Staff Bios

Carvel Norman

Co-Founder, Lead Potter, Studio Manager

From mixing up glaze, to running the store & making pottery, Carvel is the face that you’ll most likely see when you come and shop with us. He has a Bachelors of Art degree from Brescia University, and co-founded Dirty South Pottery with his wife, Ashley, in 2012. If you love our Fireside Collection, you can thank Carvel for his creations! Every piece in that line is made by him, as well as many of the pieces in our Kitchen + Table Collection.

Pottery Favorite: Fireside Kentucky Mug

Ashley Norman

Co-Founder, CEO,
Lead Potter

Ashley wears a lot of hats in the business; from making the pottery, to photographing, to loading kilns, to graphic design and much more. She has a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree from EKU, and co-founded Dirty South Pottery with Carvel in 2012. The Watercolor Collection is her signature line, but she also contributes to the Kitchen + Table Collections and the specialty mugs.

Pottery Favorite: Inhale, Exhale Mug

Laura Combs

Shipping Coordinator, Store & Festival Assistant

She is pretty much the glue that holds the business together, even if you’ve never seen her around! Along with her roles as Shipping Coordinator & Store Assistant, she is also our Gift Set Expert, Tech Support, Wholesale Order Wrapper, and pretty much anything we need short of actually making the pottery. If you’ve been to any of the markets that we’ve been at, or big events at the store, you’ve probably seen her helping us from behind the curtain. She also is Dauby’s favorite, which Carvel & Ashley try not to take personally.

Pottery Favorite: Everything Bowl & Holiday Collection

Dauby Norman

Moral Support, Expert Napper, Sometimes Overly-Protective of the Store

Dauby joined our team in 2018 when she was just a few months old, and has risen from the beginner level Napper all the way to expert. Her full nap is Mud Dauber Norman, but we call her Dauby since she has the same ears as our favorite House Elf from Harry Potter. She sometimes will make a fuss when shoppers come into the store, but pay her no mind – you probably just woke her up from a nap and she’s confused about what life is about.

Pottery Favorite: Oopsies Bowl that she gets to eat from.