DANNY MCSWEENEY

Using Clay to Create His Dream Life

story by JENNIFER BROWN-CARPENTER photos by GREYSON JOHNSTON

Growing up on a riverbank outside of Richmond, VA, Daniel McSweeney had no idea that as he played with the clay he was digging in, he was shaping his future. He would make little pots and let them dry in the sun. Back then, he didn’t know what a kiln was or how to work a wheel, but he knew that clay felt different in his hands. He played soccer and ran track, but was always drawn back to the art studio. His mother was always very supportive of him pursuing art.

Danny and his family moved to Columbia, SC where he attended high school. There he continued to work with clay, but it wasn’t until college when he first got his hands wet on a pottery wheel. When Danny first enrolled at Kansas City Art Institute, his focus was on sculpture, but that quickly changed to ceramics. His love of clay and seeing what he could create with the pottery wheel has driven him ever since.

While attending college Danny was looking for a part-time job. “A position opened up at the clay guild in town. It was teaching the children’s class. After a lot of convincing, I decided to apply, I was hired and it was great. I couldn’t believe how much fun the children were having, how much they were improving every week, but most of all, how much I enjoyed it too. After being there for one year, someone recommended that I teach the adults as well.”

After college, Danny met his wife Anna and settled into Charleston. As Charleston continued to grow, it steadily lost the quiet charm they loved. They visited Beaufort by sailboat and like many of us, fell in love with this special town. Beaufort provided a beautiful atmosphere, with just enough restaurants and shops nearby and plenty of nature for Daniel to soak up. Just over two and a half years ago, they decided to make Beaufort their home.

After moving to Beaufort, Danny looked into a studio space on Lady’s Island but decided to open McSweeney Clay Studio downtown on Duke Street. “It feels very Beaufort,” he says. He also hosts all types of parties, birthday parties, retirement parties, even a few bachelorette parties. One of his favorite things to host is pottery date nights. These date nights begin with a bottle of wine and some chocolate-covered strawberries. He gives a short introduction to the wheel and then leaves the couple to themselves for the next hour. “If they want help, I’m around but otherwise, it’s just about having fun.”

Danny is a member of the Beaufort Art Association. The association was chartered in 1957 and is a tax-exempt membership association. Their mission is to “encourage, support and provide opportunities for the growth of all members, as well as to contribute to the community with aesthetic and educational experiences in the visual arts.” All of the artists take turns working in the gallery once a month. Danny has a few of his pieces on display there, including one of his favorites called “Introvert.”

Danny and Anna are new parents to a beautiful 9-month-old little girl, Eleanor. Anna is a teacher at River Ridge Academy in Bluffton as the Lego Lab teacher. Eleanor goes to work with her dad at the studio. “She is with me all day while I am teaching. She makes me much more efficient. Multitasking doesn’t even describe it.” Danny laughs. “It’s like Eleanor has 30 grandmothers. She sees the same people at least once a week and smiles and recognizes them.”

Danny’s father passed away when he was young. “It makes me really appreciate the time I have with my daughter because you never know when that time is going to be up.” He loves taking her on little trips, especially to the beach. “She loves playing in the sand. I enjoy those times.”

Eleanor is already developing a love for clay before turning a year old. She has already taken her first lesson at the wheel. “I strap her to my chest in a baby carrier while teaching classes, and I’ll be working at the wheel and she’ll reach out and touch it.”

Danny’s inspiration comes from being outside and enjoying life. An instructor once told him that he would never be inspired by sitting in the studio. He had to get out and live life. To find his inspiration and bring it back to the studio to create. He loves being on the water, canoeing, fishing, and crabbing. He especially enjoys finding clay while he’s out. He recently found a good supply on a little island in Habersham Creek. “It won’t be good for making pots on the wheel, but it might be good for making little sculptures.” With hundreds of different types of clay, the opportunities for creation are almost endless.

Danny wants to continue to grow his studio and continue to provide quality classes for people of all ages in the Lowcountry. When asked what his dreams are, he said, “my life already feels like a dream come true.”