A Little About Me

THE SPECKLED DOG POTTERY IS A STUDIO that specializes in functional tableware. Robbie is the studio potter and Emma, an English Springer Spaniel, is the mascot.
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Robbie has always had a passion for being in the kitchen. He enjoys creating new dishes and recreating classic southern fare. For him, presentation is everything. He now focuses on creating service ware vessels in his studio. Lee Marshall, a Lebanon, TN based potter, encouraged him in the studio which eventually led him to enroll in classes at the Penland School of Craft. It was Penland that brought him to Bakersville to open the Speckled Dog Pottery.
 
Robbie is a classically trained musician with an emphasis on the music of the Episcopal Church. He is the organist and choirmaster at Trinity Episcopal Church, Spruce Pine. He studied at the University of South Carolina under internationally famed choral conductor, Dr. Arpad Darzas and has held church positions in the Carolinas and Florida.

A Little Bit of History

A native of South Carolina, Robbie attended The University of South Carolina, majoring in Music Education with an emphasis in choral conducting and church music. Throughout his career, he has held positions in the Carolinas as well as Wellington, Coconut Grove and Hollywood, Florida.

After moving to Fort Lauderdale in 1998, Robbie opened The Eighteenth Street Inn, an award winning bed and breakfast. His reputation as a respected caterer developed there in part as a result of his book, The Poolside Banquet: Sharing Recipes Between a Mother and a Son. A trademark of The Inn was "Inn Art", an evening event featuring fine crafters from the southeast with an emphasis on ceramics. It was at this time Robbie began studying ceramic art production. In 2004, he opened The Speckled Dog Pottery.

Starting as an avid collector of handmade ceramics for use by his catering business, he finally accepted the challenge of creating his own pots. A beginners throwing class started it all. The Speckled Dog's pots are both wheel thrown and hand built. The glazes are all food safe and can be placed in the oven, microwave and dishwasher.

Robbie continues to study ceramic production with world class potters. He has worked in the studio of Lee Marshall in Lebanon, Tennessee and at the Penland School of Craft in Penland, North Carolina with Fong Choo (miniature teapots) and Mark Shapiro (surface design and decoration). With hard work and dedication to the art form, he has been recognized by the media. The studio has been featured twice on NBC6 South Florida Today and he has been afeatured artist in the Miami Herald, Palm Beach Design, Broward Design, Miami Design and The Laurel of Asheville. His work has been juried into Art Beth-el, St. Petersburg, Florida and Big Fish, Small Pot: The Third Annual International Teapot Exhibition, Mission Viejo, California and has received top honors for 3-D artwork at Art Bravo in Broward County, Florida.

In 2012, the Speckled Dog Pottery relocated to Bakersville, North Carolina. Now Robbie is able to focus a major portion of his time to his studio. In 2017, he was invited to become a member of Mica Gallery, a co-op gallery of some of the leading potters in the country. He continues to work for the Episcopal Church as the organist and choirmaster for Trinity Church, Spruce Pine.

Robbie With His Bowls

Robbie Bell's Speckled Dog Pottery is a Proud Member of the Toe River Arts Council of Mitchell County, NC.

Robbie is a Proud Member of Toe River Arts

Robbie Bell's Speckled Dog Pottery is a Proud Member of the Toe River Arts Council of Mitchell County, NC.

Promoting The Arts In Mitchell And Yancey Counties Since 1976