her for as long as three years.

New participants begin with a class to learn the equipment, techniques, studio procedures and cleanup responsibilities. Once they understand how the facility operates, they can purchase a punch card to use the studio during designated open hours.

According to Perry, open studio opportunities are generally available Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, allowing participants to work independently without an instructor present.

The council also offers wheel-throwing and hand-building classes, along with seasonal workshops featuring projects such as pumpkins and Christmas ornaments.

While pottery remains central to Perry's involvement, she said the experience of helping others discover their abilities is what makes volunteering especially rewarding.

Before teaching pottery, Perry worked in dentistry for 16 years. Both professions allowed her to work with her hands, but she discovered a significant difference in how people approached the two environments.

"I was a dentist for 16 years, and that was working with your hands, too. And I loved that, but people come to the dentist scared, and they don't want to be there," Perry said. "They come to the pottery studio, and they're so excited to be there."

She particularly enjoys watching beginners overcome their initial hesitation.

Many arrive convinced pottery will be too difficult, only to discover that the skill becomes more natural with practice.

Perry compared learning to use a pottery wheel to learning to ride a bicycle.

"It's like riding a bike. It's like all wobbly and scary at first, and then all of a sudden you kind of get that feel of what the balance is like," Perry said. "It's the same thing on the wheel. You all of a sudden get it, and you're like, 'Oh my gosh, I got it. I got it.' You want to do it more and more and more and more."

She described pottery as therapeutic, providing an opportunity for people to relax, concentrate and create something with their own hands.

For Perry, those moments of discovery have become one of the most meaningful parts of her volunteer experience.

Although she has spent years contributing to the arts council, Perry is reluctant to draw attention to herself. She prefers talking about the studio, her students and the opportunities available to the community.

"It's just a passion of mine," she said.

That passion extends beyond pottery to the larger mission of the arts council and the volunteers who help sustain its programs.

When asked what she would tell someone considering volunteering, Perry offered a straightforward invitation.

"Come. I mean, gosh, the more the merrier," Perry said.

She also praised Jeffrey, whom she identified as a leader at the council, for his willingness to embrace new ideas and help volunteers turn them into programs.

"Jeffrey is amazing, and he has figured out how to just wrangle everybody in," Perry said. "He's so optimistic. Whatever you can dream up, he can figure out how to make it happen."

Perry encouraged prospective volunteers to contact the arts council, share their interests and explore ways to contribute.

Her own experience demonstrates how a single class can lead to years of community involvement. What began as a hobby became an opportunity to teach, improve a community facility and introduce others to an art form she loves.

For Perry, volunteering is not simply about sharing what she knows. It is about watching someone else discover what they can do.

And after approximately 15 years, that moment when a student realizes they have mastered something new continues to make the experience worthwhile.