Today we’d like to introduce you to Tara And Doug Pellegrino
Hi Tara and Doug, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Doug was introduced to pottery at a very young age as his Aunt and Uncle owned a ceramics studio where they would provide weekly lessons to adults and children. He would often spend his weekends assisting his Aunt and learning all he could from her. He carried that love of clay into his college experience and took many courses until he graduated with a degree in media arts. He continued with a local studio but as his career in the Film/TV industry took off he was forced to take a 40 year hiatus from clay as his career would take him all over the world.
In 2018, feeling overwhelmed as a horse farm owner, mother, business owner and often alone as Doug was only home on weekends because of his grueling filming schedule, I grew increasingly desperate for something to relieve my stress. I accidentally, came across a video of someone making pottery. Intrigued at first, I continued to watch and read everything I could get my hands on. I soon joined an online community of aspiring and accomplished potters that provided an outlet for any questions and thousands of video lessons. I purchased all my tools and clay and went right to work. I can remember touching the clay for the first time and feeling a connection that I hadn’t ever felt before with “mud.” I soon purchased a small kiln and with many trials and tribulations I started to create functional stoneware pottery that wasn’t destined to be a door stop.
We started to prepare for our move to South Carolina and Doug’s retirement from the industry. We packed up my little studio set up and put everything in storage. I missed it so much during that 6 month hiatus.
Setting up in Pawleys Island was always the dream I had for myself. Doug’s passion for clay was reignited and as if he hadn’t skipped a beat he fell right back into his pottery routine from all those years ago. My head was jammed packed with ideas! This year, we celebrate 3 years of making pottery in Pawleys Island as Pellegrino Pottery.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Honestly, putting the move aside our journey has been surprisingly smooth. The 4 years I had prior to our move really prepared me for what I do now. Spending countless hours in the studio making mistakes and learning from those mistakes was well worth the wait. While we still make our share of mistakes and wonky pots the “disasters” are fewer and farther apart. We’ll never know everything there is to learn and consider ourselves students of our craft for life.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We incorporate wheel throwing, hand building and slip casting with vintage molds that we’ve accumulated over the years. Last year we had new Christmas Tree molds made for us to resemble the vintage trees that we all grew up with but with some updated texture to appear more realistic. It allowed for us to take custom orders. We introduced our “Beach” trees in 2024 that were our best sellers! A tree most folks would keep up all year round with its beachy colors and vibe and adorned with Pawleys Island shells (Imperial Venus Clam shells).
Living so close to the beach has opened up all kinds of colors and textures that would remind anyone of the coast. We’re having fun exploring with all kinds of functional wares from mugs, platters, bowls, dishes, butter dishes, bakeware, vases, you name it we can make it! Too much to list individually!
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was born in NJ but when I turned 5 years old my parents moved me and my two sisters to Colorado. We grew up in Durango, Colorado and I couldn’t have asked for a better playground. I was always obsessed with animals and living in Colorado ignited a passion for horses that I would carry with me. I’m sure my family would describe me as feisty, fiercely independent, a rule breaker not a rule follower, loyal to a fault, scrappy and I always took the underdog under my wing. I would often end up in a tussle with a bully trying to intimidate a shy, less social target.
Doug grew up in Scotch Plains, NJ where he was one of 4 kids. He was definitely more reserved and took pleasure in ceramics with his Aunt and piano lessons. In high school he fell in love with photography. Often, keeping as many as 3 jobs at a time.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: pellegrino_pottery
- Facebook: Pellegrino Pottery & New Vintage Ceramics
- Other: pellegrinopottery@gmail.com
