Wainwright ceramics: Their Orthodox Pieces, Conversions, and farmer’s market Love Story
How did you two meet?
We met at our local Farmers’ market. Troy (Paisios) was selling ceramics and helping his friend sell bread. I, Avonlea (Xenia), came to the market to buy bread and sign up to start selling my ceramics. Coincidence or not that is where our friendship began. After that first meeting we continued to see each other every week at the farmers market and started talking every day, and well the rest is history haha.
Do you both work with clay?
Yes, we both work with clay.
Did you have any formal instruction?
I, Avonlea, have a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design. I have as many ceramic classes as needed for a Ceramics Degree. Troy is self taught, but has a mentor who inspired him to begin from Georgia.
What objects do you make for Orthodox Christians?
Our main products are mugs, but we make incense burners, one of a kind Saint mugs, bowl, plates, & candle holders as well.
Are you both cradle or converts? What can you share with us about your background?
We are both converts. Troy grew up Catholic, but after his time in the military, he begin to doubt his faith and search for God and Truth. This led him down a path where he lived with Lakota native Americans in Colorado then became a Buddhist monk and finally coming back to the truth which is Jesus Christ and His church. I, Avonlea, did not grow up in church, but at 17 I begin to attend a small church. When moving for college I got involved in several local charismatic Protestant churches and took many mission/volunteer trips. My last trip I went to Turkey to preach and there I got to visit the Church of St Peter and St Paul. I had already began to have lots of questions for my leaders and having met Troy prior to this trip, we both begin to discuss what we thought was truth and the Church of our Jesus Christ. After 2 years of searching, we came to the conclusion of Orthodoxy, we were baptized, christmated , and married a few months later.
What would you tell an inquirer to Orthodoxy?
Come and see for yourself. You will hear and see many things from the internet, to your friends, family, leaders, but what matters most is that you hear and see from Jesus Christ who is present in the Church. Also take your time, the Church isn’t going anywhere.
What's special about the Orthodox Christian community in Louisiana?
It’s very small but growing. Ironically the first orthodox church in the lower 48 is in New Orleans and still serving the community. We continue to pray for the growth of orthodoxy in Louisiana and all over the south for that matter. We’re an eclectic group of folks who love hard and serve well. We actually drive an hour from home over to Texas to attend Liturgy at St. Michael’s Antiochian Orthodox Church with Fr. Michal Pavez.
