Melissa Hogenson was first introduced to clay in her Senior year of high school in New Cambria, MO, in 1972. She loved it so much that she bravely decided to be an art major at Truman State in Kirksville. Though educated as an art teacher, clay was her main art medium.

 

When she and her husband, Jim, had their first daughter in 1980, she left teaching to become a part time potter. In those days, they mainly made and sold animal banks and bells at local craft fairs. It made enough money to make the house payment, so they decided to investigate the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. Jim built a hut from reclaimed barn boards and they thatched the roof with grass cut from the road bank. Clay Images opened their doors at KCRF in 1981, developing the line of dragon pottery for which they became known. They spent 40 autumns making and selling their unique wares there. During that time, another daughter was born and they added the AZ Renaissance Festival to their schedule in the winter.

 

They also sold their wares at multiple art/craft fairs around the nation. It was such a team effort that Jim quit his carpentry job in 1997 to be a full-time pottery assistant. Now, they've relocated to the Lake of the Ozarks to semi-retire. Melissa will always make pottery as long as her body and mind allows.