Matthew Gaddie has been an aspiring professional artist for over a decade. During that time he has grown The Meadows Pottery from a small corner in his garage into one of the most complete fine art ceramic studios in the state. The initial stage of investment in 2007 was focused on the designing and the building of a 37-ton wood kiln. The original prototype, which measures 8 feet wide, 20 feet long and 13 feet tall, with a 25 foot chimney, has been replicated numerous times across the eastern United States. Each kiln has added to the growing kiln design and construction and general ceramic consulting aspect of his business. In 2010, Mr. Gaddie invested heavily in the future success of his venture by remodeling a 100-year-old cow barn into a 1,400-square-foot ceramic studio, gallery and kiln crew bunkhouse. Each aspect of the remodel addressed the specific requirements of producing large scale, one-of-a-kind, contemporary wood-fired ceramics. In the same time period, the artist has maintained a strategic craft show schedule while exponentially expanding a national juried exhibition resume. The artist has founded expansion projects with retail sales, wholesale orders, private commissions and large corporate ceramic installations. Other revenue streams have included:
* Teaching national workshops on creating large-wheel thrown clay vessels, most recently at the Brockway Center for Arts and Technology, in Brockway, Pa.
* Teaching graduate kiln building master classes. Most notably at Hood College in Frederick, Md.
* Teaching 3-D art as adjunct faculty at St. Catharine College in Springfield, Ky.
Mr. Gaddie has received grants from the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts and the Toyota Alumni Scholarship fund, as well as an Emerging Artist Award from The Kentucky Arts Council. He has won the Best New Exhibitor and the Best of Show honors at Kentucky Crafted: The Market. In 2014, Mr. Gaddie was recognized as one of the 100 most notable wood fired potters in the world by New York author Amedeo Salamoni.