GREENFIELD – From tiny, decorative eggs displayed on the counter tops to large, detailed dragons along the shelves of ceramic pieces, there are plenty of art pieces to choose from and waiting to be painted at The Mad Potter Ceramics.
Amy Thruston and her husband Scott were putting some final touches on the stairs leading up to their new storefront at 109 E. Main St. in Greenfield just in time for the shop’s soft opening.
Amy and Scott have been married for 25 years, sharing a love of pottery and ceramics along the way. After some time traveling out of town to different ceramic shops, such as locations in Noblesville and Hagerstown, they had the idea to offer and share an experience they love with the city of Greenfield — a relaxing environment not yet offered to the community.
“I know I’m very excited. And I’m hoping that we can share our love for pottery or pottery ceramics with everyone else. That’s our main purpose here,” Amy said.
Amy said that she was introduced to ceramics as a child working on art projects with her grandmother, and her love grew even more the Monday after Christmas in 2022 when she took a trip up to the shop in Noblesville.
She’s been hooked ever since.
Many of the pieces found on the walls of The Mad Potter Ceramics are made inside the shop, but some also come from areas such as Hagerstown and Lafayette, all being created in Indiana.
In order to make the pieces, Amy and Scott explained they take what is commonly referred to as liquid clay and pour that into the molds, which create unique pieces of pottery. Once the clay has set for a while, they’ll pour out the excess and then continue to let it sit. Once removed from the mold, they clean up any edges and place the pieces in the fire to let them bisque and then the pieces are ready to be painted.
Scott said the entire process takes four to five days to complete.
With the variety of sizes of ceramic pieces to choose from, the prices vary from approximately two dollars for smaller pieces to around $40 for larger pieces. They also offer two kinds of paint to choose from – an acrylic paint and a glaze, which then will be sent to the kiln for firing done in the shop as well.
Living in Hancock County, Amy said that originally they were looking for a house to run their new business out of but the options in the county were limited. After driving down Main Street one day, they saw the for rent sign for the space on 109 E. Main St and the rest fell into place, becoming a downtown business for the busy community to enjoy.
“The location is perfect for us. You know, plenty of room I believe,” Amy said. “With any luck, it’ll be too small and we’ll have to move somewhere else but for now it’s plenty of room.”
Being in downtown Greenfield, Amy and Scott said that they plan to participate in future town events, such as Riley Days that happens annually in October.
The Mad Potter Ceramics also hosts private events, such as birthday parties and more, leaving Monday and Friday nights open for anyone who wants to book the shop, bring drinks and snacks and have a relaxing time painting. Once they get their feet wet, Amy said that that plan to also start offering classes.
Amy said she’s looking forward to being able to provide a family friendly space for another activity to do in town — something that is a cheaper alternative compared to other activities and where someone doesn’t have to be an artist to still come in and enjoy the experience.
“I just want to thank everybody for the positive response, and I look forward to sharing this with everyone,” Amy said.
The soft opening for The Mad Potter Ceramics was Wednesday, but they have plans to have their grand opening on June 1. For more information on the shop and what they have to offer, visit www.madpotterceramics.com.
