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Hunter Vargo | Episode 1252
Hunter Vargo started Hucks Pottery shortly after a life changing crash while speed flying his parachute. As Hunter went through recovery tea had become a huge part of his daily routine. As it became apparent that Hunter’s physical body wouldn’t allow him to return to flying professionally it was time for him to pursue another interest. Teaware!
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Hunter, do you still remember what moment you realized that clay was something that you were going to totally pursue.
Yeah. I think it was when my first piece came to completion. When the delayed gratification of getting that piece out of the kiln after learning to glaze and the function and the form, that bit is what drew me in.
What surprised you most about working with pottery?
The depth, certainly the depth. It’s also what captivated me the most. But you can grab any Ave. in any direction and dive in.
This really came out of the result of a flying accident. And perhaps if you had never been in that accident, you may not have gotten into ceramics. I’m curious about that idea about taking trauma and turning it into something positive. Do you feel like ceramics has been the thing that’s helped to bring healing to the psychology and the healing of the accident?
I think being present brings healing and pottery, ceramics, clay, have an incredible way of doing that. It’s the time that you’re off your phone, it’s the time that you’re there with your thoughts. And that absolutely, no doubt, along with this, anything for me that I can pursue heavily brings a great ease to the mind. So I needed a thing and that was it.
You said that you’ve landed at a clay studio where there’s lots of involvement. I’m wondering for you, how important is that influence of the community there, the clay community for helping you grow?
Yeah, the clay hole has been incredible. The people there are awesome. I love the owner. With that being said, Instagram as well has been an incredible resource. The tea community, the tea wear and pottery in general, if you reach out, I’ve had these types of phone calls with random people willing to give me information that are much farther along than me. And I couldn’t be more appreciative for that.
When you start looking at making your pots, h ow has that desire changed from wanting to just get that pot successful to wanting to be a way of expressing your creativity?
With teapots, it started as just wanting to get something completed. The intricacy comes later following obsession. I just want to get better. Finding different ways to communicate with the teaware and the ceremony. Do you want it to be easy? Do you want it to demand your attention? Do you want a specific type of pour? What do you want it to feel like? Are you brewing for other people? There’s just a vast amount of questions that need to be answered and then your intent comes into play.
Do you feel like you’re making the work you love or you’re making the work you can?
Full honesty, I think right now I’m making the work I can. I have a tendency to always be looking one step ahead. It’s something that I’m constantly checking myself on, setting a moment of presence, working through it with my partner Brooke who’s incredible with this stuff. And taking appreciation for what I can make. But I guarantee you, my eyes are always looking forward.
Book
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Contact
Instagram: @hunter_hucks