The Spirit of ZPOTS
It might have been fate or a foreshadowing of things to come that Noelle and Eric met in a pottery class at West Virginia University. They were friends for a couple of years and then that friendship blossomed into marriage, three children, and an inspirational pottery business.
When their first son Grayson was born, they could not decide on his middle name, so they just gave him the initial “Z.” They had two more baby boys, and to each of them they bequeathed the letter Z as their middle initial.
So, it only made sense when they were naming their infant pottery business that they landed on ZPOTS. Noelle says Z “means nothing and it means everything!”
Each ZPOT is a work of art, not only in its construction, but also in its embellishment. Noelle’s words and simple drawings adorn each piece and endow it with meaning and positivity.
There is a cup of love and a bucket of bliss. No wonder people love to own, give, and receive a ZPOT!
Noelle calls these affirmations “medicine for the world,” where we are all human and we all struggle. The message of ZPOTS is there is healing, feeling, and believing — leading to a deep gratitude that can positively impact us and sooth our stress.
Her medicine for the world is a dose everyone can love. She says the line just grew organically, as a word and a design merged to make a meaningful statement.
Early on, Eric and Noelle decided to introduce ZPOTS to retailers at major wholesale trade shows. The result was a very enthusiastic reception. Their unique pottery pieces with their meaningful messages and poetry found a receptive, nationwide audience.
Today, shoppers can find ZPOTS in more than 200 shops and galleries across the country. There is also a ZPOTS shop in downtown Brattleboro, Vermont, where you can find both the heartwarming pots and other Z-inspired artwork.
As their business flourished, so did their small crew of dedicated workers. They are affectionately dubbed the “ZPOTTERS,” and they have been an integral element in the entire process.
Noelle calls them “a fantastic team of artisans and dream weavers who have made it all possible.” Every day, this family team melds together the functionality, the palette, and the spirit of ZPOTS.
Eric and Noelle have made it their mission to represent a caring and peaceful world — beginning at their home. They live in Vermont where they homeschooled their sons until high school.
They built their pottery business on an environmentally sustainable platform. The kilns they use to fire their pots are electric, and the electricity comes from solar panels and Vermont’s Cow Power, a biofuel made from waste.
They compost, recycle, and reuse, so every ZPOT is created in harmony with its beautiful rural environment. It is a wonderful treat to peruse their website, www.zpots.com.
There you will find pages of cups, mugs, plates, bowls, buckets, and vases, all decorated with designs and dialogue that sooth your soul. You will also see other products, including cards and tea. Who would not want a cup of hot chocolate or tea in a cup of love?
Eric Hendrick and Noelle VanHendrick have been creative partners for more than 20 years. Their love and togetherness are echoed in their unique and playful pottery that inspires, connects, and celebrates inclusion, possibility, and yes, love. That is the true spirit of ZPOTS!
Diane Sulg is executive director of CRAFT and founder & co-chair of American Craft Week (ACW). She is a handmade advocate who provides valuable information in her one-day seminars at wholesale shows throughout the United States. She can be reached at dianesulg@gmail.com.