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Hello! My name is Leroy Cagle and I am a studio potter who enjoys creating bright, colorful and above all, functional pottery on the wheel. Working with clay and fire, I produce many different shapes and finishes that I hope are a joy to use everyday.
You might say that a woman named Leroy sounds funny. Well, apparently my beloved father, Jacky Boy, didn't take that into consideration when long ago he began calling his third-born daughter "Leroy". It was a nickname that stuck and with time I grew to appreciate it for both the shock value and the alias! So naturally, when it came time to name my own pottery, the only title that sounded right to me was Leroy Pots. And thus professionally, Leigh Cagle became Leroy. I sign every pot with my assumed name and with pride as well. I hope that my pots bring as much joy to you as I indeed receive crafting them.
Leroy Pots began in earnest in 1997. After having worked in a production pottery for five years and for a studio potter for two, I decided to make pots for my own enjoyment. Using what I had learned, I began with simple forms on the potters wheel and glazed and finished the pots in the majolica technique. Eventually, with perseverance, my pots began to have a style of their own. After several years of traveling to juried art and craft festivals throughout the South, I chose to re-locate to the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. I accepted an opportunity to work under Dennis Pitter of Pitter the Potter in Maggie Valley. With his tutelage and friendship, I began to learn the fine yet sometimes vexing art of firing a gas-kiln to upwards of 2400 degrees Fahrenheit. I am still producing functional forms made on the wheel and in addition to decorative painted pots, I also create stoneware with bright colored glazes.
All of my work is dinnerware-safe. Although some pieces are better preserved by hand-washing, most can be put in the dishwasher. I can personalize pieces and take custom orders often. Locally, my work can be found in Twigs and Leaves Gallery in Waynesville and at Pitter the Potter in Maggie Valley. Here are some examples of my current work. If you are interested in ordering a pot or just have a question, send me an e-mail and I will get in touch with you. Thank you for taking the time to view my labors of love and perseverance. Without those who appreciate pottery, I would be nowhere and probably not near as happy!
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