Sarah Sunshine of Sarah Sunshine Pottery shares her journey from environmental chaplain to pottery business owner in Black Mountain's vibrant downtown. Her serendipitous path includes taking a pottery class for fun, buying a house with a studio from another potter, and eventually purchasing her Cherry Street storefront after overhearing a conversation in a changing room.

• Originally a chaplain working with environmental activists in West Virginia before discovering pottery at Black Mountain Center for the Arts
• Health crisis in 2012 that temporarily caused blindness led to focusing full-time on pottery to reduce stress
• Purchased her Cherry Street building in October 2021 and opened just one month later
• Named her pottery business after her childhood nickname given by her mother
• Makes everything by hand, including mixing glazes from raw materials
• Black Mountain's economy relies on "generational visitors" who return year after year rather than typical tourists
• Community connection is vital - locals must support the 38 independent restaurants and small businesses
• Emphasizes that Swannanoa, Black Mountain, and Montreat function as one interconnected community despite different governmental structures

Visit Sarah Sunshine Pottery at 105 Cherry Street in downtown Black Mountain or online at sarahsunshinepottery.com.