Lucy Dean Reed (Eastern Band Cherokee) of the Long Hair Clan has been crafting handmade pottery for almost fifty years. After her first experience working with clay, she was hooked and has been working in the form ever since. She is a founding member of the Cherokee Potters Guild. Primarily self-taught, Reed studied other artists like Lydia Littlejohn and Annie Driver to hone her craft. Utilizing ancient methods and often incorporating Cherokee legends, her pottery is both traditional Cherokee style and contemporary in its final forms. She has accrued multiple first place ribbons and Best of Show at the Cherokee Fall Festival. Reed teaches pottery to school children and college students. Her work is also on display at the Smithsonian Institute. Her work with the Potters Guild is responsible for revitalizing the tradition of vessel-making and wooden paddle stamp designs. Reed currently lives in the Painttown Community of Cherokee, NC.
Lucy Dean Reed
