Photos by Jeffery S. Hall Photography
It’s never too late to start a business, especially when you’re passionate about the idea. Retirement came early for Lancaster resident Jim Fetzer, but a different passion quickly piqued his interest.
A History Lesson
While earning his bachelor’s degree at Baldwin-Wallace University, Fetzer dabbled in a couple courses, including ceramics, to figure out what he enjoyed. Eventually, he discovered young childhood education.
“I got a real kick out of education – when a child doesn’t understand something and then a light comes on, it was just really exciting to me,” Fetzer says.
For more than 30 years, Fetzer worked at various Ohio public education systems, progressing from teacher to principal and finally to superintendent. But at age 51, he retired sooner than originally anticipated.
“I was healthy, too young to stop working, but was ready to move onto something else,” Fetzer says.
Fetzer wasn’t sure where to start, but his teaching license was still valid so he began as a substitute teacher. While subbing for a high school art course, Fetzer noticed ceramic wheels throughout the classroom. He voiced to a full-time art teacher how he tried ceramics in college, and suddenly, Fetzer was at the wheel.
“(The teacher) slapped a chunk of clay down on the potter’s wheel and said, ‘Sit down and give it a try.’ And so, I did and it started to come back,” Fetzer says. “It was fun, I enjoyed it. I looked around and saw the creative things the kids were making and it just kind of gave me a longing to be part of that.”
Visions of a business stirred, but he knew in order to sell his creations the quality needed to be high. So, he took several college courses at Defiance College and Bowling Green State University and mastered ceramics.
From Dream to Reality
For the past few years, Fetzer has operated J Fetzer Pottery out of his Lancaster home. His wife, Judy, helps with the glazing and other tasks. The couple has been married for 40-plus years and finds joy in collaborating.
“We’re aware of each other’s skills and strengths,” says Fetzer. “I’m aware that Judy has more of a color sense and an artistic sense. And she’s aware that I have more of a functional… technical background.”
The duo sells functional pottery like bowls, mugs or pie plates in a variety of colors. To no surprise, their most popular product is the red and grey mug with a seared imprint of a buckeye leaf.
“Maybe this is the German background in us, but we want something useful, something you can actually do something with and use,” Fetzer says with a chuckle. “But we also like beauty.”
Fetzer commissions some creative works, like horse hair pottery – a non-glazed piece where hair, feathers or even sugar are singed into the ceramic while it’s hot. According to Fetzer, less than a dozen artists sell this craft in Ohio.
Favorite Things
About 95 percent of the Fetzer's products are made on the wheel – his favorite method. It took practice for him to classify the method as therapeutic, though.
“When I first started out it was very frustrating,” Fetzer says. “At Defiance College, there was this wall where clumps of clay were just hanging from it because kids had gotten mad and thrown the clay.”
His favorite part though: the art shows.
“I really like the sales, because I'm a people person,” Fetzer says. “At the shows, the only people who come into your booth are the people who love your stuff, and that’s very uplifting and flattering.”
Support and Goals
Apart from pottery, Fetzer enjoys spending time with his three children, two of whom live in Portland, Organ and Sarasota, Florida. His four grandchildren live in central Ohio, though.
“Our grandchildren have helped in the booth at art shows; that’s more of a joy than a help,” Fetzer laughs.
Overall, Fetzer doesn’t begrudge the fact that his retirement came early. He’s enjoying his pottery business and finds pleasure in creating novel and functional products.
“It gives me something to do that I believe is useful,” Fetzer says. “It’s fun to just sit down and spend time taking this blob of clay and using your hands to work it into something creative and good-looking.”
To learn more about J Fetzer Pottery, visit www.jfetzerpottery.com.
Lydia Freudenberg is the brand loyalty specialist. Feedback welcome at lfreudenberg@cityscenemediagroup.com.
A Word from Judy Fetzer
What do you enjoy most about working with the pottery?
My favorite part has been experimenting with what look goods and what sells. We have one that is really, really popular, it’s called Sea Scape.
What makes J Fetzer Pottery horse hair products unique?
I think it’s the commemorative part. We do a lot of commissioned pieces and use (the customers) hair from a deseeded horse – we also do dog hair. It’s nice for them to have something they can remember their critter by.
And goals for the family or the company?
I hope to retire soon. (Judy is an OB nurse). I would like things to take a more creative bend. Growing up, my mom had huge flower gardens, so I’m used to nature and having beautiful colors around. That’s why I like the leaves that we roll into the products because each on is unique.
