Ex-Marine Brings Longtime Love of Art to Crack'd Pot

Tina Hatch realized she had a love for art in her early years, and she began drawing in kindergarten.

But in high school, Hatch, not sure which path to choose, felt a career as a U.S. Marine would be exciting.

She changed her mind when, in pursuit of this direction, she noted what she felt was a discrepancy in the testing.  According to Hatch, since there was a greater need for male applicants, "The girls had to score higher than the guys in order to be accepted."  That seemed wrong. So, since she continued to have a passion for artistic design, she opted to learn drafting. 

Now with knowledge of CAD (computer aided-design), Hatch decided to "go for it". Three years after using her artistic inclination in the field of design, she took her talents to the U.S Marine Corps and was accepted.  Stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, she added to her abilities with civil engineering projects. After six years as a U.S. Marine, she took her talents in another direction. 

Taking her skills to the corporate world, she moved to Roswell, Georgia, where she worked as a civil engineer.  As building projects slowed, Hatch once again began to consider a different path.

Still in her 40s, she decided to take early retirement. According to Hatch, "drafting and engineering are all art".  She loved the idea of helping others appreciate the excitement of creating.  So a "natural" next-step was to pursue a dream that allowed her to do just that.

Hatch opened Crack'd Pot Ceramics in 2009, a ceramics art studio where creativity flows freely. Customers may purchase unpainted plates, bowls, cups, statues, wall plaques, light switch frames and more.

After choosing a piece, Hatch and her assistant, Marion Kinney, will help with the choice of glazes and painting styles. On one visit to Crack'd Pot Ceramics, Steven Re was painting a ceramic skull to deck the top of his TV set. "I intend to have three; A red, a gold, and this blue one," he said.

Hatch has followed a dream. She has always wanted to encourage the pursuit of creative expression, and, through the years, nurtured the idea of opening her own studio. Besides an artistic leaning and a gift for entrepreneurship, as a Marine, Hatch had cultivated a decisive nature. 

At each career juncture, she was able to take the next step with ease, confident of success. Never letting go of the first love she discovered in kindergarten, her artistic bent carried her relentlessly. It now benefits our community as each one of us can visit Hatch and, perhaps discover creativity of our own while having some fun along the way.

Her studio, "Crack'd Pot Ceramics", is located at 10720 State Rd 54, suite 104,  in Trinity. She will be moving to a different suite, two doors away and having a Grand Re-Opening celebration with giveaways and refreshments in mid-May. Until then,  she will be open for pick ups only, and hours will vary. Visit http://www.crackdpottery.com/ for more information on Crack'd Pot Ceramics.