For Seniors Only: Couple Turns Hobbies into Business
In 1985, Barbara and Bob Campbell moved to Lewisville from the Philadelphia area when he was transferred by Westinghouse to the plant in Rural Hall. Bob was a Quality Manager at Westinghouse and Barbara began teaching English at Summit School and later worked for Wachovia. Now both are retired, but are busier than ever with their hobbies that have turned into a part-time business.
Before retirement, Barbara had dabbled in creating pottery pieces. From the time he was a boy and worked in his father’s furniture shop, Bob has had an interest in woodworking. Later, he made furniture for his own home. His love of wood and nature was a natural transition to woodturning. They combined Barbara’s pottery and Bob’s woodworking skills and formed “The Wood ‘n Potter,” collaborating on pieces like pottery vessels with wooden lids.
Today, Bob makes a variety of turned art using wood from his property in Lewisville. Similar to fine furniture, each piece is finished with several coats of hand-rubbed shellac and natural varnish and then polished with high-quality wax.
Barbara has expanded her years of pottery making into a more serious art. Along with thrown pieces, her focus is to create hand-built pottery, many that are one-of-a-kind pieces.
Over the years, they have developed quite a fan base for their unique pieces. They sell their work at The Coffee Mill in Lewisville and at The Center Shop at the Yadkin Arts Council complex. They also participate in a variety of arts and crafts shows in North Carolina.
Bob and Barbara have enjoyed their move out of the corporate world and into the world of arts and crafts. Retirement has given them an opportunity to start a small business doing something together that they really enjoy.
You can meet Bob and Barbara and see some of their beautiful crafts at the Arts & Crafts Festival on Saturday, June 7, 9 a.m. –
3 p.m., at the Coffee Mill in Lewisville, 6275 Shallowford Road, Lewisville. There will be over 40 artisans on site, plus food, coffee drinks and smoothies available.
