Earth, clay and fire

     For nearly 50 years, Heather Glen resident Jim Whalen made his living with his hands — shaping raw earth into vessels marked by patterns and texture. A lifelong artist and professional potter, Jim spent decades creating work that encouraged people not just to see art, but to feel it.

     “I wanted people to see and feel at the same time,” he explained. “The surface, the space, the texture — it all works together to pull you in.”

     Jim was born in Buffalo, New York, and moved several times throughout childhood before his family eventually settled in North Carolina. After graduating high school, he attended East Carolina University, initially intending to pursue a career in biological illustration due to his appreciation for both the art and the natural world. But once he discovered the pottery studio, he reshaped his future.

     “It was more tactile,” he said. Rather than relying on visual cues alone, “you kind of feel your way into a good piece.”

     Jim opened his first studio in eastern North Carolina, then later moved to Charlotte, where he continued developing his craft, teaching pottery classes and experimenting with new techniques. He soon gained a reputation not only for his skill, but also for his innovation. Inspired by traditional pit firing but wanting more control over the atmospheric patterns it created, he began developing his own methods using sawdust, salt, wax resist, geometric taping and layered firings — techniques he honed through years of trial and curiosity.

     His studio, Paradox Pottery, became known for its organic, earth-toned vessels with striking surface designs — shapes that felt as though they belonged to both the past and the present.

     “Ancient cultures used these kinds of forms,” he said, holding a round vase that bulged around the middle, resembling a slightly flattened sphere. “There’s something instinctive about them. You don’t need to add anything extra.”

     Throughout the 1980s and ’90s, Paradox Pottery flourished. Jim participated in prestigious craft shows including the Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington, D.C., and the Mint Museum Potters Market in Charlotte — the latter becoming one of his most successful events year after year. His work also appeared in galleries nationwide, and for many years, he sold pieces online to collectors across the country.

     At the same time, Jim continued sharing his love of clay with others through teaching, including time as an instructor at Odyssey ClayWorks in Asheville in the late 1990s. He introduced students to everything from traditional throwing to more playful sculptural forms — including memorable ceramic fish creations.

     “You get people making something like fish, and suddenly you see personality come out,” he laughed. “They were hilarious — and really creative.”

     Even after retiring from pottery a couple of years ago due to health challenges and fatigue, Jim never fully let go of his artistic spirit, continuing to create small sculptural pieces when he can and experimenting with jewelry and clay beads. He even joined in on a one-off pottery workshop at Ardenwoods and helped save other residents’ work from wobbling off the wheel. “I was always a good teacher, so I still enjoy helping other people,” he said proudly. “If someone’s pot went off-center, I could always bring it back.”

     Since he moved to Heather Glen about a year ago, Jim has since become an important part of the community, particularly through his passion for environmental responsibility. His life may look different now than it did in his bustling studio years, but Jim remains grounded in creativity, finding deeper purpose in observing, interpreting and caring for the world around him.

     “It’s been a good life,” he said. “Art gave me something to work toward every day — something to get better at. And I’ve met so many good people along the way.”