Some of his work had hand pinched faces, each with their own unique expression

TIFTON — “For the Love of Mud” was eight years in the making. The exhibit opened Jan. 27 at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture art gallery. It featured the versatile ceramic work of Walter Hobbs. At the opening reception Hobbs demonstrated his process on the pottery wheel, his own carving techniques and he shared stories of teaching and life as an artist in South Georgia.

Polly Huff, GMA gallery curator, knew when the gallery opened in 2010 she wanted Hobbs to have a show there. Hobbs has long worked in and around the South. He taught art in Lowndes County, at Troy State University and at Valdosta State University. He has been making work since the 70s and has taught for nearly three decades.

Huff said she thought she was familiar with his work. But when unpacking the show, she soon realized there was more to his work than she knew. Over the course of his art career, Hobbs has been taught by eight different instructors and it showed.

“I was blown away by how many different techniques, glazes, different kinds of clays,” said Huff.

The work on display spanned from metallic pitchers, vessels with hand pinched faces and mustaches to mugs engraved with hand carved fish. Attendants combed through the mugs, testing their handles, finding the right shape and size and small indentions where a thumb could comfortably rest along the handle.

“People just cannot believe that this is one person’s work,” Huff said.

One piece mounted on the wall was blue and while with a photograph of a baby repeated three times across the center. The photograph is of Hobbs himself. He explained to a curious attendant that he used a silkscreen process to print the photograph onto the clay. It was one piece in a series he did featuring old family photographs.

He told the crowd that circled around his pottery wheel that the series was a surprise to his family. One large piece had a photo of his mother in a two piece bathing suit.

“She walked into the gallery and these guys go, ‘You were hot Mrs. Hobbs!’” The crowd gathered around his wheel laughed and Hobbs told them earnestly, “I was in trouble.”

Among the crowd were some familiar faces, people who were sure to attend the event to see their high school classmate or their middle school art teacher.

Diana Owen was one of those people. She recognized his photograph in a story about the show and then she recognized the name. She took his art class in Hahira in the sixth grade.

“I wanted to make sure I came when he was here,” Owen said.

She remembered Hobbs taking the class outside to learn about depth and perspective. He sat them down and had them sketch out the school they spent their day in. She only got to take his class once before moving. But now she was reunited with an influential teacher and saw the progress he’s made. Owen was glad to see that he was creating significant work both inside and outside the classroom.

“For the Love of Mud” will be on display at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture art gallery until March. Exhibit hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. For questions about “For the Love of Mud” and other exhibits contact Polly Huff at phuff@abac.edu.