Pottery – a fine art, a craft, a profession and a way of life for Bill and Diane Troxell of Oxford.
Bill, always a craftsman and artist, and his wife Diane, who at first had no interest in the arts, have been working side by side and placing a personal touch on their masterpieces for decades.
After moving to the Oxford area in 1982, Diane met Bill and learned what it would take to make a success of Strongstone Pottery, a business venture Bill had created in 1977. He also taught her how to drive a bus, another profession Diane has done for the past 20 years. Diane and Bill, both having children of their own, became a blended family with blended ideas and together created a thriving business.
Diane, with her fine art of scripture carried down a generation from her father, and Bill having studied fine art and carrying the natural instinct and ability of sculpture design, together began their life long journey and opened a world of possibilities. By 1984, the couple was redefining the art of pottery and in 1988 they were wed.
Strongstone Pottery was sold at art shows nationwide and operated out of the same building that years later would also be home to the current Gallery 3-2-1. Oftentimes, Diane says, people ask how the gallery’s name came to be.
“When we got together, I had two daughters, and he had one son and two plus one equals three, which also equals family,” said Diane.
When the business was started a porcelain jewelry line, “Tropicals,” was the couple’s best seller. They say, even today, people come into their shop wearing pieces they bought years ago.
Over the years the Oxford gallery, sometimes referred to as a mom and pop store, transformed into a fully functional, professional art space. The redesigned and remodeled 150-year-old barn serves not only as the gallery, but as the studio and a home to the Troxells as well.
Since the opening of the gallery, the couple has cut back to traveling up and down the east coast and attending about 10 shows annually instead of the 25 that they used to go to.
The gallery, serving clients throughout a 150-mile radius, brings in approximately 60 percent of the work, and the rest is done at the festivals and online. At www.strongstone.com, the couple has a running bridal registry, descriptions of their retail and the artists whose work they offer. Orders can be made online, and a sneak peek into the gallery and studio can be viewed.
Everything throughout the gallery is American-made and completely handcrafted by artists, some of whom are local, others from across the state and some from across the country. There are 25 New York artists among the 300 represented throughout the gallery.
Among the custom made works, the signature pieces of the gallery seem to be the vegetable and floral pattern dinnerware sets, handcrafted by Diane and Bill themselves. Diane says Bill could paint them perfectly even with his eyes shut, and the painting is all freehand.
From the raw materials to the finished piece of perfected pottery, Diane and Bill say they love what they do. Gallery 3-2-1 can be reached by phone at 843-9538, by car at 41 West State Street in Oxford or on the web at www.strongstone.com. Winter hours from New Year’s to Mother’s Day are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In the summer, the gallery hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from Thanksgiving through Christmas the gallery is open seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Editor’s Note: People in the Chenango community perform extraordinary feats under extraordinary circumstances every day. Oftentimes they go unnoticed or unappreciated; “Chenango Stories” puts the spotlight on those people whose compelling stories you might not otherwise hear. If you know someone who is interested in telling their “Chenango Story,” contact Jill Osterhout at 337-3075 or e-mail: josterhout@evesun.com.