Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Poe.
Hi Hannah, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
From a young age, I was drawn to designing spaces and originally dreamed of becoming an architect. But in 1958, the gender imbalance at my chosen university—8 women to 8,000 men—led me to take a different path. Instead, I chose to study fine art at the Woman’s College of the University of North Carolina, now UNC Greensboro. It turned out to be a perfect fit—nurturing both my creative spirit and independent thinking.
In 1961, a formative period studying at Mexico City College sparked a deep love of travel and cultural exploration that has continued to shape my life and my art. It led me to live outside the U.S. and travel across Europe, through the Middle East, and across Northern Africa—at a time when it was uncommon for young women to venture out so boldly. Regardless of where I lived or what work I was doing, I always created. Art has remained the through-line: sometimes a meditative retreat, other times a full professional pursuit.
Alongside my creative journey, I married and raised two wonderful children. I’m grateful to have lived a full and complementary life—nurturing both family and art with equal care.
Over the years, I’ve explored many media—from drawing and painting to sculpture and pottery. I even returned to my architectural roots by drawing house plans, which became a calming and creative practice. I spent 25 years teaching art and education, from kindergarten through college, sharing my passion with students of all ages.
In retirement, I turned to pottery and sculpture more seriously, developing my practice as a professional potter. The tactile, grounding process of working with clay continues to nourish my creative soul.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the biggest challenges I faced was maintaining balance—between my job, raising children, and supporting my husband, Bob, who taught art at the local college (now a university). We had moved to a small town that wasn’t particularly liberal, which brought its own set of difficulties. The town often lacked the resources and opportunities I wanted for our children. That meant I had to step in and provide what was missing—all while managing the demands of my own career.
Fortunately, the college had an excellent president who supported faculty and their families. When Bob was awarded a Fulbright, we had the incredible opportunity to spend a year in England, where he taught art. Our children were 11 and 14 at the time. Living abroad and traveling through Europe proved to be transformative. When we returned, it was clear that the experience had broadened their perspectives and enriched both their attitudes and education.
The impact of that year abroad didn’t end when we returned. Our children, now adults with children of their own, have carried forward the value of international experience. One of them works for a German company based in Barcelona, and all four of our grandchildren have had opportunities to travel. Their parents made sure they experienced life beyond their hometowns, encouraging them to explore the world as teens—just as we had done with them.
Our daughter is a fourth-grade teacher, full of creativity and compassion, bringing global perspective into her classroom. Our son, a creative and driven businessman, blends his expertise as a CPA with storytelling—hosting podcasts where he interviews professionals from around the world via the internet.
That year abroad, and the travel that followed, turned out to be truly transformative—for our children, and now for our grandchildren as well.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work is rooted in the belief that beauty can emerge from what others discard. I use scraps—rusty tin, sticks, poppy pods, aged wood, and other found materials—to give them a second life. I’ve always loved wood, especially when it’s rough, weathered, or freshly sawn to reveal its inner beauty. Lately, I’ve been creating abstract houses—collages made from wood and other rustic materials that incorporate architectural features in imaginative ways.
In addition to sculptural work, I sew and paint. I’m currently making a quilt for our first great-grandson—a project full of love, memory, and legacy. I also create earrings from recycled bits, handmade cards with collages of paper scraps, and even occasionally make my own paper from dryer lint. Across all of these practices is a single thread: the desire to live lightly on the earth, yet still create something meaningful, useful, or beautiful. My hands are restless, always reaching for the next challenge, especially those I create for myself.
I maintain two studios—one for watercolor, sewing, and small collage work, and another to house the vast assortment of wood and found materials I rely on for the diversity I need as I strive toward unity in my art.
Among all the work I’ve done, my favorite job—though it only lasted a year—was also one of the most meaningful. I worked in prosthetics, sculpting and modeling facial features for people who had undergone surgeries due to cancer or trauma. I would reconstruct a face from a photograph, or replicate an ear by modeling it in reverse from the healthy side. We used polyvinyl materials, carefully matching skin tones and creating facial coverings to protect exposed bone or teeth—and, importantly, to help patients avoid the stares and discomfort of others. It was deeply fulfilling to restore a sense of dignity and confidence to those who had been through so much. Sadly, I had to stop due to a sensitivity to the chemicals in the materials used, but the experience left a lasting impact on me.
That kind of work—where creativity directly improves someone’s life—speaks most to my purpose. Whether I’m making art from scraps or sculpting for healing, I am always looking for ways to connect usefulness with beauty, and restoration with imagination.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I am very independent, and I enjoy my solitary creative life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @hannah.poe.7583
