When an elective becomes essential
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MICHELLE DILLON Cherokee County Living
What began as an elective course at Tyler Junior College transformed into a business for Justin Rives, owner of Potter Rey Studios.
Rives admits his initial interest in pottery came from his professor’ s enthusiasm for the art medium, rather than anything in himself. He said his mom had taken a ceramics class in high school and encouraged him to enroll in the elective course.
“ The professor just had this energy to him. There was just something about Dave Funk. He’ s just an amazing human being,” he said.“ He tossed us in, told us‘ clay is not easy but it’ s fun,’ and I was like,‘ cool, let’ s do this challenge.’
After experiencing working with clay for himself, Rives said he was hooked.
“ Once I got my hands on the clay itself, within the first week, I was like,‘ Okay, this is what I want
6 Jacksonville Progress | Spring 2026