Preston Tolbert
NC Mountains Pre-Conference Artist
BRCC Anagama
Preston Tolbert is a full-time artist working in Statesville, NC. He studied ceramics at Western Carolina University under Professor Joan Byrd. While at WCU he met his wife Sara Tolbert, also a potter. There he started his kiln building career, designing and building several wood kilns. After graduation in 2007, they moved to Clarkdale, Arizona to be assistants to Don Reitz. Working for Don, Preston learned the intricacies of sustained wood firing along with many other skills and techniques. After moving back to North Carolina in 2010, they built a small wood soda kiln and opened a pottery shop in Old Fort. In 2014, Preston enrolled in grad school at The University of Mississippi with Matt Long. There his work developed source and substance, along with technical evolution. He and Sara once again moved back to North Carolina, this time to Statesville, where they are currently developing Warehouse Arts, a facility for workshops, artist residency, and kiln construction. Preston teaches Ceramics at Catawba Valley Community College and Lenoir Rhyne University.
