Page 76 - South Mississippi Living - October, 2026

The word “phenom” could be used to describe Makenzie
Miley. She started creating her unusual pottery just two
years ago. Last year was her first time to display at the
Peter Anderson Festival and she won Best of Show. How
‘bout that!
The Oxford resident will be back this year but not in the
same spot as last year. “Located at booths 647 and 648,
I’ll actually have a double booth this year—so double the
space, double the fun,” she says.
Miley is not the usual potter; she works with cement.
“Believe it or not, I never took an art class growing up, so
everything I’ve learned has been self-taught,” she says.
“I don’t fire my pieces like traditional pottery. I work
entirely with cement, and my pieces are left to air-dry as
the cement forms and begins to harden.”
That’s definitely not the gentlest material for her hands.
She wears protective gear while working and makes sure
to change gloves often. Everything she makes is 100
percent cement although she uses sealers and paints as
76 | October 2026 2025 Best of Show Winner
Makenzie Miley
story by Lynn Lofton photos courtesy of Makenzie Miley
part of the process.
“My art business has become a space where
creativity and connection meet, a place where I
get to do the work I love while loving people well.
Meeting people and getting to know them is always
my favorite part of the job,” Miley said.
Many things inspire her work. “For me, art started
as a form of healing in so many ways. If you know
anything about my business or my story, I actually
threw myself into pottery during a very pivotal time
in my life,” she says. “What I found was that the gift
of life inspires me to create. The fact that the Lord
chose me to wake up today and gave me the ability
to create is something I’m truly grateful for.”
Other inspirations include her love of traveling where
she’s constantly inspired by different cultures and nature.
Those influences often find their way into her designs
along with ideas, places, and people she meets.
NOT THE
USUAL
POTTER
Makenzie
Miley
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